Proportional Implies Relative: A typological universal Golsa - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

▶
proportional implies relative a typological universal
SMART_READER_LITE
LIVE PREVIEW

Proportional Implies Relative: A typological universal Golsa - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Apr 18, 2023 544 likes •1.39k views

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References Proportional Implies Relative: A typological universal Golsa Nouri-Hosseini Elizabeth Coppock Elizabeth Bogal-Allbritten Saskia Stiefeling

slide-1
SLIDE 1

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Proportional Implies Relative: A typological universal

Golsa Nouri-Hosseini Elizabeth Coppock Elizabeth Bogal-Allbritten Saskia Stiefeling University of Gothenburg TripleA 4, Gothenburg · June 2017

1/69

slide-2
SLIDE 2

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

  • PI: Elizabeth Coppock
  • Postdoc: Elizabeth Bogal-Allbritten
  • Graduate student: Saskia Stiefeling*
  • Master’s student: Golsa Nouri-Hosseini

2/69

slide-3
SLIDE 3

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Outline

1 Introduction 2 Method 3 Results 4 NO-YES languages 5 YES-YES languages 6 True superlatives?

3/69

slide-4
SLIDE 4

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Continents of the world

Assume:

  • Gloria has visited North America, Africa, and Europe.
  • Everyone else has visited only North America and Europe.

True: Gloria has visited the most continents.

4/69

slide-5
SLIDE 5

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Continents of the world

Assume:

  • Gloria has visited North America, Africa, and Europe.
  • Everyone else has visited only North America and Europe.

True: Gloria has visited the most continents. [relative]

4/69

slide-6
SLIDE 6

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Continents of the world

Assume:

  • Gloria has visited North America, Africa, and Europe.
  • Everyone else has visited only North America and Europe.

True: Gloria has visited the most continents. [relative] False: Gloria has visited most continents. [proportional]

4/69

slide-7
SLIDE 7

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Continents of the world

Assume:

  • Gloria has visited North America, Africa, and Europe.
  • Everyone else has visited only North America and Europe.

True: Gloria has visited the most continents. [relative]

%False: Gloria has visited most continents.

[proportional]

4/69

slide-8
SLIDE 8

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Swedish: Opposite of English

Assume:

  • Gloria has visited North America, South America and Europe.
  • Everyone else has visited only North America and Europe.

True: Gloria har besÃűkt flest kontinenter. [relative] False: Gloria har besÃűkt de flesta kontinenter(na). [proportional]

5/69

slide-9
SLIDE 9

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Questions to start with

1 How much variation of this kind is there?

  • morphosyntactic strategies for expressing these readings
  • available interpretations for quantity superlatives

2 Why do languages vary as they do?

  • How do these readings arise in the first place?

6/69

slide-10
SLIDE 10

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Hackl’s perspective

(1) The smartest student passed. [absolute] (2) Of the students, John gave the best answer. [relative]

7/69

slide-11
SLIDE 11

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Hackl’s perspective

(1) The smartest student passed. [absolute] (2) Of the students, John gave the best answer. [relative] Hackl (2009): proportional as absolute quantity superlatives quality superlatives proportional : relative :: absolute : relative

7/69

slide-12
SLIDE 12

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Hackl’s perspective

(1) The smartest student passed. [absolute] (2) Of the students, John gave the best answer. [relative] Hackl (2009): proportional as absolute quantity superlatives quality superlatives proportional : relative :: absolute : relative Prediction: Any superlative of ‘many’ should have a proportional reading.

7/69

slide-13
SLIDE 13

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Counterexample: French

Relative: (3) C’est it:is Jean Jean qui who a has lu read le the plus more de

  • f

livres. books ‘It’s John who has read the most books. Proportional: (4) *Le the plus more de

  • f

cygnes swans sont are blancs. white (5) La the plupart majority des

  • f.the.pl

cygnes swans sont are blancs. white ‘Most swans are white [proportional].’

