Adjectives and boundedness (Gradable adjectives)

This article examines the significance of the schematic domain of boundedne ss in adjectives. It is proposed that boundedness in adjectives is a fundam ental characteristic associated with gradability. Cross-categorial correspo ndences are made to nouns and verbs, where boundedness is a feature of coun tability and aktionsart respectively. Two basic types of gradable adjective s are distinguished: those which are associated with a boundary and those w hich are not. It is also shown that it is possible to change the configurat ion of adjectives in terms of boundedness through contextual modulation. Fi nally, it is demonstrated that the configuration of adjectives in terms of boundaries may dominate their interpretation at the expense of the content proper, and the adjectives become more like function words than content wor ds.