Scale structure, degree modification, and the semantics of gradable predicates

Descripció

• Descripció

  In this article we develop a semantic typology of gradable predicates, with special emphasis/non deverbal adjectives. We argue for the linguistic relevance of this typology by demonstrating/nthat the distribution and interpretation of degree modifiers is sensitive to its two major classificatory/nparameters: (1) whether a gradable predicate is associated with what we call an open or closed/nscale,and (2) whether the standard of comparison for the applicability of the predicate is absolute/nor relative to a context. We further show that the classification of an important subclass of/nadjectives with in the typology is largely predictable.Specifically, the scale structure of adeverbal/ngradable adjective correlates either with the algebraic part structure of the event denoted by its/nsource verbor with the part structureof the entitiesto which the adjective applies.These correla-/ntions underscore the fact that gradability is characteristic not only of adjectives but also of verbs/nand nouns, and that scalar properties are shared by categorially distinct but derivationally related/nexpressions.

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  Articles (Departament de Traducció i Ciències del Llenguatge)
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