Dobrovie-Sorin & Giurgea (2015)

8/69

slide-14
SLIDE 14

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Counterexample: Slavic

Superlative of many has relative reading only: (6) Maria Maria pročete read naj-mnogo-(to) sprl-many-the statii articles [Bulgarian] ‘Maria read the most articles.’

Pancheva & Tomaszewicz (2012), Živanović (2006), Dobrovie-Sorin & Giurgea (2015)

9/69

slide-15
SLIDE 15

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Our conjecture

Proportional Implies Relative

If a superlative form of ‘many’ or ‘much’ has a proportional interpretation, then it also has a relative interpretation.

10/69

slide-16
SLIDE 16

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Our conjecture (in table form)

Proportional: yes Proportional: no Relative: yes English, Swedish Bulgarian, French Relative: no impossible possible (?)

11/69

slide-17
SLIDE 17

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Outline

1 Introduction 2 Method 3 Results 4 NO-YES languages 5 YES-YES languages 6 True superlatives?

12/69

slide-18
SLIDE 18

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Broad-sample semantic fieldwork

  • 26 language families, ca. 100 languages, all continents
  • 1-10 speakers per language
  • On-line translation survey
  • Follow-up questions

13/69

slide-19
SLIDE 19

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Basque

  • Basque

Indo-European

  • Albanian
  • Balto-Slavic (Macedonian, ...)
  • Celtic (Irish, ...)
  • Germanic (Swedish, ...)
  • Greek
  • Indo-Iranian (Hindi, Persian, ...)
  • Italic (French, Romanian, ...

Turkic

  • Common Turkic (Turkish, ...)

Uralic

  • Finnic (Finnish, ...)
  • Hungarian

14/69

slide-20
SLIDE 20

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Austroasiatic

  • Khmer

Dravidian

  • South Dravidian (Telugu,

Kannada, Tamil) Japonic

  • Japanese

Kartvelian

  • Georgian-Zan (Georgian)

Koreanic

  • Korean

Nakh-Daghestanian

  • Daghestanian (Lezgian)

Sino-Tibetan

  • Mahakiranti (Newar)
  • Sinitic (Mandarin)

Tai-Kadai

  • Kam-Tai (Thai)

15/69

slide-21
SLIDE 21

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Afro-Asiatic

  • Cushitic (Somali)
  • Semitic (Arabic, Hebrew)
  • West Chadic (Hausa)

Atlantic-Congo

  • North-Central Atlantic (Wolof, Akan, ...)
  • Volta-Congo (Swahili, Yoruba, Kagulu)

Eastern Sudanic

  • Nubian (Kenuzi-Dongola)

Mande

  • Western Mande (Vai)

Nilotic

  • Western Nilotic (Lango)

16/69

slide-22
SLIDE 22

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Austronesian

  • Nuclear Austronesian (Javanese, Tagalog, Maori,

Yapese) Gunwinyguan

  • Marne (Kunbarlang)

17/69

slide-23
SLIDE 23

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Athapaskan-Eyak-Tlingit

  • Athapaskan-Eyak (Navajo)

Iroquoian

  • Cherokee

Mayan

  • Core Mayan (Yucatec Maya, Kaqchikel)

Otomanguean

  • Eastern Otomanguean (San Juan Guelavía

Zapotec) Salishan

  • Interior Salish (Okanagan Salish)

18/69

slide-24
SLIDE 24

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Aymara

  • Nuclear Aymara

Quechuan

  • Quechua II (Cochabamba Quechua)

19/69

slide-25
SLIDE 25

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Key example sentences

Quality - absolute (7) Mom bakes the most delicious cookies in the world. Quality - relative (8) I’m not the one in the family with the thinnest waist. Quantity - proportional (9) Most of the kids in my school like to play music. Quantity - relative (10) Among the kids in my school, I’m the one who plays the most instruments.

