When did "woman" become an adjective?

[theprestige]

Hans is late to the party. Those are all compound nouns. But here's a puzzle for you:

Rock solid.

 

[alfaniner]

Hans is late to the party. Those are all compound nouns. But here's a puzzle for you:

Rock solid.

(intense smolder...)

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

I don't know about a gender-neutral term for aunt or uncle,* but nieces and nephews are niblings.

*There are a few suggestions, none of which seem to have caught on at all, the best of which is probably "piblings" - as in "parent's siblings".

 

[Darat]

I don't know about a gender-neutral term for aunt or uncle,* but nieces and nephews are niblings.

*There are a few suggestions, none of which seem to have caught on at all, the best of which is probably "piblings" - as in "parent's siblings".

Brats was always the preferred non-gendered nomenclature in my family.

 

[HansMustermann]

But we like whining about grammar!

Well, let's whine about the OP then. In "Women Owned", "women" is not an adjective, because "owned" is not a noun.

"Own" could be an adjective, but only in that specific form: "own". As in, for example, "my own computer". "Owned" is verb, namely a conjugation of "to own".

The whole phrase is pretty much short form for "[X is] owned by women", in which case "women" is a noun anyway, just as the dictionary says.

To be honest, I have a completely different problem with the phrase "women owned", namely that it's indistinguishable from the case where "owned" applies TO the "women". As in, the women ARE owned. For example, "Men's status and wealth in East Bumscrewistan is represented by the number of women owned." Now tell me if you can unsee THAT interpretation of their quip on the can

 

[TragicMonkey]

Well, let's whine about the OP then. In "Women Owned", "women" is not an adjective, because "owned" is not a noun.

"Own" could be an adjective, but only in that specific form: "own". As in, for example, "my own computer". "Owned" is verb, namely a conjugation of "to own".

The whole phrase is pretty much short form for "[X is] owned by women", in which case "women" is a noun anyway, just as the dictionary says.

To be honest, I have a completely different problem with the phrase "women owned", namely that it's indistinguishable from the case where "owned" applies TO the "women". As in, the women ARE owned. For example, "Men's status and wealth in East Bumscrewistan is represented by the number of women owned." Now tell me if you can unsee THAT interpretation of their quip on the can

In the civilized world women cannot be owned, only rented.

 

[Emily's Cat]

Well, let's whine about the OP then. In "Women Owned", "women" is not an adjective, because "owned" is not a noun.

It's just missing a hyphen.

It's a shortened form of "owned by women". Similarly, black-owned and minority-owned are shortened forms of "owned by black people" and "owned by minorities".

 

[The Man]

Well, let's whine about the OP then. In "Women Owned", "women" is not an adjective, because "owned" is not a noun.

It's been done...

Owned is the verb, Women is the noun. But I think it should be "woman owned", even of there are two or more women involved.

Right, "Owned" is a verb which means "Women" can't be an adjective or attributive noun as both of those modify nouns.

..sans the whine. More of a rum drinker myself.

 

[Arcade22]

Gynomorph owned has a pleasant ring to it. Get with the times people.

 

[Arcade22]

I don't know about a gender-neutral term for aunt or uncle,* but nieces and nephews are niblings.

*There are a few suggestions, none of which seem to have caught on at all, the best of which is probably "piblings" - as in "parent's siblings".

Aesthetics matter. If a term sounds good it doesn't matter if it's technically incorrect according to grammatical and linguistic rules.

 

[d4m10n]

Came across a page about the logo itself, possibly of some interest: https://www.womenownedlogo.com/about-women-owned

 

[TragicMonkey]

Gynomorph owned has a pleasant ring to it. Get with the times people.

Are you nuts? That sounds like something that would hunt down women and eat their skulls.

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Aesthetics matter. If a term sounds good it doesn't matter if it's technically incorrect according to grammatical and linguistic rules.

This is why the suggestion of "auncle" is terrible.

 

[TragicMonkey]

This is why the suggestion of "auncle" is terrible.

Uncauntle!

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

"Pibling" is probably the best suggestion. Not only does it make etymological sense and fit nicely with "niblings", but it also sounds like something that a fictional naughty 1920s British schoolboy would say. "I say, what wizard japes! This is rather like! Bring the piblings round, Jeremy, and we'll have a jolly wheeze!"

 

[Innocuous]

...The dictionary entries I checked still list it solely as a noun.

Is "female" as an adjective now considered gauche, or even a pejorative?

I think "woman" here is a noun adjunct, not an adjective. See Wikipedia; the example used there is "chicken soup".

 

[theprestige]

I wonder if anyone has mentioned compound nouns yet.

 

[EHocking]

I wonder if anyone has mentioned compound nouns yet.

What, like Sodium Chloride?

 

[quadraginta]

I think "woman" here is a noun adjunct, not an adjective. See Wikipedia; the example used there is "chicken soup".

Which is a more technical way of saying 'a noun used as an adjective'.

All that does is confirm even further its legitimacy in normal usage.

 

[quadraginta]

Nonsense. The proper terms for cats are: an annoyance, a rageball, a spithissy, a purrfloppy, and an aloof. All are based not upon the cat's reproductive capabilities but upon their actions (or lack thereof, and few things can be so lacking in actions than a cat. There are rocks that are positively buzzing whirlwinds of activity by comparison to an inactive cat).

Which only shows your lack of understanding of how a cat's mind works.

Even in repose they are waiting and watching.

With two cats in the house, I get to be amused by the care with which they select their spots to "sleep". Chosen with precision to enable them to keep careful tabs on each other. (N.B.; they don't get along.) They may look like they're dead to the world, but they are aware of everything that's going on around them.

When one picks out a particularly useful location it is only a matter of time before the other waits for and goes for her chance to usurp it.

And the dance goes on.