For example: something , everything, anything, nothing ... special
someone , everyone , anyone,, no one ... special
somebody , everybody , anybody , nobody ...special
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A special something? A special somebody? Your post makes no sense. – Jared Hooper Mar 23 '16 at 19:32
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1I believe it is an ellipsis of something/someone/etc (that/which is)* special/etc* – Armen Ծիրունյան Mar 23 '16 at 19:32
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5I think your question is the same as this one about something red. Have a look. – Jacinto Mar 23 '16 at 19:35
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Here's a suggestion to (maybe) improve this question: Ask us why is it "something wicked this way comes" versus "a wicked something this way comes" and likewise "a wicked wind is blowing" versus "a wind wicked is blowing." – cobaltduck Mar 23 '16 at 19:35
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This other question, When can I postpose an adjective and when is it imperative? is probably relevant too. – Jacinto Mar 23 '16 at 19:39
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Items like “something”, "everything", "nowhere" etc. are compound determinatives. There is a constraint on the position of certain modifiers called 'restrictors' that can be used to modify such compounds. The restrictors (adjectives or certain nominals) cannot occur in pre-head position because of the fused nature of the construction and are forced into post-head position, with only "else" allowed between them and the head:
"Nothing (else) significant"; "everything gold", "somewhere beautiful", "nowhere special", "somebody rich" and the like.
BillJ
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All those compound words with -one/-body/-thing are pronouns, indefinite pronouns, and an adjective after them is a normal strucure such as
- something beautiful, something interesting.
You can make such structures plausible if you think of shortened relative clauses
- something that is interesting > something interesting.
Indefinite pronouns Link
Adjectives Link
rogermue
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