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Photon Posted 4 years ago
Grammar
They began the long climb up the hill.
They began the long climb up the hill.
(Online OXFORD Collocation Dictionary)
Question: Is up the hill adjectival or adverbial?
Top answer
Tricky question. There are good arguments for either interpretation. " (and thus adjectival), I doubt my hair would catch fire.
- Tricky question.
- There are good arguments for either interpretation.
- " (and thus adjectival), I doubt my hair would catch fire.
- Nevertheless, hair on fire is common among grammarians, so don't be surprised if you hear from someone that only the adverbial interpretation is correct, and the adjectival interpretation is wrong, or that only the adjectival interpretation is correct, and the adverbial interpretation is wrong.
- CJ
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1 Answers
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Tricky question. There are good arguments for either interpretation.
I'd say that 'up the hill' is an adjunct (adverbial - 'path' type) modifying the deverbal noun 'climb'; however, if I heard an interpretation where 'up the hill' was thought to be an answer to "What kind of climb?" (and thus adjectival), I doubt my hair would catch fire.
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