いAdjective. difference between くて and く


Is it

> 太陽光線は暖かいけどまぶし **く** 、肌に刺すようです

or

> 太陽光線は暖かいけどまぶし **くて** 、肌に刺すようです

What's the difference between くて and く?




This construction is not limited to i-adjectives. You can have similar pairs
with verbs. In general, you can continue a sequence of predicates with either

  * The stem of a verb/i-adjective, or

> 彼は階段で転び、泣いた。  
>  太陽光線は暖かいけどまぶしく、肌に刺すようです

  * The て-form.

> 彼は階段で転んで、泣いた。  
>  太陽光線は暖かいけどまぶしくて、肌に刺すようです

The stem form is the neutral way of connecting predicates. It just lists
predicates. On the other hand, the て-form is close to participles in English,
adds additional meanings, and imposes the following restrictions:

  * The volitionality of the predicates connected must match. (Reminiscent of prohibition of dangling participles in English.)
  * The order in which the predicates are connected implies the temporal order.

Reference: Kuno, Susumu (1973). _The Structure of the Japanese Language_ MIT
Press.




This construction is not limited to i-adjectives. You can have similar pairs
with verbs. In general, you can continue a sequence of predicates with either

  * The stem of a verb/i-adjective, or

> 彼は階段で転び、泣いた。  
>  太陽光線は暖かいけどまぶしく、肌に刺すようです

  * The て-form.

> 彼は階段で転んで、泣いた。  
>  太陽光線は暖かいけどまぶしくて、肌に刺すようです

The stem form is the neutral way of connecting predicates. It just lists
predicates. On the other hand, the て-form is close to participles in English,
adds additional meanings, and imposes the following restrictions:

  * The volitionality of the predicates connected must match. (Reminiscent of prohibition of dangling participles in English.)
  * The order in which the predicates are connected implies the temporal order.

Reference: Kuno, Susumu (1973). _The Structure of the Japanese Language_ MIT
Press.

