Cross-polar (a)nomalies without degrees

Abstract

This paper discusses the distribution of positive and negative adjectives in subcomparatives with an absolute comparison interpretation, including cross-polar nomalies and anomalies (see Bierwisch 1989, Kennedy 1997/1999, 2001, Büring 2007). It offers an analysis of these phenomena in terms of a more constrained variant of Klein’s (1980, 1982) degree-less analysis of comparatives, as presented in Doetjes et al. (forthcoming). The paper attempts to derive the properties of subcomparatives from independently motivated properties of measures.

Keywords

• subcomparatives
• degrees
• vague predicate analysis
• cross-polar (a)nomalies
• measures
• interpretation of numerals