Dal'qörian Inherent and non-inherent adjectives

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Most attributive adjectives denote some ‘attribute’ of the noun which they modify. For instance, the phrase a red car may be said to denote a car which is red. In fact most adjective-noun sequences such as this can be loosely reformulated in a similar way:  

• an old man-a man who is old

• difficult questions-questions which are difficult

• round glasses-glasses that are round

This applies equally to postpositive adjectives:

• something understood-something which is understood

• those responsible-those who are/were responsible

In each case the adjective denotes an attribute or quality of the noun, as the reformulations show. Adjectives of this type are known as INHERENT adjectives. The attribute they denote is, as it were, inherent in the noun which they modify. However, not all adjectives are related to the noun in the same way. For example, the adjective small in a small businessman does not describe an attribute of the businessman. It cannot be reformulated as a businessman who is small. Instead, it refers to a businessman whose business is small. We refer to adjectives of this type as NON-INHERENT adjectives. They refer less directly to an attribute of the noun than inherent adjectives do. Here are some more examples, showing the contrast between inherent and non-inherent:  

 Inherent 	                         

• distant hills

• a complete chapter

• a heavy burden

• an old man

Non-inherent

• distant relatives

• a complete idiot

• a heavy smoker

• an old friend