Native English speakers… I hear the order of adjectives is important, and getting this wrong is jarring to read.

I’m making a pitch to upper management about building a “modular and versatile thingamawidget”. Or is it “versatile and modular thingamawidget”?

If it doesn’t matter, I think I’ll go for the latter, as it abbreviates to something easily pronouncable without sounding like a paramilitary group or a ride sharing business.

  • geekwithsoul
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    8 hours ago

    In that case, I think the whole question is moot. The umbrella term of thingamawidget is not both modular and versatile, but its constituent parts are individually. “The thingamawidget with versatile software and modular hardware is…” would then be the more accurate description.

    Otherwise it’s like describing a brownie as wet and bitter because the egg is wet and the raw cocoa is bitter.