As we continue with our series on infixation in Cantonese, let's explore the infix 鬼 in adjectives today:
In two-syllable adjectives, the infix is added between the two syllables to add emphasis.
However, this does not apply to all adjectives.
For example, *舒鬼服 and *容鬼易 are ungrammatical. You might say, that's because this structure is only used with pejorative adjectives (貶義) to express frustration or contempt; however, even with pejorative adjective this infix is not always grammatical.
E.g., 麻煩 --> 麻鬼煩 (Annoying --> A-freaking-nnoying)
For example, *舒鬼服 and *容鬼易 are ungrammatical. You might say, that's because this structure is only used with pejorative adjectives (貶義) to express frustration or contempt; however, even with pejorative adjective this infix is not always grammatical.
Here is a list of acceptable and unacceptable adjectives for this infix:
Acceptable:
麻鬼煩
恐鬼怖
核鬼突
肉鬼酸
多鬼餘
陰鬼公
激鬼氣/谷鬼氣/徙鬼氣
痴鬼線
冇鬼用
求鬼其
是鬼但
得鬼意 (as a negative sense, as in "odd, strange"; not "cute")
恐鬼怖
核鬼突
肉鬼酸
多鬼餘
陰鬼公
激鬼氣/谷鬼氣/徙鬼氣
痴鬼線
冇鬼用
求鬼其
是鬼但
得鬼意 (as a negative sense, as in "odd, strange"; not "cute")
Unacceptable:
*無鬼聊
*賤鬼格
*賤鬼格
*辛鬼苦
*自鬼私
*痴鬼筋
*醜鬼樣
*徙鬼錢
*冇鬼腦/冇鬼解
*奸鬼矛
*高鬼鬥
*老鬼土
*隨鬼便
*自鬼私
*痴鬼筋
*醜鬼樣
*徙鬼錢
*冇鬼腦/冇鬼解
*奸鬼矛
*高鬼鬥
*老鬼土
*隨鬼便
*眼鬼訓
Here is the "Throw brick get jade" question of the day:
Why is it that you can say 核鬼突 but not *醜鬼樣; 求鬼其 but not *隨鬼便; 冇鬼用 but not *冇鬼解? Semantic (but the pairs are similar in meaning) or syntactic (but the parts of speech are the same in 冇用 and 冇解) or just arbitrary?
Why is it that you can say 核鬼突 but not *醜鬼樣; 求鬼其 but not *隨鬼便; 冇鬼用 but not *冇鬼解? Semantic (but the pairs are similar in meaning) or syntactic (but the parts of speech are the same in 冇用 and 冇解) or just arbitrary?
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