Legend: Definitions, Terms, <Text>, [IPA], -Tags-, and "Glosses".
The possible elements of a scalar construction are the scale of comparison, the direction of comparison, the subject of comparison, the standard of comparison, the degree of comparison, the precision of comparison, and the comparison function.
The scale of comparison is the quality according to which the comparison is made; it's represented by the scalar verb. The direction of comparison is either positive, negative, neutral, or absolute. Each scalar verb is inherently positive or negative (scalar verbs tend to come in pairs of opposites, e.g. ? "heavy" and ? "light").
The subject of comparison is the entity being compared and the standard of comparison is the entity that the subject (of comparison) is compared to. The subject is represented by a noun phrase, a pronoun, or a verb prefix. How the standard is represented depends on the specific construction.
The degree of comparison is an amount and may be represented by a degree adverb or a phrase specifying a quantity along with the appropriate unit noun. Note that what is traditionally called the degree is handled by the comparison function here.
The adverbs are most often applied to the positive scalar root.
The precision of comparison modifies the degree and is either tight, medium, or loose. The translation of precision depend on the comparison function.
While the normative and absolute forms of the scalar verb are modifications of the positive (usually), the negative form is suppletive.
| Prefix | Tag | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Medium Precision | ||
| = | TP= | Tight Precision |
| = | LP= | Loose Precision |
Only some forms of the standard verb are used in scalar constructions:
| Direct | Inverse | Tag | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | sažen | -1S | 1st person Singular |
| - | saršin | -1P | 1st person Plural |
| - | sartan | -Incl | Inclusive person |
| - | sarven | -2 | 2nd person |
| san | - | 3rd person |
In each of the following subsections,
The interrogative construction is a content question.
| (Polarity) | ScalarVerb | Adverb | (Subject) |
|---|
The adverb may be modified by precision.
| (Polarity) | ScalarVerb | Adverb | (Subject) |
|---|
The construction always includes a degree of comparison phrase, which may be modified by precision.
Semantically, the positive and negative denote the quality being more and less, respectively, than some norm appropriate to the subject of comparison.
| (Polarity) | ScalarVerb | (Subject) |
|---|
A degree of comparison phrase specifying the difference from the norm may be included. Either the verb or the degree phrase may be modified by precision.
The normative denotes the quality being the same as some norm appropriate to the subject of comparison.
| (Polarity) | ScalarVerb | Adverb | (Subject) |
|---|
The verb may be modified by precision.
The following summarizes the basic comparative-equative construction:
| (Polarity) | ScalarVerb | Adverb | (Subject) | Std | (Standard) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Polarity) | ScalarVerb | Adverb | (Subject) |
When the standard of comparison is implicit, it usually refers to the subject of comparison at an earlier time. A comparison of inequality may include a degree of comparison phrase. Either the degree or the adverb (but not both) may be modified by a precision prefix.
The satisfactive construction is used in satisfactive sentences.
| (Polarity) | ScalarVerb | Adverb | (Subject) |
|---|
A degree of comparison phrase may be included. Either the degree or the adverb (but not both) may be modified by a precision prefix.
| (Polarity) | ScalarVerb | Adverb | (Subject) |
|---|
The superlative of selection has already been covered in the Syntax chapter.
page started: 2016.Nov.12 Sat
current date: 2016.Nov.28 Mon
content and form originated by qiihoskeh
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