A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics David Crystal

supervaluation 465
context of a specific grammatical structure; also called a suprafix. The term
suprasegmental is however now widely used instead.
superfoot (n.) A term in metrical phonology for a node which dominates
the two rightmost feet in a metrical tree; symbolized by Σ′. For example, in the
tree structure for reconciliation, the node governing the two stress feet (Σ) cil-i
and a-tion is a superfoot.
superheavy syllable
see weight
superiority (n.) A constraint proposed in government-binding theory
and the minimalist programme which states that in multiple WH-questions,
the wh-phrase that C-commands the other moves to the CP-specifier. This
would make What did you put where? grammatical, but *Where did you put
what? not.
superlative (adj./n.) A term used in the three-way grammatical description of
adjectives and adverbs into degrees, specifying the extent of their application.
The superlative form is used to express a comparison between more than
two entities, and contrasts with comparative, where only two entities are
involved, and positive, where no comparison is implied. In English there is
both an inflection (-est) and a periphrastic construction (most) to express
this notion (e.g. biggest, most interesting).
superordinate (adj.) A term sometimes used in grammatical description to
refer to a linguistic unit higher up a hierarchy than another (subordinate)
unit. For example, in John saw where Mary lived, John saw (or, John saw X) is
the superordinate clause while where Mary lived is the subordinate clause. The
term is also used in other areas of linguistics to refer to higher-order units,
such as the more inclusive lexical item in hyponymy (flower is the superordinate
label for tulip, daffodil, etc.).
superstratum (n.) A term used in sociolinguistics and historical linguistics
to refer to a linguistic variety or set of forms which has influenced the
structure or use of a less dominant variety or language within a community.
A linguistic superstratum is usually the result of political, economic or cultural
dominance, as illustrated by the influence of English, French, Arabic, etc., on the
languages of the world at various periods in history. One of the most noticeable
features of superstratal influence is the increased use of loan words.
supertype (n.)
see type
supervaluation (n.) A technique used in logic and formal semantics for dealing
with complex sentences containing constituent clauses which are neither
true nor false, as in some analyses of presupposition or vagueness. A sentence
is assigned the value supertrue if it is true relative to all ways of resolving the
truth value of any constituent clauses which lack a truth value, and superfalse
if it is false relative to all ways of resolving such truth values.