A scalar is a verb that denotes both a scale of comparison and a direction of comparison. The direction of comparison has 3 possibilities; these are labeled positive, negative, and normative. The term normative refers to a range of neutral values, while positive refers to greater values and negative refers to lesser values. Note that scalar (arithmetic) positives and negatives are not the same as polar (logical) positive and negative.
The subject of comparison refers to the entity being compared with respect to the scale of comparison and the standard of comparison refers to what it's compared to. The various scalar functions differ mainly in how the standard of comparison manifests.
There are two adverbial positions between the polarity, if any, and the scalar word. The 1st may be occupied by either a tolerance adverb or a measurement construction (these preclude each other). The 2nd may be occupied by a scalar function adverb.
A normative scalar is constructed using the scalar function adverb Norm with either a positive or negative scalar.
Narrow tolerance means that the range of neutral values is small while wide tolerance meant that the range is large and maximal tolerance means that the range is as large as possible. When tolerance appears, it's qualified by the scalar's polarity.
Absolute measurement specifies the value of the subject of comparison from zero while relative measurement specifies the difference between the value of the subject of comparison and that of the standard of comparison. Both kinds consist of case-less unit words followed by quantity expressions. Note that some scalars have no possible measurement units. If the comparison is normal, the adverbial is absolute; otherwise, it's relative.
For a normal comparison, the standard of comparison is an implicit norm appropriate to the positive, negative, or normative scalar. A positive scalar word indicates a value greater than the norm while a negative one indicates a lesser value. A normative word indicates that the scalar value of the subject of comparison is more or less the same as the norm.
Either absolute measurement or tolerance is possible. For relative measurement, the normal comparison must be converted to an explicit comparative, with Norm as the standard of comparison.
An absolute measurement provides an answer to a scalar question and applies only to normal comparisons.
A scalar question requests a scalar answer (not necessarily an absolute value), as in "how hot?". A scalar question is indicated by the presence of the scalar question tolerance adverb SQ.
A manner word specifies the manner in which an action is performed. It appears as a coreferential clause following the action clause. Note that not all scalars are useful here.
Tolerance can be used with a manner word ("slightly X", "very X", or "as X as possible").
A comparative is an explicit comparison and may be one of equality (normative) or inequality (positive or negative). The scale of comparison may apply to
The standard of comparison is specified by the argument of a coreferential form of the defective verb may, which has only inverse stems. The subject of comparison phrase appears as the 1st phrase of the matrix. In a comparison of equality, a normative scalar expression is used (with Norm as the function adverb), while a positive or negative one is used for inequality.
Either tolerance or relative measurement is possible.
| [a] | kayattlu bumay. | "I'm older than you." |
|---|---|---|
| [b] | nataptu zoylut zippu may zovlut. | "The girl is walking faster than the boy." |
| [c] | conamoxtu toptittla zivras may zitmit nah. | "The man ate more potatoes than tomatoes." |
| [d] | conamoxtu zivras toptittla may ziydox. | "The man ate more potatoes than the woman." |
The subject of comparison's referent may be compared to an earlier or later instance of itself or it may instead be compared to an earlier or later instance of some other entity. A temporal comparative is constructed like any other comparative except that the standard of comparison is contains a temporal verb as attribute denoting past or future. A comparison to self uses the reflexive pronoun Rfx.
| Word | Gloss |
|---|---|
| bard- | "ancient" |
| gand- | "recent" |
| payd- | "near future" |
| savd- | "far future" |
| [] | nahurgu tovras may zi'on gandu. | "The man is heavier than he was recently." |
|---|---|---|
| [] | nahurgu tovras may ziydox savdu. | "The man is heavier than the woman will ever be." |
A satisfactive comparison is used to affirm or question the suitability of the subject of comparison for some actual or potential result, with respect to the scale of comparison while an excessive comparison is used to deny or question the suitability of the subject of comparison for some actual or potential result, with respect to the scale of comparison.
The scalar function adverb Sat is used for the satisfactive and the scalar function adverb Exc is used for the excessive.
Either tolerance or relative measurement is possible.
A superlative construction selects an element or subset of some whole according to some scale of comparison. The proclitic function particle ji Sup is used to form the superlative. An ordinal number may follow the superlative. This expression may be used as a predicate, an attribute, or as the part in a superlative construction where a genitive phrase denotes the whole. The cardinality of the part may be specified by a quantity following the superlative expression.
Either tolerance or relative measurement is possible.
started: 2025.Feb.25 Tue
current: 2025.Feb.28 Fri
content and form originated by Jeffrey S. Jones
(qiihoskeh)
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