Force Dimensions in Dutch Manner Adverbs: A self-paced reading study into inferences

Abstract

The goal of this thesis is to find empirical evidence for the subdivision of manner adverbs into mono-dimensional adverbs such as lightly, directly modifying a quality dimension of the verb; and adverbs such as friendly, that target a more complex dimension. Importantly, complex adverbs like friendly can also modify basic quality dimensions via a cancellable inference. Evidence for this type of inference is presented in the form of questionnaires and a self-paced reading study. These inferences can be accounted for in Neo-Davidsonian Event Semantics by means of additional conceptual information in the form of meaning axioms.