For today's English lessons - Why do we speak the way we do?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. I also love the rule about the order of adjectives

that I didn't know was a rule but that I've always followed anyhow. It's quantity or number; quality or opinion; size; age; shape; color; proper adjective (place of origin or material); purpose or qualifier. So: One small-handed six-foot 72-year-old round orange American faux-presidential baby-man. Mix up those adjectives and the description sounds as wrong as its subject, e.g.: One faux-presidential American orange small-handed six-foot round 72-year-old baby-man doesn't have quite the same zip to it.