20/69

slide-26
SLIDE 26

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Coding

21/69

slide-27
SLIDE 27

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

General strategies for forming comparatives (CMPR-TYP)

STND: Standard comparative (e.g. English She is taller than Bill, where than introduces the standard of comparison). EX: Exceed comparative (e.g. Yoruba O tobi ju u, lit. ‘He big exceed him’; Stassen 1985) CNJ: Conjoined comparative (e.g. Washo ‘The man is tall, the woman is not tall’; see Bochnak 2015)

22/69

slide-28
SLIDE 28

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Ways of marking gradable predicate (CMPR)

M: Morphological expression of comparative (e.g. tall-er) PERIPH: Comparative is expressed analytically with a free element e.g. Mehmet Ali’den daha zengin (Turkish)

  • lit. ‘Mehment Ali-from more rich’

ZERO: Comparative is not marked e.g. Awar č’al lezgi č’al.a-laj četin ja (Lezgian)

  • lit. ‘Awar language Lezgian language-from.on difficult is’

23/69

slide-29
SLIDE 29

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Strategies for forming superlatives (SPRL)

M: Morphological superlative marker PERIPH: Periphrastic superlative marker CMPR+DEF: Comparative plus definiteness marker CMPR: No formal distinction between comparative and superlative CMPR+ALL: Comparative plus ‘of/than all’ CMPR+ANY: Comparative plus ‘of/than some/any’ VERY or ABS: Intensifier OTHER/NONE

24/69

slide-30
SLIDE 30

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Coding for quantity superlatives

Quantity superlatives:

  • Is the SPRL strategy, combined with a word for ‘many’ or ‘much’,

used with a proportional interpretation?

  • Is the SPRL strategy, combined with a word for ‘many’ or ‘much’,

used with a relative interpretation?

25/69

slide-31
SLIDE 31

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Coding for quantity superlatives

Quantity superlatives:

  • Is the SPRL strategy, combined with a word for ‘many’ or ‘much’,

used with a proportional interpretation?

  • Is the SPRL strategy, combined with a word for ‘many’ or ‘much’,

used with a relative interpretation? → Four possible language types: YES-YES, YES-NO, NO-YES NO-NO

25/69

slide-32
SLIDE 32

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Coding for quantity superlatives

Quantity superlatives:

  • Is the SPRL strategy, combined with a word for ‘many’ or ‘much’,

used with a proportional interpretation?

  • Is the SPRL strategy, combined with a word for ‘many’ or ‘much’,

used with a relative interpretation? → Four possible language types: YES-YES, YES-NO, NO-YES NO-NO Prediction: We should not find any YES-NO languages.

25/69

slide-33
SLIDE 33

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Outline

1 Introduction 2 Method 3 Results 4 NO-YES languages 5 YES-YES languages 6 True superlatives?

26/69

slide-34
SLIDE 34

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Our sample

26 language families, ca. 100 languages, showing one language per subfamily (Glottolog)

SPRL M PERIPH DEF CMPR ALL ANY VERY OTHER PROP-REL NO-YES YES-YES NO-NO

27/69

slide-35
SLIDE 35

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

NO-YES languages

Macedonian: M Persian: M Finnish: M Cherokee: M Okanagan Salish: M Somali: PERIPH Hebrew: PERIPH Japanese: PERIPH Korean: PERIPH Mandarin: PERIPH Thai: PERIPH Turkish: PERIPH Yapese: PERIPH French: DEF Lango: CMPR Albanian: CMPR Kenuzi-Dongola: ALL Vai: ALL Kannada: ALL Lezgian: ALL Newar: ALL Kaqchikel: ALL Mixtec: ALL Quechua (Cochabamba): ALL Khmer: ANY Navajo: ANY Kunbarlang: VERY

28/69

slide-36
SLIDE 36

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

NO-NO languages

Swahili: ALL Irish: CMPR Aymara: NONE

29/69

slide-37
SLIDE 37

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

YES-YES languages

Swedish (along with all Germanic languages): M Hungarian: M Basque: M Greek: DEF Romanian (unlike all other Romance languages): DEF Hausa: CMPR Wolof: CMPR Georgian: ALL

30/69

slide-38
SLIDE 38

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Universal supported!

