96 A GRAMMAR OF THE
number, or case; and with a few exceptions, are placed before the words
which they qualify; as,
ദുഷ്ട ഭൃത്യൻ, Wicked servant.
വലിയ ആന, Great elephant.
ചെറിയ പാത്രം, Small vessel.
When the verb ആകുന്നു, in any of its variations, is used in a sen-
tence, the adjective may be placed after the noun; but in that case, a
noun, or pronominal termination, corresponding to the preceding noun,
ought to be affixed to the adjective; though this rule is not always observed.
ആ മനുഷ്യൻ നല്ലവനാകുന്നു, That man is good
ഇവൻ നല്ല മനുഷ്യനാകുന്നു, He is a good man.
ഇത ചീത്ത ആകുന്നു, This is bad.
FORMATION OF ADJECTIVES.
129. Besides words that are naturally adjectives; as, നല്ല, Good;
പല, many; &c., many nouns, under certain modifications, are used
as adjectives; thus,
1st. Many neuter nouns ending in ം, drop that character, and the
remainder of the word is used adjectively; thus,
| മാസം, | Month. | മാസ കണക്ക, | Monthly account. |
| ലൊകം, | World. | ലൊക കാൎയ്യം, | Worldly affair |
| കള്ളം, | Falsehood. | കള്ള ഭക്തി, | False piety. |
| സൌന്ദൎയ്യം, | Beauty. | സൌന്ദൎയ്യ സ്ത്രീ, | Handsome woman. |
2nd. Many nouns ending in ം; take the participle ഉള്ള;27 as,
| സന്തൊഷം, | Joy. | സന്തൊഷമുള്ള വൎത്തമാനം, | Joyful news. |
| കൊപം, | Wrath. | കൊപമുള്ള മനുഷ്യൻ, | Angry man. |
| ഉയരം, | Height. | ഉയരമുള്ള വൃക്ഷം, | High tree. |
27 Words formed with the help of ആയുള്ള, are generally confounded
with adjectives made by ഉള്ള; but this is not more common, than in-
correct, such words, with the addition of a noun, or pronominal affix,
being nouns of character, or quality, and ought to be used as such. I have
omitted the mention of them till treating of the adjective made with ഉള്ള,
that the difference may be more readily seen: thus, the following phrase
cannot be correctly applied to any merely human being, ആ മനുഷ്യൻ സ
ത്യമായുള്ളവൻ ആകുന്നു; but we can say,
ദൈവം സത്യമുള്ളവനാകുന്നു, which means, God is truth.
