Grammar
Tenses
Present
Present Simple
Present Continuous
Present Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous
Past
Past Continuous
Past Perfect
Past Perfect Continuous
Past Simple
Future
Future Simple
Future Continuous
Future Perfect
Future Perfect Continuous
Passive and Active
Parts Of Speech
Nouns
Countable and uncountable nouns
Verbal nouns
Singular and Plural nouns
Proper nouns
Nouns gender
Nouns definition
Concrete nouns
Abstract nouns
Common nouns
Collective nouns
Definition Of Nouns
Verbs
Stative and dynamic verbs
Finite and nonfinite verbs
To be verbs
Transitive and intransitive verbs
Auxiliary verbs
Modal verbs
Regular and irregular verbs
Action verbs
Adverbs
Relative adverbs
Interrogative adverbs
Adverbs of time
Adverbs of place
Adverbs of reason
Adverbs of quantity
Adverbs of manner
Adverbs of frequency
Adverbs of affirmation
Adjectives
Quantitative adjective
Proper adjective
Possessive adjective
Numeral adjective
Interrogative adjective
Distributive adjective
Descriptive adjective
Demonstrative adjective
Pronouns
Subject pronoun
Relative pronoun
Reflexive pronoun
Reciprocal pronoun
Possessive pronoun
Personal pronoun
Interrogative pronoun
Indefinite pronoun
Emphatic pronoun
Distributive pronoun
Demonstrative pronoun
Pre Position
Preposition by function
Time preposition
Reason preposition
Possession preposition
Place preposition
Phrases preposition
Origin preposition
Measure preposition
Direction preposition
Contrast preposition
Agent preposition
Preposition by construction
Simple preposition
Phrase preposition
Double preposition
Compound preposition
Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunction
Correlative conjunction
Coordinating conjunction
Conjunctive adverbs
Interjections
Express calling interjection
Grammar Rules
Preference
Requests and offers
wishes
Be used to
Some and any
Could have done
Describing people
Giving advices
Possession
Comparative and superlative
Giving Reason
Making Suggestions
Apologizing
Forming questions
Since and for
Directions
Obligation
Adverbials
invitation
Articles
Imaginary condition
Zero conditional
First conditional
Second conditional
Third conditional
Reported speech
Linguistics
Phonetics
Phonology
Semantics
Pragmatics
Linguistics fields
Syntax
Morphology
Semantics
pragmatics
History
Writing
Grammar
Phonetics and Phonology
Reading Comprehension
Elementary
Intermediate
Advanced
Semantics Gradability and degree modification
المؤلف:
LOUISE McNally and CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY
المصدر:
Adjectives and Adverbs: Syntax, Semantics, and Discourse
الجزء والصفحة:
P8 - C1
2025-03-24
114
Semantics Gradability and degree modification
Kennedy and McNally (2005) present a typology of gradable predicates based on the properties of the scales along which these predicates order their arguments (or what we call their “scale structure”). Gradable predicates are classified along two parameters: whether the scale they use is open (lacks minimal or maximal values) or closed (has minimal or maximal values), and whether the standard of comparison for the predicate is relative (i.e. is fixed contextually) or absolute (a maximal or minimal value on the scale, irrespective of context).
A typical example of an open-scale, relative adjective is big: the general size scale lacks an upper limit, as shown by the impossibility of combining the adjective with the degree-modifying completely (see Hay et al. 1999); the fact that it accepts degree modification by very shows, according to Kennedy and McNally, that the adjective has a relative standard.
The case of the degree modifier very is interesting because its distribution is one of the classic diagnostics for distinguishing adjectives and adverbs from nouns and verbs: the former accept modification by very (when they meet an additional condition that Kennedy and McNally identify); the latter never do. This raises the question as to whether the distribution of very must make reference to both syntax and semantics, or whether the semantic condition is sufficient, with the failure of nouns and verbs to meet that condition being explainable on independent grounds. Jenny Doetjes’ contribution to this volume explores precisely this kind of question.
جاهزية الاستعداد لشهر رمضان
إستعراض موجز لحياة السيدة زينب الكبرى
أم البنين .. صانعة الوفاء وراعية الفضيلة