Proportional Implies Relative

If a superlative form of ‘many’ has a proportional interpretation, then it also has a relative interpretation.

31/69

slide-39
SLIDE 39

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

How rare are proportional readings?

  • Found in 5 of the 26 language families (not all subfamilies).
  • Estimated probability of independent innovation = average rate per

language family.

  • Language family rate = number of subfamilies that typically have it

divided by number of subfamilies investigated.

  • e.g. Indo-European: 2/7 (Greek, Germanic)

So the rate is estimated at: 2/7 + 1/3 + 1/2 + 1/1 + 1/2 26 ≈ 0.10

32/69

slide-40
SLIDE 40

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Outline

1 Introduction 2 Method 3 Results 4 NO-YES languages 5 YES-YES languages 6 True superlatives?

33/69

slide-41
SLIDE 41

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Persian

34/69

slide-42
SLIDE 42

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Persian (M): Quality superlatives

Superlative strategy: Morphological superlative marker -in (supplements comparative -tar) (11) M¯ adar-am mother-1sg.poss xošmazeh-tar-in delicious-cmpr-sprl širini pastry r¯ a

  • m

dar in tam¯ am-e all-ez donya world mi-paz-ad. ipfv-bake.pres-3sg ‘Mother bakes the most delicious cookies in all the world.’

35/69

slide-43
SLIDE 43

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Persian (M): Quantity superlatives

Proportional (NO): (12) Biš-tar-e much-cmpr-ez bače-ha-yi kid-pl-indef ke that be to madrese-ye school-ez man I ... ... ‘More kids who go to my school [like to play instruments].’ Relative (YES): (13) ... ... biš-tar-in much-cmpr-sprl ¯ al¯ at-e instrument.pl-ez musiqi music r¯ a

  • m

mi-navaz-am. ipfv-play.pres-1sg ‘[Of all the kids in my school, I am the one who] plays the most instruments.’

36/69

slide-44
SLIDE 44

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Persian (M): No proportional interpretation

Context: Suppose you walk into the kitchen and discover that your mother just baked a batch of 10 cookies. Nobody else is around. You are extremely hungry, so you eat 7 of them. Would it be appropriate to use (14) to describe to me what you did? (14) Man I biš-tar-in much-cmpr-sprl širini pastry r¯ a

  • m

xord-am. eat.past-1sg ‘I ate the most cookies.’ Answer: No!

37/69

slide-45
SLIDE 45

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Mandarin

38/69

slide-46
SLIDE 46

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Mandarin (PERIPH): Quality superlatives

Superlative strategy: Periphrastic superlative marker zui (15) Mama mama hongkao bake de de binggan cookie shi is shijie world shang in zui sprl haochi tasty de de ‘Mom bakes the yummiest cookies in the whole world’

39/69

slide-47
SLIDE 47

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Mandarin (PERIPH): Quantity superlatives

Proportional (NO): (16) Mama mother zuotian yesterday hongkao bake le asp hen very duo many binggan, cookie, wo 1sg chi eat le asp qizhong among de de yi

  • ne

da big ban. part ‘Yesterday mom baked very many cookies, of them I ate a big part.’ Relative (YES): (17) Dan but wo 1sg ye also shi is women

  • ur

jia family li inside chi eat binggan cookie chi eat de de zui sprl duo many de de na that ge cl ‘But I am also the one in our family who eats the most cookies.’

40/69

slide-48
SLIDE 48

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Mandarin (PERIPH): No proportional interpretation

Context: Suppose you walk into the kitchen and discover that your mother just baked a batch of 10 cookies. Nobody else is around. You are extremely hungry, so you eat 7 of them. Would it be appropriate to use (18) to describe to me what you did? (18) Wo 1sg chi eat le asp zui sprl duo many binggan. cookie ‘I ate the most cookies.’ Answer: No.

