Cover not available
Article published In:
Asian Languages and Linguistics
Vol. 3:1 (2022) ► pp.60–88

Dimensional adjectives in Nuosu Yi

| Queens College, City University of New York
| University of Macau

In this paper, we discuss two types of dimensional adjectives in Nuosu Yi (Tibeto-Burman), which we refer to as Positive adjectives (PAs) and Equative Adjectives (EAs). We show that PAs and EAs are subject to different distributions in gradation structures: EAs are only admissible in gradation structures that can be associated with measure phrases, which include differential comparatives (e.g., Ayi is 2 cm taller than Aguo.) and degree questions (e.g., How tall is Ayi?). PAs are licensed elsewhere, including comparatives that do not introduce a differential (e.g., Ayi is taller than Aguo.), the intensification construction (e.g., Ayi is very tall), the superlative construction (e.g., Ayi is the tallest), etc. Assuming that measure phrases are degree-denoting expressions, we propose that the complementary distribution of PAs and EAs in Nuosu Yi is due to their different semantics: PAs are context sensitive predicates that do not introduce a degree argument (of type <e, t>), while EAs are degree predicates (of type <d, <e, t>>).

Keywords: Nuosu Yi, degrees, dimensional adjectives, degree constructions
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Gradation structures in Nuosu Yi
    • 2.1Gradation structures for PAs
      • Comparatives (with no differentials)
      • Equatives
      • Exclamatives
      • Intensification
      • Excessives
      • Superlatives
    • 2.2Gradation structures for EAs
      • Differential comparatives
      • Degree questions (Exclamatives)
      • Equatives (exactly as Adj. as)
    • 2.3Summary
  • 3.Two modes of comparison: Explicit vs implicit comparison
  • 4.Analysis
    • 4.1The degree-based approach and the delineation approach
    • 4.2The semantics of PAs and EAs
  • 5.Modifiers of PAs
  • 6.A decompositional analysis of PAs and EAs
  • 7.Cross-linguistic comparison and conclusion
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Published online: 5 July 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/alal.21017.liu
References
Beck, Sigrid, Krasikova, Sveta, Fleischer, Daniel, Gergel, Remus, Hofstetter, Stefan, Savelsberg, Christiane, Vanderelst, John, & Villalta, Elisabeth
(2009) Crosslinguistic variation in comparison constructions. In Jeroen van Craenenbroeck & Johan Rooryck (Eds.), Linguistic variation yearbook 9 1 (pp. 1–66). John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Beltrama, Andrea, & Bochnak, Ryan M.
(2015) Intensification without degrees cross-linguistically. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, 331, 843–879. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bochnak, Ryan M.
(2015) The Degree semantics parameter and cross-linguistic variation. Semantics and Pragmatics, 81, 1–48. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bogal-Allbritten, Elizabeth
(2008) Gradability and Degree Constructions in Navajo. BA thesis, Swarthmore College.
(2010) Positively uninformative. In Michael Yoshitaka Erlewine & Yasutada Sudo (Eds.), Proceedings of the MIT Workshop on Comparatives (pp. 19–34). MITWPL.Google Scholar
(2013) Decomposing notions of adjectival transitivity in Navajo. Natural Language Semantics, 211, 277–314. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bu, Weimei
(2021) Hanyi chengdu jiegou duibi fenxi [A contrastive study of degree constructions in Chinese and Lalo Yi. Ph.D. thesis, University of Macau.
Cresswell, John M.
(1976) The semantics of degree. In Barbara Partee (Ed.), Montague Grammar (pp. 261–292). Academic Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ding, Hongdi
(2018) A cross-dialectal analysis of Nuosu adjectival comparative constructions. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area, 41(1), 45–74. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dixon, Robert M. W.
(2004) Adjective classes in a typological perspective. In Robert M. W. Dixon and Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald (Eds.), Adjectives classes: A cross-linguistic perspective (pp.1–49). Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Gerner, Matthias
