Comparative vs. superlative quantifiers Superlative and comparative ...

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Superlative vs. comparative Indefinites, numerals, and scales Comparative modifiers Superlative modifiers Experimental evidence Examples (cont.) [1] You may take at least three cakes. a. — [no concord reading] b. □∃x[3(x) ∧ cake(x) ∧ take(y, x)] ∧ ⋄∃x[#x > 3 ∧ cake(x) ∧ take(y, x)] [compositional] [2] You must take at most three cakes. a. — [no concord reading] b. ⋄⊡∃x[3(x) ∧ cake(x) ∧ take(y, x)] ∧ ¬⋄⊡∃x[#x > 3 ∧ cake(x) ∧ take(y, x)] [compositional] Bart Geurts & Rick Nouwen: Comparative vs. superlative quantifiers Superlative vs. comparative Indefinites, numerals, and scales Comparative modifiers Superlative modifiers Experimental evidence Modal modifiers If the modal analysis is correct, it makes sense that superlative modifiers sometimes alternate with overt modals: [1] Hij heeft voor zeker zes kranten gewerkt. he has for certainly six newspapers worked ‘He has worked for at least six newspapers.’ [2] Hij heeft voor misschien drie kranten gewerkt. he has for maybe three newspapers worked ‘He has worked for at most three newspapers.’ Bart Geurts & Rick Nouwen: Comparative vs. superlative quantifiers
Superlative vs. comparative Indefinites, numerals, and scales Comparative modifiers Superlative modifiers Experimental evidence Distributional restrictions If the modal analysis is correct, there should be restrictions on the distribution of superlative quantifiers just as there are on the distribution of bona fide modals (and epistemic ones in particular): {Each / Most / ?About five / ∗None} of the guests . . . [1] . . . may have dispatched the butler. [2] . . . had at least 3 cocktails. [3] Nabokov might not have written ‘Pnin’. (Only wide scope for ⋄.) [4] ∗Nabokov didn’t write at least/most 3 novels. Bart Geurts & Rick Nouwen: Comparative vs. superlative quantifiers Superlative vs. comparative Indefinites, numerals, and scales Comparative modifiers Superlative modifiers Experimental evidence Experimental evidence Bart Geurts & Rick Nouwen: Comparative vs. superlative quantifiers
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Comparative vs. superlative quantifiers Superlative and comparative ...

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