41/69

slide-49
SLIDE 49

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Lezgian

42/69

slide-50
SLIDE 50

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Lezgian (ALL): Quality superlatives

Superlative strategy: Comparative + ‘all’ (19) Zhi

  • ur

khzanda family viri-d-lay-ni all-nmlz-from-also shÃijk’Ãij thin yuq’ waist a-way be.in-past kas person zun 1sg.abs tush. neg ‘I’m not the one in the family with the thinnest waist.’

43/69

slide-51
SLIDE 51

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Lezgian (ALL): Quantity superlatives

Proportional (NO): (20) Zi 1sg.gen tarsalag-diz school-dat qwezway come ayal-r.i-n kid-pl-gen para-bur.u-z many-nmlz.pl-dat maq’amar music yaghaz play k’ani love.ptp ya. be.pres ‘Many of the kids in my school like to play music.’ Relative (YES): (21) Zi 1sg.gen tarsalag-da school-iness awa-y be.in-past ayal-r.i-n kid-pl-gen qene among viri-d-lay-ni all-nmlz-from-also para many aletral instruments qughazwaydi play.ipfv zun 1sg.abs ya. be.pres ‘Of all kids in my school, I’m the one who plays the most instruments.’

44/69

slide-52
SLIDE 52

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Lezgian (ALL): No proportional interpretation

Context: Suppose you walk into the kitchen and discover that your mother just baked a batch of 10 cookies. Nobody else is around. You are extremely hungry, so you eat 7 of them. Would it be appropriate to use (22) to describe to me what you did? (22) Za 1obl viri-d-lay-ni all-sbst-from-ni para many churunar cookies tuna. eat ‘I ate the most cookies.’ Answer: No.

45/69

slide-53
SLIDE 53

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Outline

1 Introduction 2 Method 3 Results 4 NO-YES languages 5 YES-YES languages 6 True superlatives?

46/69

slide-54
SLIDE 54

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

YES-YES languages

Swedish (along with all Germanic languages): M Hungarian: M Basque: M Greek: DEF Romanian (unlike all other Romance languages): DEF Hausa: CMPR Wolof: CMPR Georgian: ALL

47/69

slide-55
SLIDE 55

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Basque

48/69

slide-56
SLIDE 56

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Basque (M): Quality superlatives

Superlative strategy: Morphological superlative marker -en (23) Amak Mom munduko world gaileta cookie goxo-en-ak good-sprl-pl egiten make ditu have eta. and ‘Mom bakes the yummiest cookies in the whole world.’

49/69

slide-57
SLIDE 57

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Basque (M): Quantity superlatives

Proportional (YES): (24) Nire my eskolara school doazen in haur child gehi-en-ek much-sprl-pl musika music jotzea play atsegin gladly dute. have.3pl ‘In my school, most of the kids like to play music.’ Relative (YES):

(25) Nire my eskolako school haurre-tatik, child-among ni I naiz am instrumentu instrument gehi-en much-sprl jotzen play dituena. aux ‘Among the kids in my school, I’m the one who plays the most instruments.’

50/69

slide-58
SLIDE 58

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Wolof

51/69

slide-59
SLIDE 59

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Wolof (CMPR): Quality superlatives

Superlative strategy: Comparative (‘exceed’-type) (26) SuÃśu my kÃńr house du neg ma 1sg si loc gÃńn surpass tÞuti be.small ndigg. waist ‘I’m not the one in the family with the thinnest waist.’

52/69

slide-60
SLIDE 60

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Wolof (CMPR): Quantity superlatives

Proportional (YES): (27) Xale child yu wh gÃńn surpass bÃńre be.many ci loc sama my ekkol school bÃńgg like na perf Ãśu 3.pl tÃńgg play mÃŋzik. music ‘Most of the kids who go to my school like to play music.’ Relative (YES): (28) Ci loc xale child yu wh nekk be sama my ekkol all yÃľp, school man 1sg ma 1sg ci loc tÃńgg play lu wh gÃńn surpass bÃńre be.many ci loc sabar. drum ‘Of all the kids in my school, I’m the one who plays the most drums.’

