The permanent-temporary myth
Short does not equal temporary, and long does not equal permanent.
- Aspect of the property can influence choice, but so do lexical semantics, degree/boundedness, complement structure, information focus, style, and conventional usage.
- Myth check: Use the binary rule only as a rejected mnemonic. Ask what construction and lexical meaning the speaker is choosing.
| Evidence | Example | Why binary rule fails |
|---|---|---|
| stable short | Земля́ кругла́. | inherent property |
| temporary long | Он сего́дня гру́стный. | current state |
| measure short | Пальто́ мне велико́. | too large relative to experiencer |
| lexical contrast | Он ви́дный учёный / Дом ви́ден. | meanings and valency differ |
| scope | Кни́га интере́сна де́тям. | property relative to complement |
Read the model
3.14 · The permanent-temporary myth · table 1
stable short · Земля́ кругла́. · inherent propertytemporary long · Он сего́дня гру́стный. · current stateMini-check
Give a stable short-form counterexample. Give a temporary long-form counterexample.
Apply this next
- Say the Russian examples aloud, cover the model, and retrieve the pattern once before continuing.