Scalarity, degree reading and maximality in a Mandarin numeral construction

This paper investigates the semantics of an understudied Mandarin numeral construction type, here dubbed da-NumPs (i.e. number word < da ‘big’ < noun). Drawing primarily upon evidence from online Mandarin corpora, we argue for a taxonomy of this construction that comprises two distinct interpretations, based on the scalarity of the morpheme da and its composition with the other constituents within the construction. Specifically, one reading of da-NumPs is a degree superlative reading, in which da relates a domain of comparison, denoted by the nominal argument, to a plural group of entities ranked along the upper bound of a contextually determined scale. Second, da-NumPs have a definite description reading, in which da behaves on a par with a maximality-denoting iota operator, such that the construction refers to the maximal group individual that satisfies the property denoted by the nominal argument. We further show that at the discourse level, both readings encode the way the speaker subjectively construes the situation being described, indicating the speaker’s evaluative attitude towards the significance of said situation. This pragmatic condition distinguishes the use of da-NumPs against that of alternative, truth-conditionally identical numeral construction types. We further propose that in cases where the nominal component includes a degree argument, a process of degree intensification enables the definite description reading to verify the same situation as is licensed under a superlative semantics. We show that this process provides a way to make sense of the systematic ambiguity available to da-NumPs, and allows us to capture its polysemy.

Social and Play Behavior in a Wild Eastern Coyote, Canis latrans, Pack

I had close and consistent observations of a wild eastern Coyote pack (Canis latrans) from January 2000 to August 2007. During this time, I obtained 3156 radio-locations on a specific radio-collared breeding male (“Sill”) and observed him and/or members of his pack on 375 occasions. The average group size = 3.0 ± 2.3 (SD) Coyotes with 1.9 ± 1.2 (SD) being adults and 1.1 ± 1.9 being pups. Maximal group size involved 12 Coyotes (9 pups, 3 adults). During these observations, Coyotes most often behaved in a friendly manner toward each other as indicated by 80 of my observations involving play between pups, and 15 involving play among adult Coyotes. On the evening of 6 July 2007 I observed the breeding male (>8 yr old), his mate (>5 yr old), one of their full-sized probable yearlings, and five pups playing intensely for 33 minutes. This paper details social and play behavior from this pack, especially from the 6 July 2007 observation.

Inverse semigroup homomorphisms via partial group actions

This papar constructs all homomorphisms of inverse semigroups which factor through an E-unitary inverse semigroup; the construction is in terms of a semilattice component and a group component. It is shown that such homomorphisms have a unique factorisation βα with α preserving the maximal group image, β idempotent separating, and the domain I of β E-unitary; moreover, the P-representation of I is explicitly constructed. This theory, in particular, applies whenever the domain or codomain of a homomorphism is E-unitary. Stronger results are obtained for the case of F-inverse monoids.Special cases of our results include the P-theorem and the factorisation theorem for homomorphisms from E-unitary inverse semigroups (via idempotent pure followed by idempotent separating). We also deduce a criterion of McAlister–Reilly for the existence of E-unitary covers over a group, as well as a generalisation to F-inverse covers, allowing a quick proof that every inverse monoid has an F-inverse cover.

Symmetry classification of the layered perovskite-derived A n B n X 3n+2 structures

The effects of combinations of octahedral tilts on the symmetries of layered A n B n X 3n+2 structures were considered. Two complementary approaches were used to deduce the symmetries. The space groups associated with different tilt systems were determined for structures with different layer thicknesses (n values) and for structures with different layer stacking arrangements. For the most symmetrical tilts about the orthorhombic axes of the A n B n X 3n+2 structure, maximal group/subgroup relations were established. Comparison of these results with experimental data available in the literature suggests that the symmetries of most observed A n B n X 3n+2 compounds are fully determined by the tilt systems adopted by rigid BX 6 octahedra. The most common tilt system observed at room temperature is a combination of an in-phase tilt about an orthorhombic axis parallel to the pseudo-fourfold axis of the octahedron with a tilt about an orthorhombic axis perpendicular to the layers.