53/69

slide-61
SLIDE 61

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Hausa

54/69

slide-62
SLIDE 62

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Hausa: Quality superlatives

Superlative strategy: Comparative (‘exceed’-type) + optional ‘all’

(29) Mama Mom ke rel.cont gasa bake biskit biscuit da C ya 3sg fi exceed (kowane) (everything) dadi delicious a in duk all duniya world ‘Mom bakes the most delicious cookies in the world.’ (30) Ba neg ni-ne 1sg-foc na-fi 1sg-exceed (kowa) (everyone) ramammen skinny kunkuru waist ba neg cikin inside dangi-n family-def mu 1pl ‘I am not the one in the family with the thinnest waist.’

55/69

slide-63
SLIDE 63

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Hausa: Quantity superlatives

Proportional (YES): (31) Ma-fi nmlz-exceed (*kowa) (everyone) yawa-n quantity-link yaran children dake in makarantarmu school su-na 3pl-cont son like yin make waka song ‘Most of the kids in my school like to play music.’ Relative (YES): (32) Cikin inside duka all yaran, children ni-ne 1sg-foc na-fi 1sg-exceed kowa everyone kada beat ma-fi 3-exceed yawa-n quantity-link kaya-n instrument-link kida-n music-link ‘Of all the kids in my school, I’m the one who plays the most instruments.’ Kowane ‘all’ cannot be added in these cases.

56/69

slide-64
SLIDE 64

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Georgian (ALL)

57/69

slide-65
SLIDE 65

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Georgian (ALL): Quality superlatives

Superlative strategy: Comparative + ‘all’ (33) Chemi my

  • jakhshi,

family me 1sg ar be var neg is, it visats who qkhvela-ze all-than tsvrili thin ts’eli waist ak’vs. have ‘In my family, I am not the one who has the thinnest waist.’

58/69

slide-66
SLIDE 66

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Georgian (ALL): Quantity superlatives

Proportional (YES): (34) Qkhvela-ze all-on bevri much rdze milk modis come dzrokhisgan. cow ‘Most milk comes from cows.’ Relative (YES): (35) me 1sg var be chveni

  • ur
  • jaxis

family wevri, member romelic who qkhvela-ze all-than met’ many.cmpr namcxvars cookies wams eat ‘I am the member of our family who eats the most cookies.’

59/69

slide-67
SLIDE 67

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Georgian circumfix

Circumfix: Proportional but not relative?

(36) deda mom mtel whole msoflioshi in.the.world u-gemriel-es cmpr-tasty-cmpr namcxvrebs cookies acxobs. bakes ‘Mom bakes the most delicious cookies in the world.’ Often used for proportional (along with nominalizer), but not relative. (37) bavshvebis kids u-met’-es-obas, cmpr-many-cmpr-nmlz-dat ... ... ‘Most of the kids ...’ A comparative form in Old Georgian, now “more like a superlative than like a comparative, and it can be used to mean just [very X]" (Alice Harris, p.c., i.a.).

60/69

slide-68
SLIDE 68

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Outline

1 Introduction 2 Method 3 Results 4 NO-YES languages 5 YES-YES languages 6 True superlatives?

61/69

slide-69
SLIDE 69

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

What counts as a superlative strategy?

  • Anything that people use when translating -est?

62/69

slide-70
SLIDE 70

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

What counts as a superlative strategy?

  • Anything that people use when translating -est?

Too liberal?

