Experimenting with Degree

Semantics and Linguistic Theory ◽

10.3765/salt.v22i0.2636 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 22 ◽

pp. 166 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Stephanie Solt ◽

Nicole Gotzner

Keyword(s):

Scale Structure ◽

Ordinal Scale ◽

Truth Conditions ◽

Gradable Adjectives ◽

Comparison Class ◽

Positive Form ◽

Insight Into ◽

Gaining Insight

Semantic theories differ in the role they assume for degrees in the interpretation of gradable adjectives, and in the assumptions they make about the nature of degrees and the structure of the scales they comprise. We report on two experiments investigating speakers' use of gradable adjectives across varying contexts, with the goal of gaining insight into the nature of the degree ontology underlying their semantics. We find that the truth conditions for the positive form must be stated in terms of degrees rather than rankings of individuals, and further that the relevant scale structure is one where distances between scale points are meaningful, and not an ordinal scale derived from an ordering relation on a comparison class. We also find no evidence that scale structure depends on the presence or absence of a corresponding system of numerical measures.

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"good" as a predicate of worlds

ZAS Papers in Linguistics ◽

10.21248/zaspil.61.2018.504 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 ◽

pp. 407-424

Author(s):

Frank Sode

Keyword(s):

Possible Worlds ◽

Truth Conditions ◽

Gradable Adjectives ◽

Subjunctive Conditionals ◽

Positive Form ◽

Classical Notion

The paper proposes a new semantics for good-predications involving finite if -andthat-clauses. The proposal combines a standard semantics for conditionals with a standardsemantics for the positive form of gradable adjectives and a minimal semantics for modal good.The predicted truth-conditions and conditions of use solve the mood puzzle presented in thefirst part of the paper. The remainder of the paper defends the classical notion of comparativegoodness in terms of a comparison between possible worlds against Lassiter (2017)’s challenge.Keywords: gradable adjectives, subjunctive conditionals, preference predicates, factivity.

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Absolute vs. Relative Adjectives - Variance Within vs. Between Individuals

Semantics and Linguistic Theory ◽

10.3765/salt.v0i0.2587 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 135

Author(s):

Assaf Toledo ◽

Galit W. Sassoon

Keyword(s):

Minimum Degree ◽

Arbitrary Point ◽

Gradable Adjectives ◽

Apparent Lack ◽

Comparison Class ◽

Individual Level ◽

Positive Form ◽

Semantic Difference ◽

The Individual ◽

Semantic Properties

This paper investigates core semantic properties that distinguish between different types of gradable adjectives and the effect of context on their interpretation. We contend that all gradable adjectives are interpreted relative to a comparison class (van Rooij 2011), and that it is the nature of the comparison class that constitutes the main semantic difference between their subclasses: some adjectives select a class comprised of counterparts of the individual of which the adjective is predicated, while others – an extensional category of this individual. We propose, following Kennedy (2007), that the standard of membership is selected according to a principle of economy whereby an interpretation relative to a maximum or a minimum degree within a comparison class takes precedence over one relative to an arbitrary point. This proposal captures so-called “standard shift” effects, that is, the influence of context on the interpretation of gradable adjectives from all subclasses, whether in their positive form or when modified by degree adverbials. Additionally, this proposal captures cases of apparent lack of context sensitivity (e.g. intuitive inference patterns, unacceptability of for-phrases, etc.). Finally, we hypothesize that the type of comparison class is aligned with the well known distinction between stage-level and individual-level predicates.

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Absolute vs. Relative Adjectives - Variance Within vs. Between Individuals

Semantics and Linguistic Theory ◽

10.3765/salt.v21i0.2587 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

pp. 135 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Assaf Toledo ◽

Galit W. Sassoon

Keyword(s):

Minimum Degree ◽

Arbitrary Point ◽

Gradable Adjectives ◽

Apparent Lack ◽

Comparison Class ◽

Individual Level ◽

Positive Form ◽

Semantic Difference ◽

The Individual ◽

Semantic Properties

This paper investigates core semantic properties that distinguish between different types of gradable adjectives and the effect of context on their interpretation. We contend that all gradable adjectives are interpreted relative to a comparison class (van Rooij 2011), and that it is the nature of the comparison class that constitutes the main semantic difference between their subclasses: some adjectives select a class comprised of counterparts of the individual of which the adjective is predicated, while others – an extensional category of this individual. We propose, following Kennedy (2007), that the standard of membership is selected according to a principle of economy whereby an interpretation relative to a maximum or a minimum degree within a comparison class takes precedence over one relative to an arbitrary point. This proposal captures so-called “standard shift” effects, that is, the influence of context on the interpretation of gradable adjectives from all subclasses, whether in their positive form or when modified by degree adverbials. Additionally, this proposal captures cases of apparent lack of context sensitivity (e.g. intuitive inference patterns, unacceptability of for-phrases, etc.). Finally, we hypothesize that the type of comparison class is aligned with the well known distinction between stage-level and individual-level predicates.

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Gaining Insight Into Weight Loss and Gain Patterns

PsycTHERAPY Dataset ◽

10.1037/v00013-001 ◽

2002 ◽

Author(s):

Ann Mary Kearney-Cooke

Keyword(s):

Weight Loss ◽

Insight Into ◽

Gaining Insight

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Scope on the Skies: Gaining Insight Into Mars

Science Scope ◽

10.2505/4/ss18_041_08_78 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 041 (08) ◽

Author(s):

Bob Riddle

Keyword(s):

Insight Into ◽

Gaining Insight

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Standing up to the Demos

10.1093/oso/9780198748472.003.0011 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Andrew Erskine

Keyword(s):

Athenian Democracy ◽

Parallel Lives ◽

Standing Up ◽

A Minor ◽

Insight Into ◽

Gaining Insight ◽

The Way

Plutarch wrote twenty-three Greek Lives in his series of Parallel Lives—of these, ten were devoted to Athenians. Since Plutarch shared the hostile view of democracy of Polybius and other Hellenistic Greeks, this Athenian preponderance could have been a problem for him. But Plutarch uses these men’s handling of the democracy and especially the demos as a way of gaining insight into the character and capability of his protagonists. This chapter reviews Plutarch’s attitude to Athenian democracy and examines the way a statesman’s character is illuminated by his interaction with the demos. It also considers what it was about Phocion that so appealed to Plutarch, first by looking at his relationship with the democracy and then at the way he evokes the memory of Socrates. For him this was not a minor figure, but a man whose life was representative of the problems of Athenian democracy.

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