Adjectives. Are the conclusions correct?

Question

Hi teachers,I've been searching for the differences for the following adjectives.I’m not sure about the adjectives: long/short/small.Could you correct or confirm my conclusions?"Tall" is for someone or something. (When we can measure it vertically)A tall person/building/tree/mountain."Small" is for someone or something. (When we can measure it vertically or in all directions)A small person. (Just vertically)A small building/tree/mountain/table. (In all directions. Is that so?)A small jacket/cola. (Size? If it is for "size", does it mean "measurements in all directions" as well?"Short" is for someone or something. (When we can measure it vertically or horizontally)A short person. (Just vertically)A short building. (Just vertically)A short tree. (Just vertically)A short mountain. (Just vertically)She has short hair. (Just vertically)When it can be used "horizontally"?"Long" is for something. (When we can measure it vertically or horizontally)She has long legs/hair. (Just vertically)It's a long street. (Horizontally)"Low" is only for something. (When we can measure it vertically)A low building. (Vertically)A low tree. (Vertically)A low mountain. (Vertically)I appreciate your help.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

BCN"Tall" is for someone or something. (When we can measure it vertically)A tall person/building/tree/mountain.

Good.

BCN"Small" is for someone or something. (When we can measure it vertically or in all directions)

It depends on what it is.

BCNA small person. (Just vertically)

That is what it amounts to usually, yes, but it would be hard to be 4' 11" and 350 pounds and be considered small.

BCNA small building/tree/mountain/table. (In all directions. Is that so?)

Yes. A small one of those would be just like the big ones only smaller.

BCNA small jacket/cola. (Size? If it is for "size", does it mean "measurements in all directions" as well?

Now that you mention it, "small" defaults to a predetermined size in this context. The jacket is a size small. The jacket is just a scaled-down regular one. I'll have a small cola, please. The cola is by volume, in a cup custom made to hold the amount of cola to be sold as a small cola, so the spatial dimensions are unimportant.

BCN"Short" is for someone or something. (When we can measure it vertically or horizontally)

Right.

BCNA short person. (Just vertically)

Right.

BCNA short building. (Just vertically)

Yes, but not usually.

BCNA short tree. (Just vertically)

Perhaps, but I think we would be more likely to call it "small" because trees don't vary greatly in width, and the young ones look like the old ones.

BCNA short mountain. (Just vertically)

No, and I don't know why. It's like the tree, I guess. If a mountain was half as tall as another but just as wide, we would have to take that shape into account and call it "squat" or something.

BCNShe has short hair. (Just vertically)

That is what it amounts to, but it is not what we're thinking when we say it. It is a matter of length, how far it is from the scalp to the end.

BCNWhen it can be used "horizontally"?

You can have a short pier, a short walk, a short plank, short wings, etc.

BCN"Long" is for something. (When we can measure it vertically or horizontally)She has long legs/hair. (Just vertically)

No. They just happen to be vertical a lot of the time. Long means "from one end to the other", and orientation does not enter into it.

BCNIt's a long street. (Horizontally)

Right, the opposite of a short street.

BCN"Low" is only for something. (When we can measure it vertically)

Right.

BCNA low building. (Vertically)

Right. We say that rather than "short building".

BCNA low tree. (Vertically)

Possible, I guess, but no.

BCNA low mountain. (Vertically)

Right. Better than "short mountain".

Adjectives. Are the conclusions correct?

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