Subjectivity predicts adjective ordering preferences in Hebrew, but lexical factors matter too

Adjective ordering preferences have been addressed by theoretical and empirical studies. Some accounts propose that the distance of an adjective from the head noun depends on its semantic/conceptual features such as subjectivity. Subjectivity has been observed to reliably predict adjective ordering cross-linguistically, albeit with variation in strength. We propose that cross-linguistic variation might stem from lexical factors, which might operate differently in pre- and post-nominal languages. Frequency, for example, may affect ordering linearly with frequent words appearing earlier in the string, rather than based on distance from the noun. Our study aimed at examining this hypothesis, using a binary forced-choice task contrasting two adjective orders in a post-nominal language (i.e. Hebrew). Our results suggest that subjectivity is indeed a strong predictor for ordering preferences, but its effect interacts with lexical factors. Our findings highlight the importance of studying a diversity of languages, where linguistic phenomena might manifest differently.

Automated summary

The ordering of adjectives is influenced by their semantic features such as subjectivity, which has been found to reliably predict adjective ordering across languages. However, variation in strength exists. This study suggests that cross-linguistic variation might be due to lexical factors, which operate differently in pre- and post-nominal languages. The study examined this hypothesis using a binary forced-choice task in Hebrew and found that subjectivity is a strong predictor for ordering preferences, but its effect interacts with lexical factors. These findings emphasize the importance of studying diverse languages to understand different linguistic phenomena.