(Under Development)
Scalar prepositions hold complements that have reference to a scale. Most often, they identify a point on a continuum, but they may also establish the existence of a scale, or the top or bottom values on one. This discussion of the scalar class of prepositions is based on an examination of the scalar senses identified in The Preposition Project (TPP) with the Pattern Dictionary of English Prepositions (PDEP). This set of senses is indirectly discussed in paragraph 9.32 Quirk et al, which discusses metaphorical or abstract uses of spatial prepositions (see the Spatial class). There are 25 scalar senses under 18 prepositions; however, the TPP Quantity category with 39 senses under 31 prepositions is likely to be merged with scalar prepositions. The complements of many scalar prepositions are quantities or have some entity characterized numerically (with the entity constituting the scale). Frequently, the governor will identify the scale under discussion. (See Preposition Classes for how this class relates to other classes. For the supersenses (unlexicalized categores for prepositions), see PrepWiki; the PDEP database is being kept synchronized with this project, as they are assigned to TPP senses.)
For the most part, scalar prepositions are recognized based only on the properties of the complement. Selectors for the complement look at the complement itself (hr or c). Many of these can be recognised with the WordNet lexical name (ln) noun.quantity . Others can be recognized by using the part of speech (pos) cd (i.e., recognizing cardinal numbers). Since scalar expressions can usually be found with almost any kind of governor, developing criteria for the governor is less successful.
Preposition | Sense | Subclass | Srtype | Supersense | Classed | Count | Pct | NF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
\'pon | 22(12) | Scale | ThingAddedTo | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
\'pon | 9(3a)-1 | Scale | ValueBasis | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
a cut above | 1(1) | Greater | ThingOutranked | Yes | 14 | 100.0 | 2.60 | |
above | 10(n) | Greater | NormSurpassed | Yes | 57 | 100.0 | 262.21 | |
above | 5(2a) | Greater | ThingOutranked | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 7 | 100.0 | 32.20 |
above | 6(2b) | Greater | EntitySubordinate | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 12 | 100.0 | 55.20 |
above | 7(2c) | Greater | ThingNotPreferred | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 2 | 100.0 | 9.20 |
above | 8(2d) | Greater | DrownedSound | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 6 | 100.0 | 27.60 |
above | 9(3) | Greater | Norm | Scalar/Rank,ValueComparison | Yes | 75 | 100.0 | 345.02 |
according to | 3(1b) | Scale | ScaleOfReference | Circumstance | Yes | 66 | 100.0 | 351.21 |
afore | 4(3) | Greater | ThingOutranked | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 |
after | 8(4) | Less | ThingPreferred | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 31.43 |
ahead of | 4(n) | Greater | Norm | Yes | 103 | 100.0 | 74.74 | |
at | 5(3) | Equivalence | Level | Frequency,Value | Yes | 82 | 100.0 | 6331.52 |
at | 6(3a) | Age | Age | Age | Yes | 9 | 100.0 | 694.92 |
at a range of | 1(1) | Equivalence | Distance | Yes | 7 | 100.0 | 1.30 | |
atop | 2(n) | Greater | NormSurpassed | Yes | 4 | 100.0 | 0.74 | |
before | 4(3) | Greater | ThingOutranked | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 1 | 100.0 | 15.45 |
behind | 8(5) | Less | NormSuperior | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 5 | 100.0 | 23.03 |
behind | 9(6) | Less | CompetitorAhead | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 4 | 100.0 | 18.42 |
below | 2(1a) | Less | NormSuperior | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 9 | 100.0 | 17.67 |
below | 3(1b) | Less | QuantityAbove | Scalar/Rank,ValueComparison | Yes | 147 | 100.0 | 288.60 |
beneath | 4(2a) | Less | NormSuperior | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 9 | 100.0 | 8.53 |
beneath | 5(2b) | Less | PartyWorthier | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 3 | 100.0 | 2.84 |
beside | 2(1a) | Scale | Comparator | Comparison/Contrast | Yes | 13 | 100.0 | 8.99 |
between | 3(3) | Scale | ScaleEnds | Approximator | Yes | 19 | 100.0 | 829.85 |
