Skip to main content

Definiteness in Superlatives

  • Conference paper
Book cover Logic, Language and Meaning

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNTCS,volume 7218))

Abstract

A new analysis of superlatives is presented, which assigns two functions to the definite article. It reflects the definiteness of the DP in absolute superlatives, and the definiteness of the DegP in comparative superlatives. The analysis accounts for the distribution of the in attributive, amount, predicative and adverbial superlatives in English.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Beck, S.: Lucinda Driving Too Fast Again – the Scalar Properties of Ambiguous Than-Clauses. Journal of Semantics (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Farkas, D., Kiss, K.E.: On the Comparative and Absolute Readings of Superlatives. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 18(3), 417–455 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Hackl, M.: On the Grammar and Processing of Proportional Quantifiers: ‘Most’ Versus ‘More Than Half’. Natural Language Semantics 17, 63–98 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Heim, I.: Notes on Superlatives. MIT (1999) (unpublished manuscript)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Herdan, S., Sharvit, Y.: Definite and Nondefinite Superlatives and NPI Licensing. Syntax 9, 1–31 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Howard, E.: The most alternative analysis of superlative NPIs ever. Handout of a talk delivered at Workshop on degree semantics and its interfaces, Utrecht (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Romero, M.: Modal Superlatives and 2-place vs. 3-place ‘-est’ . University of Konstanz (2011) (unpublished manuscript)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rooth, M.: Association With Focus. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of Massachusetts at Amherst (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Rooth, M.: A Theory of Focus Interpretation. Natural Language Semantics 1(1), 75–116 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ross, J.R.: A Partial Grammar of English Superlatives. MA thesis. University of Pennsilvania (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Sharvit, Y., Stateva, P.: Superlative Expressions, Context and Focus. Linguistics and Philosophy 25, 453–505 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Stateva, P.: How Different Are Different Degree Constructions. PhD Dissertation. University of Connecticut (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Szabolsci, A.: Comparative Superlatives. In: Fukui, N., Rapoport, T., Sagey, E. (eds.) MIT WPL, vol. 8, pp. 245–266 (1986)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Krasikova, S. (2012). Definiteness in Superlatives. In: Aloni, M., Kimmelman, V., Roelofsen, F., Sassoon, G.W., Schulz, K., Westera, M. (eds) Logic, Language and Meaning. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 7218. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31482-7_42

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31482-7_42

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-31481-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-31482-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics