Datapoint Tok Pisin/Order of adjective and noun

Adjectives with the MODIFIER suffix -pela (e.g. bikpela 'big') precede the noun. A small set of adjectives not ending in -pela also precede the noun – e.g. liklik 'small', lapun 'old, elderly'. Other adjectives follow the noun – e.g. nogut 'bad', malomalo 'soft', aipas 'blind'.

-pela, from English fellow, is often reduced to -pla or -la. It has a dual role in forming plural form of pronouns (mi - sing; mipela - pl) and as an adjectiveal suffix on (mainly) monosyllabic adjectives.

Values

Modifying adjective precedes noun Frequency: 60.0%

Example 22-1:
Yumi gat ol liklik dok.
Yumi
1pl.incl
gat
have
ol
pl
liklik
small
dok.
dog
We have little dogs.

Source: nd

Example 22-10:
Em i bikpela haus tru.
Em
3sg
i
pm
bik-pela
big-mod
haus
house
tru.
very
That's a very big house.
Confidence:
Very certain

Modifying adjective follows noun Frequency: 40.0%

Example 22-11:
Em i man nogut.
Em
3sg
i
pm
man
man
nogut.
bad
He's a bad man.
Confidence:
Very certain