between | 6(4b) | Scale | PairContrasting | Comparison/Contrast | Yes | 18 | 100.0 | 786.17 |
between | 7(4c) | Scale | Comparators | Yes | 26 | 100.0 | 1135.58 | |
betwixt | 3(3) | Scale | ScaleEnds | Approximator | Yes | 1 | 100.0 | 0.19 |
betwixt | 6(4b) | Scale | PairContrasting | Comparison/Contrast | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 |
betwixt | 7(4c) | Scale | Comparators | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
beyond | 3(1b) | Greater | NormSurpassed | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 76 | 100.0 | 319.28 |
beyond | 5(3) | Greater | Level | Yes | 9 | 100.0 | 37.81 | |
beyond | 6(3a) | Greater | Amount | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 24 | 100.0 | 100.83 |
beyond | 7(4) | Greater | NormSurpassed | Yes | 29 | 100.0 | 121.83 | |
by | 12(3) | Greater | MarginSize | Extent | Yes | 14 | 100.0 | 1669.01 |
by | 13(3a) | Scale | UnitSize | Value | Yes | 7 | 100.0 | 834.50 |
by | 15(3c) | Scale | UnitName | Attribute | Yes | 3 | 100.0 | 357.64 |
by | 16(3d) | Mathematical | Multiplier | Value | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 119.21 |
depending on | 1(1) | Scale | ScaleOfReference | Circumstance | Yes | 242 | 100.0 | 185.66 |
down | 7(n) | Scale | ScaleOfReference | Yes | 5 | 100.0 | 7.29 | |
for | 10(8a) | Equivalence | Price | Value | Yes | 4 | 100.0 | 635.93 |
for | 11(9) | Scale | ScaleOfReference | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 10 | 100.0 | 1589.83 |
for | 13(11) | Equivalence | Distance | Extent | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 158.98 |
fore | 4(3) | Greater | ThingOutranked | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 |
frae | 6(4) | Scale | RangeStart | Source | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 |
frae | 7(4a) | Scale | RangeStart | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
from | 6(4) | Scale | RangeStart | Source | Yes | 31 | 100.0 | 2588.15 |
from | 7(4a) | Scale | RangeStart | Comparison/Contrast | Yes | 10 | 100.0 | 834.89 |
give or take | 1(1) | Equivalence | AmountOfVariance | Yes | 10 | 100.0 | 1.85 | |
gone | 2(1a) | Age | Age | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
in advance of | 2(n) | Greater | ThingOutranked | Yes | 19 | 100.0 | 4.22 | |
in excess of | 1(1) | Greater | QuantitySurpassed | Yes | 250 | 100.0 | 94.42 | |
in favor of | 1(1) | Greater | ThingPreferred | Yes | 8 | 100.0 | 1.48 | |
in favour of | 1(1) | Greater | ThingPreferred | Yes | 61 | 100.0 | 114.83 | |
in proportion to | 1(1) | Scale | Gauge | Yes | 138 | 100.0 | 25.60 | |
in proportion to | 2(1a) | Scale | Comparator | Yes | 42 | 100.0 | 7.79 | |
in proportion to | 3(n) | Scale | Gauge | Yes | 9 | 100.0 | 1.67 | |
into | 8(8) | Mathematical | Dividend | Value | Yes | 44 | 100.0 | 1158.57 |
less | 1(1) | Mathematical | Subtrahend | Yes | 26 | 100.0 | 4.82 | |
little short of | 1(1) | Less | LevelApproached | Yes | 38 | 100.0 | 7.05 | |
minus | 1(1) | Mathematical | Subtrahend | Yes | 112 | 100.0 | 20.78 | |
minus | 3(2) | Mathematical | Degrees | Approximator | Yes | 5 | 100.0 | 0.93 |
mod | 1(1) | Mathematical | Modulus | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
modulo | 1(1) | Mathematical | Modulus | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
near | 4(3a) | Less | LevelApproached | ValueComparison | Yes | 6 | 100.0 | 32.02 |
near to | 4(3a) | Less | LevelApproached | Yes | 12 | 100.0 | 3.17 | |
neath | 4(2a) | Less | NormSuperior | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 |
neath | 5(2b) | Less | PartyWorthier | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 |
next to | 2(2) | Less | ThingPreferred | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 |
next to | 3(3) | Less | LevelApproached | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
next to | 4(4) | Scale | Comparator | Comparison/Contrast | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 |
nigh | 4(3a) | Less | LevelApproached | Yes | 1 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
nothing short of | 1(1) | Less | LevelApproached | Yes | 67 | 100.0 | 12.43 | |
o\' | 4(2) | Equivalence | Quantity | Extent,Value | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.00 |
o\' | 5(2a) | Age | Age | Age | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.00 |
