Open AccessJapanese comparatives are semantically conjuncts: a dynamic view
Author(s) -
Takeo Kurafuji
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
proceedings from semantics and linguistic theory
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2163-5951
pISSN - 2163-5943
DOI - 10.3765/salt.v0i0.2606
Subject(s) - quantifier (linguistics) , mathematics , linguistics , meaning (existential) , significant difference , semantics (computer science) , psychology , computer science , philosophy , statistics , psychotherapist , programming language
This paper develops the differential-based semantics of comparatives, arguing that no generalized quantifier-type degree operator is involved in Japanese comparatives, and the yori ‘than’-clause introduces a degree variable, which is dynamically bound by the existential quantifier associated with a dif- ferential in the main clause. This approach accounts for the Japanese stacking comparative such as ‘A is fat(ter) than B is fat than C is fat(ter) than D is fat than E is fat(ter) than D is fat,’ meaning [the difference between A’s fatness and B’s fatness] > [the difference between C’s fatness and D’s fatness] > [the difference between E’s fatness and F’s fatness].