Scale structure in actional classes Aspectual properties read by grammar
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21814/diacritica.5116Keywords:
Aspectual gradable dimensions of events, Formal semantics, Actional classes, Degree modifiersAbstract
We employ the facts concerning the licensing of pouco, muito, bastante and bem (with a manner interpretation) in verbal phrases as a tool to identify the scalar event dimensions projected by the actional classes of Vendler (1957), which the facts validate. We adopt, in line with formal semantics, a degree approach (Kennedy & McNally 2005), and the Principle of Interpretative Economy (Kennedy 2007), in order to deal with the distribution and interpretation of degree modifiers. We explain the ungrammaticality of pouco, muito and bastante with accomplishments and achievements arguing that they semantically select open-scale quantitative dimensions. Bem selects qualitative dimensions, showing a peculiar behavior with achievements.
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