A grammar/parts of speech question

Doodledog

I'm struggling to think of how it can be used as a noun - wouldn't that be 'difficulty'?

It can be a noun as in a class of people: The poor, the difficult, the outcast.

Also that which is difficult. He has an insatiable appetite for the difficult and the novel.

It's also a rock climbing term for a climb designated difficult: A Difficult on a small gritstone outcrop in Yorkshire may be much more demanding..than a Very Difficult in North Wales.

All examples from OED.

Yes, sorry, of course 'are' is part of the verb phrase.

Isn't 'difficult' in 'You are being difficult' being used as an adverb? The behaviour described in the verb 'being' is what is described. Whether that behaviour is physical or mental, it is action and therefore a verb.

I'm struggling to think of how it can be used as a noun - wouldn't that be 'difficulty'?

According to one dicionary (Chambers) the word difficult when used as an adjective has at least eight meanings and another eight when used as a noun.

I expect the OED has more.

It slearly is possible therefore to use the same word in different ways.

My apologies everyone. My brain is not working tonight. Difficult is an adjective. I was half focusing on this and half on something else. That'll larn me! *Slinking away in shame

Crossed posts, growstuff!

The verb is "are." "Difficult "is an adjective.

"The leaf is green" - "is" is the verb, "green" is an adjective, a description of the leaf.

"You are beautiful" - "are" is the verb, beautiful is an adjective, a description of what you are).

"You are difficult" - "difficult" is an adjective, a desciption of what you are.

"You are being difficult" - difficult is still an adjective, but the verb has been expanded into "are being".

Cabbie21

Language teachers unite!

We have our uses!

growstuff

An adjective describes a noun or a pronoun, not a verb.

In both "you are difficult" and "you are being difficult", "difficult" is a complement of the subject of the sentence. The subject is being described, not the verb.

"Are" and "are being" are both parts of the verb "to be".

This makes sense, thanks. So, just to be 100% sure - I was right in my OP that they are both adjectives, but wrong that they are being used differently?

In other words, I have been overthinking - moi? ?

Language teachers unite!

An adjective describes a noun or a pronoun, not a verb.

In both "you are difficult" and "you are being difficult", "difficult" is a complement of the subject of the sentence. The subject is being described, not the verb.

"Are" and "are being" are both parts of the verb "to be".

It is an adjective in both contexts.

An adjective normally describes a noun, but here, in the given examples, it describes pronouns, it and you. Concentrating on the verbs is a red herring.

An adjective describes the verb. 'Difficult' in both sentences is an adjective. The verb is 'was' in the first & 'are' in the second.

growstuff

"It was difficult to" is an adjective + preposition collocation. "Difficult" describes "it".

Sorry to be a nerd.

Oh no, please nerd away?

It was difficult to - yes, I get that that is as you describe.

So what about 'you are difficult' or 'you are being difficult'?

Again, they seem different. 'You are beautiful' works (simple adjective?) but 'You are being beautiful' doesn't make sense.

Any nerdy answers would be much appreciated!

Thanks again, everyone.

I can't rephrase - the phrases have to stay as they are, and I need to explain them.

It looks like we are agreed that they are both adjectives?

Are there different kinds of adjectives? Surely 'awkward' and 'green' are not the same? They both describe a noun, so are adjectives, but is it that 'awkward' can only be used to describe a living thing that makes it different from 'green', which can be used to describe either a frog or a chair?

Obviously I am clutching at straws here ?

"It was difficult to" is an adjective + preposition collocation. "Difficult" describes "it".

Sorry to be a nerd.

Difficult can be a verb but the OED describe it as rare: This example:

2010 J. Harding Florence & Giles xxiv. 190 It difficulted me greatly that I could think of no way to get Theo into the house.

You may need to log into OED with a library card number to access these links:

www.oed.com/view/Entry/52486?rskey=KAHNwV&result=2&isAdvanced=false#eid

Your first example is an adjective - again from OED:

Of an action, undertaking, practice, etc.: requiring much effort or skill to do, carry out, or accomplish. Frequently with anticipatory it, often with to-infinitive, as it is difficult to.

1969 M. Pugh Last Place Left xxvii. 194 It was difficult recruiting men.

Your second example also an adjective:

Hard to please or satisfy; not easy to deal with or get on with; awkward, unaccommodating; demanding; fussy.

1975 Whig-Standard (Kingston, Ont.) 21 Nov. 25/1 ‘You're just being difficult,’ I snapped.

www.oed.com/view/Entry/52485?rskey=KAHNwV&result=1&isAdvanced=false#eid

"To decide" is acting as an infinitive noun phrase. Therefore, it needs an adjective to qualify it.

yggdrasil

The second case has the word 'difficult' amending the verb 'being' Doesn't that make it an adverb?

"Difficult" is describing "you" not the verb. The same thing happens with parts of the verb "to become".

I’ve been puzzling over this.

You are being difficult

It seems to me this is an adjective. The verb ‘being’ is a bit of a red herring.

You are difficult is no different to you are pretty or you are happy. It describes you so it’s an adjective.

But It was difficult to decide is I think an adverb. Rephrase to

To decide was difficult.

It qualifies the verb to decide.

Very, very willing to be put right though.

In both cases, "difficult" is an adjective.

The second case has the word 'difficult' amending the verb 'being' Doesn't that make it an adverb?

So, can some adjectives (eg clever, awkward, delightful, horrible) be used as verbs? I don't think that works, but there does seem to me to be a difference in the way the two 'difficult' are used in my OP.