Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
refurbished modern buildings
English answer:
buildings refurbished to modern standards
Added to glossary by
mediamatrix (X)
Jan 4, 2011 21:41
13 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
refurbished modern buildings
English
Other
Linguistics
ORDER OF adjectives
I would like to know if it is correct to say "refurbished modern buildings".
I believe that should be "MODERN REFURBISHED BUILDINGS" because of the normal order of the adjectives according to some grammar books.
The thing is that I want to know if the first option is incorrect or if it sounds good in English.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
CONTEXT: HOSTEL LEAFLET
Enjoy our fully refurbished modern buildings and discover the real city with our help.
I believe that should be "MODERN REFURBISHED BUILDINGS" because of the normal order of the adjectives according to some grammar books.
The thing is that I want to know if the first option is incorrect or if it sounds good in English.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
CONTEXT: HOSTEL LEAFLET
Enjoy our fully refurbished modern buildings and discover the real city with our help.
Change log
Jan 4, 2011 21:51: Travelin Ann changed "Language pair" from "Spanish to English" to "English"
Jan 4, 2011 21:52: Travelin Ann changed "Term asked" from "refurbished modern buildings (IS THAT CORRECT)" to "refurbished modern buildings "
Jan 18, 2011 11:27: mediamatrix (X) Created KOG entry
Responses
+4
29 mins
Jennifer Levey
Chile
Chile
Native in English
&
English
Chile
Human-scale Globalization
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
23
Selected
buildings refurbished to (the most) modern standards
We haven't seen the Spanish source text, so we don't know what idea the tourist leaflet is actually trying to convey.
Regardless of that, a typical native English writer would avoid the oxymoronic (or just plain 'moronic') juxtaposition of 'refurbished modern' and say "refurbished to modern standards" (or something along those lines).
Regardless of that, a typical native English writer would avoid the oxymoronic (or just plain 'moronic') juxtaposition of 'refurbished modern' and say "refurbished to modern standards" (or something along those lines).
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Phong Le
3 hrs
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| agree |
Mwananchi
: The term; refurbished buildings, should be sufficient in most instances.
11 hrs
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| agree |
Veronika McLaren
: the "modern" does seem redundant at best
2 days 15 hrs
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| agree |
Alexandra Taggart
: modern refurbishment knocks up to the latest design standards ( it would mean "very modern")
4 days
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+3
3 mins
Jorge Soares
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
United States
As with colors, words make a difference
Native in: English , Portuguese 
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, English to Creoles & Pidgins (Portuguese-based Other), and 8 more.
English term (edited):
refurbished modern buildings (IS THAT CORRECT)
fully refurbished modern buildings
.
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Note added at 5 mins (2011-01-04 21:46:35 GMT)
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"fully" needs to de next to "refurbished". To say fully modern sounds not natural, strange.
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Note added at 5 mins (2011-01-04 21:46:35 GMT)
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"fully" needs to de next to "refurbished". To say fully modern sounds not natural, strange.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sharon Toh, MITI MCIL
: Yes
17 mins
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Thank you!
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| agree |
Komeil Zamani Babgohari
12 hrs
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Thank you!
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| agree |
Edward Tully
1 day 2 hrs
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Thank you!
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+1
1 hr
refurbished modern buildings
What you suggest is fine: they are modern buildings, and they have been refurbished — so the word order and the association of ideas is fine.
If one wanted to emphasize the fact that these are buildings of indeterminate age, but have been refurbished so as to make them modern, then in that case, the other word order would be required — ideally, with a comma between the two adjectives: modern, refurbished buildings. But I don't instinctively read this as being the original intended meaning.
If one wanted to emphasize the fact that these are buildings of indeterminate age, but have been refurbished so as to make them modern, then in that case, the other word order would be required — ideally, with a comma between the two adjectives: modern, refurbished buildings. But I don't instinctively read this as being the original intended meaning.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
axies
: Refurbished, modern buildings (,) 2 distinct subjects. HNY Tony.
4 hrs
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Thanks, Manuel! IWth this paorticualr word order, I think the comma is optional, but not with the other. HNY to you too!
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Discussion