“But the adjectives change,” said Jimmy. “Nothing’s worse than last year’s adjectives.”
Source: Oryx and Crake
“The adjective is the enemy of the substantive.”
—
Voltaire
Attributed
Original
L'adjectif est l'ennemi du substantif.
Attributed
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Voltaire 167
French writer, historian, and philosopher 1694–1778Related quotes
“I've got an adjective that just fits you.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald
(1896–1940) American novelist and screenwriter
“I would have girls regard themselves not as adjectives but as nouns.”
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
(1815–1902) Suffragist and Women's Rights activist
“[The 3 adjectives to define your sound?] Cheerful, exciting and overwhelming.”
Prevale
(1983) Italian DJ and producer
From the interview «Carlo Prevale: il DJ che trasmette emozioni con le sue canzoni!» http://www.prevale.net/news-and-releases.html, Corriereinformazione.it
Original: (it) [I 3 aggettivi per definire il tuo sound?] Allegro, emozionante e travolgente.
Source: From the interview by Federico Valenti, «Carlo Prevale: il DJ che trasmette emozioni con le sue canzoni!», Corriereinformazione.it, August 22, 2010; on Prevale.net http://www.prevale.net/news-and-releases.html.
Gore Vidal
(1925–2012) American writer
"Growing Up With Gore Vidal," Screening History (1994), p. 24.
1990s
Context: A current pejorative adjective is narcissistic. Generally, a narcissist is anyone better looking than you are, but lately the adjective is often applied to those “liberals” who prefer to improve the lives of others rather than exploit them. Apparently, a concern for others is self-love at its least attractive, while greed is now a sign of the highest altruism. But then to reverse, periodically, the meanings of words is a very small price to pay for our vast freedom not only to conform but to consume.
“the blend of absurd, surreal and mundane which gave rise to the adjective "kafkaesque”
Source: The Metamorphosis
“Once she read a book but found it distasteful because it contained adjectives.”
Lois Lowry
(1937) American writer
Source: The Willoughbys