(2007) The exhaustion particles in the Nuosu Yi group: a unified approach to All, the Completive and the Superlative. Journal of Semantics, 241, 27–72. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2013) A Grammar of Nuosu. Mouton De Gruyter. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Grano, Thomas, & Kennedy Chris
(2012) Mandarin transitive comparatives and the grammar of measurement. Journal of East Asian Linguistics, 211, 219–266. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Heim, Irene
(2000) Degree operators and scope. In Jackson Brendan & Tanya Matthews (Eds.), Proceedings of SALT X (pp. 40–64). CLC Publications. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hu, Suhua
(2002) Yiyu Jiegou Zhuci [Research on Yi Structural Particles]. Minzu Press.Google Scholar
(2005) Liangshan Yiyu de chabiju [The sentence of differential comparison in Liangshan Yi language]. Minzu Yuwen [Minority Languages of China], 51, 39–44.Google Scholar
Kamp, Hans
(1975) Two theories of adjectives. In Keenan, Ewan (ed.) Formal Semantics of Natural Language (pp. 123–155). Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, Christopher
(1997) Projecting the Adjective: the Syntax and Semantics of Gradability and Comparison. Ph.D. thesis, University of California, Santa Cruz.
(2007) Modes of comparison. In Malcolm Elliott, James Kirby, Osamu Sawada, Eleni Staraki & Suwon Yoon (Eds.), Proceedings of CLS43, 141–165.Google Scholar
(2011) Vagueness and Comparison. In Paul Egré & Nathan Klinedinst (Eds.), Vagueness and language use (pp. 73–97). Palgrave Macmillan. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Klein, Ewan
(1980) A semantics for positive and comparative adjectives. Linguistics and Philosophy, 4(1), 1–46. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(1982) The interpretation of adjectival comparatives. Journal of Linguistics, 181, 113–136. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Lasersohn, Peter
(1999) Pragmatic halos. Language, 751, 522–551. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Li, Wenyu
(2015) Weixi lisuyude bijiao jiegou [Comparative constructions in Weixi Lisu], MA thesis, CASS Graduate School.
Liu, Hongyong, Li, Xiao, & Lee, Seunghun
(2013) Liangshan yiyu chabiju de xingtai jufa he yuyi [Morphosyntax and semantics of Nuosu Yi comparatives]. Hanzangyu xuebao [Journal of Sino-Tibetan Linguistics], 71, 44–53.Google Scholar
McConnell-Ginet, Sally
(1973) Comparative Constructions in English: A Syntactic and Semantic Analysis. Ph.D. thesis, University of Rochester.
Meier, Cecile
(2003) The meaning of too, enough, and so…that . Natural Language Semantics, 111, 69–107. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Morzycki, Marcin
(2016) Modification. Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Rett, Jessica
(2011) Exclamatives, degrees and speech acts. Linguistics and Philosophy, 341, 411–442. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Schwarzschild, Roger
(2005) Measure phrases as modifiers of adjectives. Recherches Linguistiques de Vincennes, 351, 207–228. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Seuren, Pieter. A. M.
(1973) The comparative. In Ferenc Kiefer & Nicolas Ruwet (Eds.), Generative Grammar in Europe (pp. 528–564). Riedel. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Svenonius, Peter, & Kennedy, Christopher
(2006) Northern Norwegian degree questions and the syntax of measurement. In Maria Frascarelli (Ed.), Phases of interpretation ( Studies in generative grammar, vol. 9 (pp. 133–161). Mouton de Gruyter. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
van Rooij, Robert
(2011) Implicit versus explicit comparatives. In Paul Egré & Nathan Klinedinst (Eds.), Vagueness and language use (pp. 51–72). Palgrave Macmillan. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
von Stechow, Arnim
(1984) Comparing semantic theories of comparison. Journal of Semantics, 31, 1–77. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Zhang, Linmin, & Ling, Jia
(2021) The semantics of comparatives: A difference-based approach. Journal of Semantics. [lingbuzz/005223] DOI logoGoogle Scholar