62/69

slide-71
SLIDE 71

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Kagulu

Bare or intensified adjectives

Relative quality: (38) Kakangu brother.my hakalowa caught samaki fish chidodo. small ‘My brother caught a small fish.’ (Target: the smallest fish) Relative quantity: (39) Hanilowa caught.1sg samaki fish nvingi-si-si. many-int-int ‘I caught many, many fish.’ (Target: the most fish) Proportional quantity: (40) Hachidiya ate.1pl kalibia almost samaki fish wose all wochalowile. that.we.caught ‘We ate almost all of the fish that we caught.’ (Target: most of the fish)

63/69

slide-72
SLIDE 72

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Tamil

Intensified adjectives for all readings

Relative quality: (41) Kudumbath.il family.loc romba very melithana slim idupu hips entahu mine illai are.not ‘I’m not the one in the family with the thinnest waist.’ Relative quantity: (42) Aanal but en my kudumba family makkal.il people.loc nan I than emph athiga much rootikalai cookies sapivatar eat ‘But I am also the member of our family who eats the most cookies.’ Proportional quantity: (43) Nan I miga very athiga much palayiyum milk kudi.th.en drink.1sg ‘I drank very much milk.’ (Target: most of the milk)

64/69

slide-73
SLIDE 73

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

What counts as a superlative strategy?

  • Anything that people use when translating -est?

65/69

slide-74
SLIDE 74

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

What counts as a superlative strategy?

  • Anything that people use when translating -est?

Too liberal?

65/69

slide-75
SLIDE 75

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

What counts as a superlative strategy?

  • Anything that people use when translating -est?

Too liberal?

  • ‘Any form with the same meaning as English -est’

65/69

slide-76
SLIDE 76

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

What counts as a superlative strategy?

  • Anything that people use when translating -est?

Too liberal?

  • ‘Any form with the same meaning as English -est’

Too strict?

65/69

slide-77
SLIDE 77

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

What counts as a superlative strategy?

  • Anything that people use when translating -est?

Too liberal?

  • ‘Any form with the same meaning as English -est’

Too strict?

  • ‘Any form that implies a greater degree of a given predicate than any
  • ther member of a comparison class’

65/69

slide-78
SLIDE 78

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

What counts as a superlative strategy?

  • Anything that people use when translating -est?

Too liberal?

  • ‘Any form with the same meaning as English -est’

Too strict?

  • ‘Any form that implies a greater degree of a given predicate than any
  • ther member of a comparison class’

Just right?

65/69

slide-79
SLIDE 79

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

What counts as a superlative strategy?

Perhaps: M – Yes PERIPH – Yes DEF – Yes CMPR – Yes (once disambiguated!) ALL – Yes ANY – Yes VERY – No OTHER – ?

66/69

slide-80
SLIDE 80

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Proposed Universal

Proportional implies relative

If a superlative form of ‘many’ has a proportional interpretation, then it also has a relative interpretation.

67/69

slide-81
SLIDE 81

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Thank you!

68/69

slide-82
SLIDE 82

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Funding

This research was carried out under the auspices of the Swedish Research Council project 2015-01404 entitled Most and more: Quantity superlatives across languages awarded to PI Elizabeth Coppock at the University of Gothenburg.

69/69

slide-83
SLIDE 83

Introduction Method Results NO-YES languages YES-YES languages True superlatives? References

Bochnak, Ryan. 2015. The degree semantics parameter and cross-linguistic

  • variation. Semantics & Pragmatics 8(6). 1–46.

Dobrovie-Sorin, Carmen & Ion Giurgea. 2015. Quantity superlatives vs. proportional quantifiers: A comparative perspective. Abstract for 25th Colloquium on Generative Grammar, Bayonne. Hackl, Martin. 2009. On the grammar and processing of proportional quantifiers: most vs. more than half. Natural Language Semantics 17. 63–98. Pancheva, Roumyana & Barbara Tomaszewicz. 2012. Cross-linguistic differences in superlative movement out of nominal phrases. In Nathan Arnett & Ryan Bennett (eds.), Proceedings of WCCFL 30, 292–302. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press. Stassen, Leon. 1985. Comparison and universal grammar. Oxford: Blackwell. Živanović, Sašo. 2006. Varieties of most: On different readings of superlative

  • determiners. In Proceedings of of the 2006 Formal Description of Slavic

Languages (FSDL 6.5) conference, 337–354. University of Nova Gorica.

69/69