So, I’ve been wondering why a word that describes a verb is an adverb, but a word that describes a noun is an adjective – instead of an adnoun. Finally, I went to the all-knowing Google and came up with some interesting things.

There Is an Adnoun!

I was surprised to find that Google did not give me a “did you mean” when I searched for adnoun. Instead I got links! One to what should be the favorite site of all horrid spellers – dictionary.com, and a second to Wikipedia. In this case, Wikipedia did more for me than the dictionary. Apparently, an adnoun is an adjective without a noun.

Let’s take a uniformly known example: Blessed are the meek. You don’t have to agree, but you have probably heard the phrase and know the meaning.

As the subject of the sentence, “meek” would be the noun. But, going back to my friend dictionary.com, meek is not a noun, it is an adjective. So, in this case, “meek” becomes an adnoun.

How cool is that? Not, actually.

Origin of Words

Now my problem was that, as a word, adnoun has not been around as long as the others.

According to the Online Etymology Dictionary (something I discovered during this research), the word “noun” came about in the late 14th century and ultimately comes from the Latin nomen for “name.” Similarly, “verb” also entered the English language some time in the late 14th century and comes from the Latin verbum. “Adverb” came around about the same time as “noun” and “verb” and is from the Latin adverbium witch literally translates as “that which is added to the verb.”

So, shouldn’t “that which is added to the noun” in Latin be something like an adnomen? But no, we get adjectivum instead! I tried several Latin to English on-line dictionaries; none of them could tell me what jectivum means.

So, where the heck did “adjective” come from?

What is a Jective?

Someone asked this question to Yahoo, the only response was that it was from the Latin (big surprise there) jacere meaning “to throw.”

Well, that doesn’t work for me either. Especially since my on-line translators don’t particularly care for jacere either. However, instead of no response, I was able to find jaceo and jacio. The first relating to being horizontal or situated and the second to throw or hurl.

And the Point Would Be?

Well, there isn’t one really. Except that this is my blog, and I get to write about whatever I want.

I do like that modern English does include an adnoun, but it is not what it should be. And, if I tried to use it in conversation, I’d probably shoot any credibility I have all to pieces.

Not like we needed another example, but I think that I have proven that the English language is as clear as mud when it comes to the rules.

– Lorrie Nicoles