Reply to post: Re: Excuse my lack of understanding ...

Word boffins back Rimini Street in Oracle row: 'Full' in 'full costs' is a 'delexicalised adjective'

Michael Wojcik Silver badge

Re: Excuse my lack of understanding ...

"In this case, 'full' can no more alter the meaning of 'costs' than it can the meaning of 'moon,' 'speed,' 'time,' 'parking lot,' or 'house'".

Full moon as in not a waxing phase?

In this example, "full" does not alter the meaning of "moon". "Moon" still refers to the same thing that the unmodified noun describes. That is the argument.

And similarly for your other examples. They are not claiming the noun phrase is not a modification of the meaning of the bare noun; they are claiming the adjective does not alter the referent of the bare noun.

Thus the preceding bit about the adjective taking its meaning from the noun, and not vice versa.

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