[QUOTE What is the English construct that allows an adjective to follow a noun?
NOT A TEACHER
(1) If you can get a copy of the huge grammar book entitled
A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language by Randolph Quirk and his colleagues, you will find a comprehensive (!) discussion about this matter. I have the 1,179-page 1985 edition. Pp. 418 - 419 discuss so-called
postpositive adjectives.
(2) I cannot share everything that he says because of space and, of course, because of copyright laws, which are very strictly enforced in many English-speaking countries.
(3) May I just report one of the distinguished professors' points. I shall try to explain in my own words (to avoid copying copyrighted material!).
(a) The professors tell us that some postpositive adjectives ending in -able or -ible give us the idea that something is NOT permanent:
(Their examples) The stars
visible/ The
visible stars
. The first term, they explain, refers to stars "that are visible at a time specified." [My note: So I guess that you would tell a friend, "Look up at the sky and name all the stars [that are currently] visible."]
The second term refers "to a [permanent] category of stars that can (at appropriate times) be seen." [My note: So I guess that a teacher might say -- even if it were raining cats and dogs on test day -- "Today's test is to name all the visible stars in the sky. Good luck!"]
They give these similar examples: rivers
navigable/
navigable rivers.
(4) I should imagine that if you google "postpositive adjectives," you will find a wealth of material. Do, please, especially check out the Google "books" section, which includes selections from many scholarly books.
P.S. I forgot to credit Longman publishers in London and New York for this book.[/QUOTE]
Available would make a great example!!!
e.g. seats available/available seats.