Comparative Constructions: Empirical Data

@cite{bresnan-1973} @cite{kennedy-1999} @cite{lechner-2004}

Basic empirical data on comparative constructions — phrasal vs. clausal standards, morphological variation, and acceptability patterns.

Key Empirical Generalizations

1. Phrasal vs. clausal than-clauses are not freely interchangeable: measure phrase differentials require phrasal standards in English.
2. Synthetic vs. analytic comparatives distribute by syllable count in English but vary cross-linguistically.
3. Subcomparatives ("longer than the desk is wide") require clausal standards and are restricted in many languages.

structure Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.ComparativeJudgment : Type

An acceptability judgment for a comparative construction.

• sentence : String

  The example sentence

• acceptable : Bool

  Whether the sentence is acceptable

• standardType : String

  Phrasal or clausal standard?

• note : String

  Notes on the reading or restriction

def Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprComparativeJudgment.repr : ComparativeJudgment → Nat → Std.Format

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instance Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprComparativeJudgment : Repr ComparativeJudgment

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• Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprComparativeJudgment = { reprPrec := Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprComparativeJudgment.repr }

def Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.phrasalExamples : List ComparativeJudgment

Phrasal comparatives — DP complement of than.

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def Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.clausalExamples : List ComparativeJudgment

Clausal comparatives — CP complement of than.

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structure Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.MorphDistributionDatum : Type

Synthetic vs. analytic comparative distribution in English. The generalization: monosyllabic adjectives prefer synthetic (-er), polysyllabic prefer analytic (more), disyllabic varies.

• adjective : String
• syllables : Nat
• syntheticOk : Bool
• analyticOk : Bool

def Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprMorphDistributionDatum.repr : MorphDistributionDatum → Nat → Std.Format

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instance Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprMorphDistributionDatum : Repr MorphDistributionDatum

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• Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprMorphDistributionDatum = { reprPrec := Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprMorphDistributionDatum.repr }

def Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.morphDistribution : List MorphDistributionDatum

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structure Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.ComparativeDeletionDatum : Type

Comparative deletion data: the standard of comparison may be implicitly recovered from context.

"Kim is taller" — standard = contextually supplied comparison class. This connects to the evaluative/positive reading of bare gradable adjectives (Gradability/).

• sentence : String
• explicitStandard : Bool

  Is the standard explicitly present?

• readings : List String

  Available readings

instance Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprComparativeDeletionDatum : Repr ComparativeDeletionDatum

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• Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprComparativeDeletionDatum = { reprPrec := Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprComparativeDeletionDatum.repr }

def Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.instReprComparativeDeletionDatum.repr : ComparativeDeletionDatum → Nat → Std.Format

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def Phenomena.Comparison.Comparative.deletionExamples : List ComparativeDeletionDatum

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