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Equative degree quantification in Damascene Arabic

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In this paper, I document a degree-equative construction in contemporary Syrian Arabic. This construction is headed by the noun ʔadd meaning ‘size’ or ‘extent’, but I demonstrate extensive parallels in distribution between ʔadd and the comparative phrase aktar min ‘more than’. These parallels suggest that like the comparative, ʔadd functions as a degree quantifier, an operator that binds a degree variable in its scope. But it stands in the same asymmetric entailment relation to aktar min that English as much as does to more, indicating that ʔadd is an equative counterpart of aktar min parallel to English as much as.

  • Affiliations: 1: Austrian Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence

References

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  3. Bhatt, R. , & Takahashi, S.
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  7. Chung, S. , & Ladusaw, B.
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     [Google Scholar]
  8. Cowell, M.
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  9. Cresswell, M.
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    (1975) Logic and conversation. In P. Cole , & J. Morgan . (Eds.), Speech Acts (pp.41–58). New York: Academic Press.
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    (2016) Superlatives in Syrian Arabic. Natural Language and Linguistics Theory, 34 , 1281–1328. 10.1007/s11049‑016‑9332‑1
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  16. (2001) Degree operators and scope. In C. Fery , & W. Sternefeld . (Eds.), Audiatur vox sapientiae: A festschrift for Arnim von Stechow (pp.214–239). Berlin: Akademie Verlag, Berlin.
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  21. Klein, E.
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  22. Lechner, W.
    (2001) Reduced and phrasal comparatives. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, 19 , 683–735. 10.1023/A:1013378908052
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013378908052 [Google Scholar]
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    (2011) Extraction and deletion in Palestinian Arabic comparatives. In E. Broselow , and H. Ouali . (Eds.), Perspectives on Arabic Linguistics XXII-XXIII (pp.149–166). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. 10.1075/cilt.317.07mcn
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  25. Rett, J.
    (2015a) Measure phrase equatives and modified numerals. Journal of Semantics, 32 , 425–475. 10.1093/jos/ffu004
     https://doi.org/10.1093/jos/ffu004 [Google Scholar]
  26. (2015b) The semantics of evaluativity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. (2020) Separate but equal: A typology of equative constructions. In P. Hallman . (Ed.), Interactions of degree and quantification (pp.163–204). Amsterdam: Brill.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Rullmann, H.
    (1995) Maximality in the semantics of wh-constructions. PhD dissertation, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
  29. Seuren, P.
    (1973) The comparative. In F. Kiefer , & N. Ruwet . (Eds.), Generative Grammar in Europe (pp.528–264). Dordrecht: D. Reidel Publishing Company. 10.1007/978‑94‑010‑2503‑4_22
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2503-4_22 [Google Scholar]
  30. von Stechow, A.
    (1984) Comparing semantic theories of the comparison. Journal of Semantics, 3 , 1–77. 10.1093/jos/3.1‑2.1
     https://doi.org/10.1093/jos/3.1-2.1 [Google Scholar]

