This dissertation provides a novel analysis of quantity superlatives by bringing together research on three interrelated topics: superlative ambiguity, semantic constraints on measure constructions, and the internal structure of the extended nominal phrase. I analyze the quantity words, most, least, and fewest as superlatives of quantificational adjectives (Q-adjectives), but argue that these are often embedded inside a covert measure construction, rather than directly modifying the overt noun. I also introduce novel data showing that the measure phrases that appear in overt pseudopartitive constructions have more complex internal structure than previously assumed. Specifically, they may contain adjectives, including superlative inflection in which case a definite article may introduce the measure phrase. The question of how superlative morphology is interpreted inside a measure phrase opens the door to a new analysis of measure nouns and measure pseudopartitive constructions. This approach is then applied to the analysis of quantity superlatives as covert measure pseudopartitives. The result is a model that accounts for the difference in relative readings available for Q-superlatives and their non-quantificational counterparts in English, with implications for superlative interpretation across languages.
","abstract_html":"<p>This dissertation provides a novel analysis of quantity superlatives by bringing together research on three interrelated topics: superlative ambiguity, semantic constraints on measure constructions, and the internal structure of the extended nominal phrase. I analyze the quantity words, <em>most, least</em>,<em> </em>and<em> fewest </em>as superlatives of quantificational adjectives (Q-adjectives), but argue that these are often embedded inside a covert measure construction, rather than directly modifying the overt noun. I also introduce novel data showing that the measure phrases that appear in overt pseudopartitive constructions have more complex internal structure than previously assumed. Specifically, they may contain adjectives, including superlative inflection in which case a definite article may introduce the measure phrase. The question of how superlative morphology is interpreted inside a measure phrase opens the door to a new analysis of measure nouns and measure pseudopartitive constructions. This approach is then applied to the analysis of quantity superlatives as covert measure pseudopartitives. The result is a model that accounts for the difference in relative readings available for Q-superlatives and their non-quantificational counterparts in English, with implications for superlative interpretation across languages.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Wilson, E. Cameron"],"institution":"The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"Doctoral","degree_discipline":"Linguistics","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Sam Al Khatib"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["William McClure","Jon Nissenbaum","Yael Sharvit"],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-09-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2018-09-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:00:04Z","subjects":["Semantics and Pragmatics","Syntax","measurement","quantity","pseudopartitives","mereology","adjectives","relative readings"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2949","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Sam Al Khatib"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["William McClure","Jon Nissenbaum","Yael Sharvit"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Wilson, E. Cameron"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-09-17T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Linguistics"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Semantics and Pragmatics","Syntax","measurement","quantity","pseudopartitives","mereology","adjectives","relative readings"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2949"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This dissertation provides a novel analysis of quantity superlatives by bringing together research on three interrelated topics: superlative ambiguity, semantic constraints on measure constructions, and the internal structure of the extended nominal phrase. I analyze the quantity words, most, least, and fewest as superlatives of quantificational adjectives (Q-adjectives), but argue that these are often embedded inside a covert measure construction, rather than directly modifying the overt noun. I also introduce novel data showing that the measure phrases that appear in overt pseudopartitive constructions have more complex internal structure than previously assumed. Specifically, they may contain adjectives, including superlative inflection in which case a definite article may introduce the measure phrase. The question of how superlative morphology is interpreted inside a measure phrase opens the door to a new analysis of measure nouns and measure pseudopartitive constructions. This approach is then applied to the analysis of quantity superlatives as covert measure pseudopartitives. The result is a model that accounts for the difference in relative readings available for Q-superlatives and their non-quantificational counterparts in English, with implications for superlative interpretation across languages.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Amount Superlatives and Measure Phrases"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Sam Al Khatib"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["William McClure","Jon Nissenbaum","Yael Sharvit"],"dc:creator":["Wilson, E. Cameron"],"dc:date.available":["2018-09-17T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This dissertation provides a novel analysis of quantity superlatives by bringing together research on three interrelated topics: superlative ambiguity, semantic constraints on measure constructions, and the internal structure of the extended nominal phrase. I analyze the quantity words, most, least, and fewest as superlatives of quantificational adjectives (Q-adjectives), but argue that these are often embedded inside a covert measure construction, rather than directly modifying the overt noun. I also introduce novel data showing that the measure phrases that appear in overt pseudopartitive constructions have more complex internal structure than previously assumed. Specifically, they may contain adjectives, including superlative inflection in which case a definite article may introduce the measure phrase. The question of how superlative morphology is interpreted inside a measure phrase opens the door to a new analysis of measure nouns and measure pseudopartitive constructions. This approach is then applied to the analysis of quantity superlatives as covert measure pseudopartitives. The result is a model that accounts for the difference in relative readings available for Q-superlatives and their non-quantificational counterparts in English, with implications for superlative interpretation across languages.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2949"],"dc:subject":["Semantics and Pragmatics","Syntax","measurement","quantity","pseudopartitives","mereology","adjectives","relative readings"],"dc:title":["Amount Superlatives and Measure Phrases"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Linguistics"],"thesis:degree_level":["Doctoral"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy"],"thesis:institution_name":["The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:00:04Z"}