Sara asks:
Here I have a question lingering in my mind for a long time, the question is "What is the difference between adjective and noun when they two can both modify a noun?" The other day, I came across the Chinese sentence ....你不能让他和安全剃须刀睡在一起.Here, 安全剃须刀, the rendering to has two versions, one is "safe razor" and the other is "safety razor". I am a little confused about their differences and I hope you can throw some light on this.
My comments:
The example you gave, Sara, sounds a tad bizarre but your question is legit. I have a question for you regarding the bizarre part, but I shall answer your question first.
Noun as adjective, isn't it?
From personal experience, I do have a tip to give you, and that is to take it easy. When a noun is employed to modify another noun, it's probably because of a lack of an appropriate adjective for the purpose. It's as simple as that.
A safety measure (to ensure safety of the workers) taken at, say, a coal mine is different from a safe measure (one that is safe to apply). Here a safe measure doesn't sound right.
The rule of thumb, therefore, is to go with what sounds right to the ear.
Now, that sounds like something hard to achieve, doesn't it? But it shouldn't. Just give it a little time and be patient.
Hear other people (native speakers preferably) say it first and then copy it. This is especially important for learners of English as a second language, who tend to rationalize by trying to reconcile English grammar with that of their native tongue. Don't bother. Just speak the way the natives speak - when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
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