"exponentially stable global" vs. "global exponentially stable". Which is more appropriate?

I'm not an English native speaker. I'm trying to translate the abstract of my work to English.

The problem that I've studied in my work has a global solution that is exponentially stable. I'd like to know what of the following sentences are more suitable.

(1) The existence of a global exponentially stable solution will be investigated.
(2) The existence of a global solution exponentially stable will be investigated.
(3) The existence of an exponentially stable global solution will be investigated.

Are all statements correct? Do they have the same meaning? Is there any other more appropriate for the context?

Thanks.

Robert

Posted 2015-01-06T12:45:53.170

Reputation: 63

Is this for a résumé (similar to a curriculum vitæ)? Or is it for a thesis abstract? Or the abstract of a scientific paper? Or for an executive summary? These are different kinds of summaries. A résumé or executive summary should be easy-to-understand. A résumé or abstract should use "buzzwords" (common phrases in the field). An executive summary should use words even a boss can understand. The length of an abstract is measured in words. The length of a résumé or executive summary is measured in letters or syllables. Each kind of summary has different grammar rules. – Jasper – 2015-01-06T13:38:04.370

@Jasper It's an abstract. I edited the post. – Robert – 2015-01-06T18:10:53.640

I think (3) works best in the examples you gave, but the easiest way to make both (1) and (3) easily readable would be to add a comma between the two adjectives. – WinnieNicklaus – 2015-01-06T19:04:10.503

Answers

In general, in English, adjectives come before the noun that they modify, so version (2) doesn't work: you placed the noun somewhere in the middle.

The other two are basically fine, but there are some guidelines for the order of adjectives when you have more than one, for instance this from the British Council:

Adjectives usually come in this order:
1. General opinion
2. Specific opinion
3. Size
4. Shape
5. Age
6. Colour
7. Nationality
8. Material

Now, exponentially stable I would classify as an opinion, whereas global can be interpreted as a nationality.

(3) The existence of an exponentially stable global solution will be investigated.

sounds just a bit more natural than

(1) The existence of a global exponentially stable solution will be investigated.

But the given order is a guideline at best, and opinions can and will differ among speakers.

oerkelens

Posted 2015-01-06T12:45:53.170

Reputation: 24 925

"exponentially stable" and "global" are probably standard jargon in the original poster's field. I think they are properties ("shapes") of functions. I agree that (3) sounds a bit more natural than (1), but that is because (3) has the adverb first. – Jasper – 2015-01-06T13:03:18.177

1@Jasper: I'm not sure about the adverb part. If the solution is great, as well as exponentially stable, somehow I find "a great exponentially stable solution" more natural than "an exponentially stable great solution". Great seems to be either an opinion or a size, maybe exponentially stable does feel as shape... – oerkelens – 2015-01-06T13:08:17.357

As a native speaker who has had occasion to use phrases like "exponentially stable" and "global" fairly often, I find (1) more natural than (3). Even more natural, though, would be "globally exponentially stable solution". I'm not sure whether "exponential stability" is a property that can be local or global in OP's problem domain, but this would be a valid way of putting it if OP were working in e.g. dynamical systems. – senshin – 2015-01-06T17:01:55.267

@senshin: the OP mentions it is a global solution. That means global modifies solution, and changing it to an adverb would change the meaning considerably. – oerkelens – 2015-01-06T17:13:45.247

A solution that is globally exponentially stable is necessarily also global. This is not an uncommon way of putting things in physics. – senshin – 2015-01-06T17:15:48.287

"global solution exponentially stable" is not grammatically correct. It has the form <adjective> <noun> <adjective phrase>.

Both "global exponentially stable solution" and "exponentially stable global solution" seem grammatically correct. They both have the form <adjective (phrase)> <adjective (phrase)> <noun>.

But neither of these choices is very clear. A long string of long words is usually hard to understand. Also, it is not clear whether you think the alleged solution exists.

Does one of these sentences say what you mean?

This problem has a global solution that is exponentially stable.

I will investigate whether there are any global solutions that are exponentially stable.

I will prove that there is a global solution that is exponentially stable.

I will prove that none of the global solutions are exponentially stable.

You can substitute "We" or "The project" or "Our team" instead of "I". The first option might be best for an abstract; the other three options might be better for a project proposal.

Jasper

Posted 2015-01-06T12:45:53.170

Reputation: 23 316

The problem that I've studied in my work has a global solution that is exponentially stable

Given that explanation, #3 is an idiomatic expression of the idea you wish to convey:

The existence of an exponentially stable global solution will be investigated.

However, I don't much care for "The existence ... will be investigated" when we can say it more simply:

An exponentially stable global solution will be sought.

Tᴚoɯɐuo

Posted 2015-01-06T12:45:53.170

Reputation: 116 610