Abstract The paper describes a puzzle in the semantics of a class of English adjectives which alternate systematically in meaning. We know from the literature on adjectival meanings that the STIMULUS vs. EXPERIENCER pair of roles forms the basis of two kinds of adjectives in English depending on whether the STIMULUS or the EXPERIENCER is the one who holds the property. Our puzzle adjectives alternate between these two readings in a way parallel to the morphologically marked adjectival participles (in -ed vs. -ing) of Object Experiencer verbs. I argue further that there are reasons to think that the relationship between these two roles in this alternation is a stative version of causation, with the STIMULUS reading of the adjective being derived from the Psych EXPERIENCER reading. The existence of this alternation shows that within simple property ascriptions (of which adjectival predication is a prototypical expression) a distinction is made between Holders of properties simpliciter, and Holders of causational-properties. Thus, in analysing this adjectival puzzle as a parallel to verbal diathesis, the paper contributes to the debate on the similarities and differences between states and dynamic events.

中文翻译：

---

交替形容词

摘要本文描述了一类在系统意义上交替出现的英语形容词的语义难题。从有关形容词含义的文献中我们知道，取决于STIMULUS还是EXPERIENCER是持有属性的那一种，STIMULUS与EXPERIENCER对角色构成了英语中两种形容词的基础。我们的益智形容词在这两个读数之间交替，其方式与宾语体验动词的形态标记形容词分词（-ed与.-ing）平行。我进一步指出，有理由认为这两种角色在这种交替中的关系是因果关系的固定形式，而形容词的STIMULUS阅读是从Psych EXPERIENCER阅读中得出的。这种交替的存在表明，在简单的属性归属中（形容词谓词是原型表达），在属性简单持有者和因果属性持有者之间进行了区分。因此，在分析这种形容词之谜时，认为它与言语上的素质是平行的，从而有助于辩论状态与动态事件之间的异同。