how to know about this

Question

Hi,Please take a look at the underlined part and tell me how some adjectives of that kind get to be elevated to a noun status? How do I know which one is endowed with such a privilege?Smoking's toll goes beyond the financial, of course.

Philip · Accepted Answer

BelieverHi,

Please take a look at the underlined part and tell me how some adjectives of that kind get to be elevated to a noun status? How do I know which one is endowed with such a privilege?

Smoking's toll goes beyond the financial, of course.

I would call this an exampe of ellipsis (leaving out a word which one knows is intended). This is frequent in newspaper headlines [without "of course", I would suspect that this is, indeed, a headline].

Believer · Answer

Philip
Believer
Hi,

Please take a look at the underlined part and tell me how some adjectives of that kind get to be elevated to a noun status? How do I know which one is endowed with such a privilege?

Smoking's toll goes beyond the financial, of course.

I would call this an exampe of ellipsis (leaving out a word which one knows is intended). This is frequent in newspaper headlines [without "of course", I would suspect that this is, indeed, a headline].

Thank you, Philip.

Would you say that this practice of leaving some parts of the phrase out is an acceptable one and how would you know if something like the one above, the phrase "the financial," is an widely accepted phrasal form that is already existing or as you said, it is an example of ellipsis for the reason that a person would know what it intended?

If a person or persons know what it apparently means by looking at it, would you say this practice of leaving out some parts out is an OK thing?

Philip · Answer

Believer
Philip
Believer
Hi,

Please take a look at the underlined part and tell me how some adjectives of that kind get to be elevated to a noun status? How do I know which one is endowed with such a privilege?

Smoking's toll goes beyond the financial, of course.

I would call this an exampe of ellipsis (leaving out a word which one knows is intended). This is frequent in newspaper headlines [without "of course", I would suspect that this is, indeed, a headline].
Thank you, Philip.

Would you say that this practice of leaving some parts of the phrase out is an acceptable one and how would you know if something like the one above, the phrase "the financial," is an widely accepted phrasal form that is already existing or as you said, it is an example of ellipsis for the reason that a person would know what it intended?

If a person or persons know what it apparently means by looking at it, would you say this practice of leaving out some parts out is an OK thing?

It's quite common but shouldn't be used if there will be any confusion in meaning.

how to know about this

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions