Thinking a bit desperately about "big red" working but "red big" not working, I am noticing how the "joint" between the words is "gr" in the first case and "db" in the second - it is no wonder one order sounds better than the other.
So suppose that adjective order was determined by fluidity at the word-word joints. Since there is a more or less real established order of adjectives types, this could only be the case if the words in those category types typically had endings and beginnings that tend to lock together in a tongue pleasing way.
Probably more nonsense. But then I am thinking about "kind erudite" versus "erudite kind" and what possible general rule could explain the very distinct sense that the first is correct and the second is not? It would have to be something about the muscles engaged.
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