What does the の do in それ以上は一切の言い表しようもないほど ...?


> 本当に死んでいる....それ以上は一切の言い表しようもないほど....彼女は完全に死んでいた。

My understanding is that 一切の言い表しようもない is a clause inside ほど, but I do not
understand what **一切の** means. I know that の can sometimes mark the subject in
relative clauses but if that was the case would it mean that 一切 or
"everything" is the thing that cannot express itself?

This is how I understand this sentence

> She's really dead... She has really died and everything cannot explain
> itself




一切 is so-called a no-adjective, and this の is a noun-linking-の connecting 一切
and 言い表しよう.

一切 means "every(thing)" in an affirmative sentence, but means "(not) at all"
or "nothing" in a negative sentence (i.e., as a [negative polarity
item](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/16060/5010)). 一切 works both
adverbially (without の) and adjectivally (with の), so の is optional when both
a noun and a verb are present after it. The adverbial usage is more common in
negative sentences.

  * 一切 **の** 希望を捨てよ。  
希望を一切捨てよ。  
Abandon every hope.

  * 一切 **の** 欠点が見当たら **ない** 。  
一切欠点が見当たら **ない** 。  
I can't find any fault with it.

  * それ以上は一切 **の** 言い表しようも **ない** 。  
それ以上は一切言い表しようも **ない** 。  
それ以上は言い表しようも一切 **ない** 。  
There is no further way to describe (this).

一切 works also as a plain noun meaning "everything".

  * 彼は一切を見通している。  
He has seen everything through.




一切 is so-called a no-adjective, and this の is a noun-linking-の connecting 一切
and 言い表しよう.

一切 means "every(thing)" in an affirmative sentence, but means "(not) at all"
or "nothing" in a negative sentence (i.e., as a [negative polarity
item](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/16060/5010)). 一切 works both
adverbially (without の) and adjectivally (with の), so の is optional when both
a noun and a verb are present after it. The adverbial usage is more common in
negative sentences.

  * 一切 **の** 希望を捨てよ。  
希望を一切捨てよ。  
Abandon every hope.

  * 一切 **の** 欠点が見当たら **ない** 。  
一切欠点が見当たら **ない** 。  
I can't find any fault with it.

  * それ以上は一切 **の** 言い表しようも **ない** 。  
それ以上は一切言い表しようも **ない** 。  
それ以上は言い表しようも一切 **ない** 。  
There is no further way to describe (this).

一切 works also as a plain noun meaning "everything".

  * 彼は一切を見通している。  
He has seen everything through.

