Degree words and scalar structure in Japanese

Authors
Citation
N. Tsujimura, Degree words and scalar structure in Japanese, LINGUA, 111(1), 2001, pp. 29-52
Citations number
23
Categorie Soggetti
Language & Linguistics
Journal title
LINGUA
ISSN journal
00243841 → ACNP
Volume
111
Issue
1
Year of publication
2001
Pages
29 - 52
Database
ISI
SICI code
0024-3841(200101)111:1<29:DWASSI>2.0.ZU;2-W
Abstract
The interaction of event structure and scalar structure has provided accoun ts for various phenomena revolving around verbs and degree modification. Th is paper demonstrates that such an interaction is indeed relevant in explai ning the pattern of modification that the adverb totemo 'very' exhibits in Japanese. In particular, I will argue that the distinction between a 'trivi al standard' and a 'nontrivial standard' discussed in the analysis of dever bal adjectives by Kennedy and McNally (1999) plays an important role in det ermining the range of verbs that accept degree modification by totemo, (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.