scholarly journals Scalar diversity and ignorance inferences: An experimental study on 'at least' as a modifier of numerals vs. adjectives

2022 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 506
Author(s):  
Stavroula Alexandropoulou
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Experimental Evidence ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
Scalar Implicature ◽  
Gradable Adjectives

This work presents results from an experiment that investigates whether at least as a modifier of gradable adjectives (e.g., at least misleading) triggers speaker ignorance inferences just as has been established for at least as a numeral modifier (e.g., at least two). I find that, while at least gives rise to ignorance inferences with both types of scalar expressions, this happens in varying degrees, contra existing accounts of at least (Geurts & Nouwen 2007; Cohen & Krifka 2014) and in line with experimental evidence on the scalar inferences of unmodified adjectives and numerals (Doran, Baker, McNabb, Larson & Ward 2009), known as scalar diversity. I also find indications that the scale structure of adjectives may affect the availability of ignorance inferences, as in the case of scalar implicature computation for unmodified adjectives (Gotzner, Solt & Benz 2018a), yet in a reverse manner.

scholarly journals Adjectival scales and three types of implicature

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 409
Author(s):  
Nicole Gotzner ◽  
Stephanie Solt ◽  
Anton Benz
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Distance ◽  
Scalar Implicature ◽  
Gradable Adjectives ◽  
Standard Of Comparison ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Negative Strengthening

In this work, we explore the relationship between three different inferencestriggered by gradable adjectives. In particular, we look at scalar implicature andtwo competing inferences occuring under negation - scale reversal (indirect scalarimplicature) and a type of manner implicature called negative strengthening. In aseries of experiments, we test a variety of adjectival scales and explore correlationsbetween different inferences. Our results show that some scales are more likelyto generate scalar implicature while others lean more towards generating negativestrengthening. The extent to which scalar implicature and scale reversal correlate forthe same scales, in turn, is lower than expected. We discuss our findings with respectto the mechanisms underlying the three types of inferences and factors accountingfor differences across scales, with a focus on semantic distance, boundedness, thetype of standard of comparison and adjectival extremeness.

scholarly journals Plurality inferences are scalar implicatures: Evidence from acquisition

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyn Tieu ◽  
Cory Bill ◽  
Jacopo Romoli ◽  
Stephen Crain
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Evidence ◽  
Judgment Task ◽  
Title Page ◽  
Scalar Implicature ◽  
Scalar Implicatures ◽  
Value Judgment ◽  
Downward Entailing ◽  
Truth Value

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span>This paper provides novel experimental evidence for a scalar implicature approach to the plurality inferences that are associated with English plural morphology (</span><span>Emily fed giraffes </span><span>-&gt; </span><span>Emily fed more than one giraffe</span><span>). Using a Truth Value Judgment Task, we show that both adults and 4–5-year-old children compute more plurality inferences in upward-entailing than downward-entailing environments, but children compute fewer plurality inferences overall than adults do. These findings are consistent with previous research demonstrating children’s relative insensitivity to scalar implicatures. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of plurality inferences, and for the acquisition of scalar inferences more generally. </span></p></div></div></div>

scholarly journals AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF DIATHERMY

1927 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 571-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl A. L. Binger ◽  
Ronald V. Christie
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Experimental Evidence ◽  
Rectal Temperature ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Deep Temperature

1. Experimental evidence is furnished to show that in normal animals the rectal temperature can be elevated by the passage of high frequency currents. 2. During life the intraabdominal and intrathoracic temperatures can be increased only slightly above the rectal temperature. 3. The lung temperature in the anesthetized dog normally lies 0.3–0.4°C. below the rectal temperature. During the passage of diathermy currents of strengths equivalent to those used in therapy this relationship is reversed—the lung temperature exceeding the rectal temperature by about the same value. 4. Immediately after death, the temperature rises abruptly in the deep tissues between the electrodes. 5. For the measurement of deep temperature special thermocouples have been devised. Their method of preparation and mode of use are described.

Experimental study of the fine-scale structure of conserved scalar mixing in turbulent shear flows. Part 2. Sc≈1

1998 ◽  
Vol 364 ◽  
pp. 1-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
KENNETH A. BUCH ◽  
WERNER J. A. DAHM
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Dissipation Rate ◽  
Shear Flows ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
The Self ◽  
Turbulent Shear ◽  
Fine Scale ◽  
Outer Scale ◽  
Self Similar

Results are presented from an experimental study into the fine-scale structure of generic, Sc≈1, dynamically passive, conserved scalar fields in turbulent shear flows. The investigation was based on highly resolved, two-dimensional imaging of laser Rayleigh scattering, with measurements obtained in the self-similar far field of an axisymmetric coflowing turbulent jet of propane issuing into air at local outer-scale Reynolds numbers Reδ≡uδ/v of 11000 and 14000. The resolution and signal quality of these measurements allowed direct differentiation of the scalar field data ζ(x, t) to determine the instantaneous scalar energy dissipation rate field (Re Sc)−1∇ζ·∇ζ(x, t). Results show that, as for large-Sc scalars (Buch & Dahm 1996), the scalar dissipation rate field consists entirely of strained, laminar, sheet-like diffusion layers, despite the fact that at Sc≈1 the scale on which these layers are folded by vorticity gradients is comparable to the layer thickness. Good agreement is found between the measured internal structure of these layers and the self-similar local solution of the scalar transport equation for a spatially uniform but time-varying strain field. The self-similar distribution of dissipation layer thicknesses shows that the ratio of maximum to minimum thicknesses is only 3 at these conditions. The local dissipation layer thickness is related to the local outer scale as λD/δ ≡ΛRe−3/4δSc−1/2, with the average thickness found to be 〈Λ〉=11.2, with both the largest and smallest layer thicknesses following Kolmogorov Re−3/4δ) scaling.

scholarly journals Football and Public Opinion: A Partial Replication and Extension

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ethan C. Busby ◽  
James N. Druckman
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Experimental Evidence ◽  
College Football ◽  
Sporting Events ◽  
Partial Replication ◽  
Presidential Approval ◽  
Football Game ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Political Opinions

AbstractDo events irrelevant to politics, such as the weather and sporting events, affect political opinions? A growing experimental literature suggests that such events can matter. However, extant experimental evidence may over-state irrelevant event effects; this could occur if these studies happen to focus on particular scenarios where irrelevant event effects are likely to occur. One way to address this possibility is through replication, which is what we do. Specifically, we replicate an experimental study that showed the outcome of a college football game can influence presidential approval. Our results partially replicate the previous study and suggest the impact is constrained to a limited set of outcome variables. The findings accentuate the need for scholars to identify the conditions under which irrelevant effects occur. While the effects clearly can occur, there relevance to politics remains unclear.

scholarly journals Gradable epistemic modals, probability, and scale structure

2015 ◽  
pp. 197
Author(s):  
Daniel Lassiter
Keyword(s):  
Epistemic Modals ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
Standard Theory ◽  
Gradable Adjectives ◽  
Modal Operators ◽  
Closed Scale

The epistemic modals possible, probable, likely, and certain require a semantics which explains their behavior both as modal operators and as gradable adjectives. An analysis of these items in terms of Kennedy & McNally's theory of gradability suggests that they are associated with a single, fully closed scale of possibility. An implementation using the standard theory of modality due to Kratzer is shown to make incorrect predictions in several domains. However, if the scale of possibility is identified with standard numerical probability, the facts about gradability are explained and the undesirable predictions of Kratzer's theory are avoided.

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