References

  1. Al-Bitar, A.
    (2019) The superlative in English and Syrian Arabic. MA thesis, Universität Tübingen.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Benmamoun, A.
    (2006) The construct state. In K. Versteegh . (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Arabic Language and Linguistics. Amsterdam: Brill.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Bhatt, R. , & Takahashi, S.
    (2011) Reduced and unreduced phrasal comparatives. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, 29 , 581–620. 10.1007/s11049‑011‑9137‑1
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s11049-011-9137-1 [Google Scholar]
  4. Bierwisch, M.
    (1989) The semantics of gradation. In M. Bierwisch , & E. Lang . (Eds.), Dimensional adjectives: grammatical structure and conceptual interpretation (pp.71–261). Berlin: Springer. 10.1007/978‑3‑642‑74351‑1_3
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74351-1_3 [Google Scholar]
  5. Bresnan, J.
    (1973) The syntax of the comparative clause construction in English. Linguistic Inquiry, 4 , 275–343.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Chomsky, N.
    (1970) Remarks on nominalization. In R. Jacobs , & P. Rosenbaum . (Eds.), Readings in English transformational grammar (pp.184–221). Waltham, Mass.: Ginn.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Chung, S. , & Ladusaw, B.
    (2004) Restriction and saturation. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Cowell, M.
    (1964) A reference grammar of Syrian Arabic. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Cresswell, M.
    (1976) The semantics of degree. In B. Partee . (Ed.), Montague Grammar (pp.261–292), New York: Academic Press. 10.1016/B978‑0‑12‑545850‑4.50015‑7
     https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-545850-4.50015-7 [Google Scholar]
  10. Gawron, Jean Mark
    (1995) Comparatives, superlatives and resolution. Linguistics and Philosophy, 18 , 333–380. 10.1007/BF00984929
     https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00984929 [Google Scholar]
  11. Grice, P.
    (1975) Logic and conversation. In P. Cole , & J. Morgan . (Eds.), Speech Acts (pp.41–58). New York: Academic Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Hallman, P.
    (2016) Superlatives in Syrian Arabic. Natural Language and Linguistics Theory, 34 , 1281–1328. 10.1007/s11049‑016‑9332‑1
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s11049-016-9332-1 [Google Scholar]
  13. (2018) On the interrogative terms ʔaddēʃ and kam in Syrian Arabic. Journal of Afroasiatic Languages and Linguistics, 10 , 308–330. 10.1163/18776930‑01002005
     https://doi.org/10.1163/18776930-01002005 [Google Scholar]
  14. Hankamer, J.
    (1973) Why are there two than’s in English?In C. Corum , T. C. Smith-Stark , & A. Weiser . (Eds.), Papers from the ninth regional meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society (pp.179–191). Chicago: Chicago Linguistic Society.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Heim, I.
    (1985) Notes on the comparative and related matters. Ms., University of Texas, Austin.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. (2001) Degree operators and scope. In C. Fery , & W. Sternefeld . (Eds.), Audiatur vox sapientiae: A festschrift for Arnim von Stechow (pp.214–239). Berlin: Akademie Verlag, Berlin.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. (2006) Little. In M. Gibson , & J. Howell . (Eds.) Proceedings of SALT 16 (pp.35–58). Washington, D.C.: Linguistic Society of America. 10.3765/salt.v16i0.2941
     https://doi.org/10.3765/salt.v16i0.2941 [Google Scholar]
  18. Hellan, L.
    (1981) Towards an integrated theory of comparatives. Tübingen: Gunter Narr.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Hoeksema, J.
    (1983) Negative polarity and the comparative. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, 1 , 403–434. 10.1007/BF00142472
     https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00142472 [Google Scholar]
  20. Horn, L.
    (1972) On the semantic properties of the logical operators in English. PhD thesis, UCLA.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Klein, E.
    (1980) A semantics for positive and comparative adjectives. Linguistics and Philosophy, 4 , 1–45. 10.1007/BF00351812
     https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00351812 [Google Scholar]
  22. Lechner, W.
    (2001) Reduced and phrasal comparatives. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, 19 , 683–735. 10.1023/A:1013378908052
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013378908052 [Google Scholar]
  23. (2004) Ellipsis in comparatives. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. 10.1515/9783110197402
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110197402 [Google Scholar]
  24. McNabb, Y. , & Kennedy, C.
    (2011) Extraction and deletion in Palestinian Arabic comparatives. In E. Broselow , and H. Ouali . (Eds.), Perspectives on Arabic Linguistics XXII-XXIII (pp.149–166). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. 10.1075/cilt.317.07mcn
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.317.07mcn [Google Scholar]
  25. Rett, J.
    (2015a) Measure phrase equatives and modified numerals. Journal of Semantics, 32 , 425–475. 10.1093/jos/ffu004
     https://doi.org/10.1093/jos/ffu004 [Google Scholar]
  26. (2015b) The semantics of evaluativity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. (2020) Separate but equal: A typology of equative constructions. In P. Hallman . (Ed.), Interactions of degree and quantification (pp.163–204). Amsterdam: Brill.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Rullmann, H.
    (1995) Maximality in the semantics of wh-constructions. PhD dissertation, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
  29. Seuren, P.
    (1973) The comparative. In F. Kiefer , & N. Ruwet . (Eds.), Generative Grammar in Europe (pp.528–264). Dordrecht: D. Reidel Publishing Company. 10.1007/978‑94‑010‑2503‑4_22
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2503-4_22 [Google Scholar]
  30. von Stechow, A.
    (1984) Comparing semantic theories of the comparison. Journal of Semantics, 3 , 1–77. 10.1093/jos/3.1‑2.1
     https://doi.org/10.1093/jos/3.1-2.1 [Google Scholar]

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