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This is a general question with no specific sentence in mind. If a string of 2 or 3 attributive adjectives (or attributive nouns?) are used in a sentence, they generally follow a particular order (e.g. a wonderful old Italian clock). I am currently reading a scientific article where the terms

quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
and
reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction

have been used interchangeably.

  • My question is, is there a construction where a change in the order of adjectives does not cause a meaning change or does not render the sentence grammatically incorrect?

Searching the Internet gives both results. Does the order have an impact here?

Mari-Lou A
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Arun
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  • "Searching the Internet gives both results" does not necessarily mean they mean the same. – Kris Jul 26 '18 at 09:25
  • @JasonBassford I feel the thread that you indicated covers a different issue. This example does not fall into either of those categories, I feel. – Arun Jul 27 '18 at 05:55

1 Answers1

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The basic concept is polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

A quantitative method is quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)

A variant of the first is the Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

And of the latter, the quantitative Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), or the Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. "Quantitative" can be used to modify PCR or the whole RT-PCR, though the abbreviation stays RT-qPCR.

HTH.

Kris
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