o\'er | 10(3) | Greater | QuantitySurpassed | Approximator | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.00 |
o\'er | 5(2a) | Greater | ThingOutranked | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.00 |
o\'er | 7(2c) | Greater | ThingNotPreferred | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.00 |
o\'er | 8(2d) | Greater | ThingOutnumbered | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.00 |
o\'er | 9(2e) | Greater | DrownedSound | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.00 |
of | 4(2) | Equivalence | Quantity | Extent,Value | Yes | 8 | 100.0 | 1978.59 |
of | 5(2a) | Age | Age | Age | Yes | 1 | 100.0 | 247.32 |
of the order of | 1(1) | Equivalence | Magnitude | Yes | 79 | 100.0 | 14.65 | |
of the order of | 2(2) | Equivalence | Approximation | Yes | 47 | 100.0 | 8.72 | |
on | 22(12) | Scale | ThingAddedTo | Yes | 5 | 100.0 | 413.76 | |
on | 9(3a)-1 | Scale | ValueBasis | Yes | 19 | 100.0 | 1572.28 | |
on a level with | 2(1a) | Equivalence | Peer | Yes | 16 | 100.0 | 2.97 | |
on a par with | 1(1) | Equivalence | Peer | Yes | 100 | 100.0 | 18.55 | |
on the order of | 1(1) | Equivalence | Approximation | Yes | 3 | 100.0 | 0.56 | |
on the order of | 3(n) | Mathematical | ComplexityDegree | Yes | 1 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
out of | 4(3) | Scale | NumberReferenced | Superset | Yes | 27 | 100.0 | 342.63 |
outta | 4(3) | Scale | NumberReferenced | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
over | 10(3) | Greater | QuantitySurpassed | Approximator | Yes | 20 | 100.0 | 258.31 |
over | 5(2a) | Greater | ThingOutranked | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 2 | 100.0 | 25.83 |
over | 7(2c) | Greater | ThingNotPreferred | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 8 | 100.0 | 103.32 |
over | 8(2d) | Greater | ThingOutnumbered | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 1 | 100.0 | 12.92 |
over | 9(2e) | Greater | DrownedSound | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 4 | 100.0 | 51.66 |
over and above | 2(n) | Greater | ThingOutranked | Yes | 7 | 100.0 | 1.30 | |
past | 5(3a) | Greater | EntityLimiting | Yes | 30 | 100.0 | 21.81 | |
past | 6(n) | Greater | QuantityAbove | Yes | 7 | 100.0 | 5.09 | |
per | 1(1) | Scale | UnitReference | Value | Yes | 243 | 100.0 | 1197.55 |
plus | 1(1) | Mathematical | AmountAdded | Yes | 83 | 100.0 | 155.44 | |
plus | 3(2) | Mathematical | Degrees | Approximator | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 1.87 |
relative to | 1(1) | Scale | Comparator | Yes | 128 | 100.0 | 64.20 | |
short of | 1(1) | Less | StandardMissed | Yes | 71 | 100.0 | 60.06 | |
than | 1(1) | Scale | Comparator | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 10.33 |
this side of | 2(1a) | Age | Age | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 0.19 | |
this side of | 3(2) | Less | Paragon | Yes | 9 | 100.0 | 1.67 | |
to | 11(4b) | Scale | RatioDenominator | Value | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 130.59 |
to | 12(4c) | Mathematical | Exponent | Value | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 130.59 |
to | 16(8) | Less | DebitEntry | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 130.59 | |
to | 3(1b) | Scale | RangeTerminus | Comparison/Contrast,EndState,EndTime | Yes | 74 | 100.0 | 9663.47 |
to the tune of | 1(1) | Equivalence | Sum | Yes | 76 | 100.0 | 14.10 | |
toward | 5(3) | Less | TargetOfSpending | Function | Yes | 8 | 100.0 | 4.65 |
towards | 5(3) | Less | TargetOfSpending | Function | Yes | 16 | 100.0 | 158.00 |
under | 6(2c) | Less | NormSuperior | Scalar/Rank | Yes | 1 | 100.0 | 22.64 |
under | 7(3) | Less | QuantityAbove | Approximator | Yes | 1 | 100.0 | 22.64 |
underneath | 4(n) | Less | NormSuperior | Yes | 2 | 100.0 | 0.37 | |
underneath | 5(n) | Less | QuantityAbove | Yes | 2 | 100.0 | 0.37 | |
up to | 3(2) | Less | LevelApproached | ValueComparison | Yes | 110 | 100.0 | 930.11 |
up to | 4(3) | Less | Standard | State | Yes | 6 | 100.0 | 50.73 |
upon | 22(12) | Scale | ThingAddedTo | Yes | 0 | 100.0 | 11.33 | |
upon | 9(3a)-1 | Scale | ValueBasis | Yes | 6 | 100.0 | 67.99 | |
upward of | 1(1) | Greater | QuantitySurpassed | Yes | 4 | 100.0 | 0.74 | |
upwards of | 1(1) | Greater | QuantitySurpassed | Yes | 88 | 100.0 | 16.32 | |
vis-a-vis | 2(1a) | Scale | Comparator | Yes | 21 | 100.0 | 3.90 | |
Total | 40342 |