adjectives - 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?

Answer

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 nuetral 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.