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on April 20, 2026, 10:15:51, in reply to "Reminds me of a Lexicon Valley podcast episode on word order from 2023"
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From the AI summary: In Lexicon Valley Episode 95, "Age, Color, Origin, Material," John McWhorter discusses the strict, subconscious order of English adjectives ( opinion-size-age-shape-color-origin-material-purpose ). He explains that native speakers intuitively place adjectives in this sequence—e.g., "small old brown French leather bag"—and that breaking it sounds wrong to native ears.
I tried some sample word combinations on my first-grade granddaughter at the time, and she somehow knew that mixing up the order was "wrong." Like it's "ugly red dress" and not "red ugly dress."
https://lexiconvalley.substack.com/p/age-color-origin-material
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Is it RPS or SPR? - bbonb April 20, 2026, 9:26:48
- IlliniSax05 April 20, 2026, 10:01:04
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