Attribute

定语

In grammatical description, a term normally used to refer to the role of adjectives and nouns when they occur as modifiers of the head of a noun phrase. For example, red has attributive function in the red chair, as has Jane’s in Jane’s hat. The term contrasts with the predicative function of these words, as in the chair is red, the hat is Jane’s.

语法描写中通常用来指形容词和名词出现在名词短语中心语的修饰语位置上时所起的作用。例如 the red chair“红的椅子”中的red“红的”，Jane’s hat “简的帽子”中的Jan’s“简的”都有定语（attributive）功能。与此对立的是这些词的表语功能，如 the chair is red “椅子是红的”，the hat is Jane’s “帽子是简的”。