4 ms·
> Adjective. deviating from the recognized or customary character, practice, etc.; irregular; erratic; peculiar; odd Perfectly valid usage.
by rrook 3y ago
> Adjective. deviating from the recognized or customary character, practice, etc.; irregular; erratic; peculiar; odd
Perfectly valid usage.
- margalabargala 3y agoWhile you are correct that "eccentricity" as an adjective is a correct usage, OP used it as a singular noun in the preceding sentence, making it ambiguous whether they are appreciating the British for their eccentricities, or for the particular mentioned eccentricity. If OP's intended meaning matches the adjective as you describe, then it would be clearer communication to use "eccentricity" in this context.
- DiogenesKynikos 3y agoIt's not really ambiguous at all, unless one is being pedantic. "I like the Brits because of their eccentricity" is perfectly normal English, referring to their overall quality of being eccentric.
- whycome 3y agoThe sentence before it with “an”
- DiogenesKynikos 3y agoYou can technically read it that way, but that's not how I think most native speakers would read it.
- adammarples 3y agoIf you like us for our eccentricity, you'll love us for our pedantry
- rrook 3y ago> OP used it as a singular noun Is that the case? Reads as a possessive adjective to me. The OP likes the Brits because of the characteristic that they possesse.
- rrook 3y agoNevermind, as someone else pointed out, it is used as a noun. Still, it's the correct usage in the possessive context.
- dragonwriter 3y agoThat seems to be “eccentric” not “eccentricity” (your failure to cite the source of the quoted definition makes it harder to tell, but it is almost verbatim the M-W definition of “eccentric”.) (Eccentricity, the noun used, is just fine with “the British” if onenis referring to the collective manner in which they are eccentric, the plural “eccentricities” would be appropriate if one was referring to the diversity of particular manners in which they were eccentric.)
- rrook 3y agohttps://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eccentric https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eccentric > eccentric - 1 of 2 - adjective Edit: Ah, I misunderstood your comment, my bad! Yea, I quoted the adjective definition, but the original comment is still using the word correctly.