particular folder

[perpend]

Context: You are a particular folder.

Wider context: Someone who is finnicky about folding clothes.

I'm struggling with the correctness of "particular" in this context.

In my mind, it's related to: You are a particular person.

Does "particular" work with "folder".

Sorry, I'm realizing this is a confusing question.

 

[DocPenfro]

"He evidently did not see my little joke, although I repeated it twice with a little laugh. I suddenly remembered it was Sunday, and Mr. Short was perhaps very particular. In this I was mistaken, for he was not at all particular in several of his remarks after dinner." (George & Weedon Grossmith, "Diary of a Nobody")

Does "particular" work with "folder"?

It might have done in Victorian times. I seem to remember people of my parents' generation using "particular" in the sense of fussy, concerned with propriety etc. but I don't think it's really a current usage, not in BE at any rate.

ps If you haven't read the above book, I urge you to do so.

 

[Myridon]

You are particular when folding, but I keep your file in a particular folder.

 

[sdgraham]

You are particular when folding, but I keep your file in a particular folder.

 

[lucas-sp]

The question is basically, can you be a "folder"? I think in AE yes, if the context is well-established. So certainly "particular" can work with "folder" - if "folder" can mean "person engaged in the act of folding," "person as defined by his or her folding." Otherwise, I get confused in the same way as Myridon and think that you're making me look for one manila folder in particular.

 

[sdgraham]

Normally, "er" is appended to a verb to mean "one who ..."

Sometimes, however, it sounds odd. For example, see this thread from a few days ago: inspire --> inspirer??

As lucas-sp says above, context is everything.

If you have a group of people at work folding clothes in a department store, I doubt there would be a problem with "I'm looking for the folder who left the buttons undone."

But if a teacher walked into a classroom and said "I'm looking for a folder ....."

An interesting example is the verb "comb." I doubt anybody would refer to a person combing his/her hair as a "comber," but then we have "beachcomber."

 

[perpend]

Thanks everyone. I know it is an odd question, but your thoughts/comments have helped a lot in allowing me to process "the construction".