Modality and gradation

This paper focuses on some effects and possible causes in the concatenation of two micro-developments undergone by words like rather. While the first one maps its semantics from an original temporal-based comparison to modal meanings, the second takes it from modal ordering to the modification of gradable predicates. A comparison is drawn with the parallel sequel of developments observed in the case of German eher (‘sooner, rather’) especially with respect to the apparently distinct flavors of modal ordering available in the two items.