La modalité appréciative : vers une sémantique de good

This article analyses the lexical semantics of the adjective good in indefinite singular NPs such as a good wife, a good burglar or good bread. The adjective good is central to the semantic concept of evaluative modality defined in the framework of the opposition good vs. bad, which is consensually...

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Main Author: Viviane Arigne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Presses Universitaires du Midi 2015-07-01
Series:Anglophonia
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/anglophonia/509
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author Viviane Arigne
author_facet Viviane Arigne
author_sort Viviane Arigne
collection DOAJ
description This article analyses the lexical semantics of the adjective good in indefinite singular NPs such as a good wife, a good burglar or good bread. The adjective good is central to the semantic concept of evaluative modality defined in the framework of the opposition good vs. bad, which is consensually considered to be a positive vs. negative opposition within which good is seen as the positive term. The study shows that good marks the ontological completeness of an entity construed as an integrated whole, whether the noun referring to this entity is a discrete noun or a mass noun. Good also posits the existence of this integrated whole and its parts, which accounts for it being interpreted as positive. The ontological study is extended to adjectives which, like good, are found in superordinate clauses in the context of meditative-polemic should. Adjectives such as essential, vital, adequate and appropriate, which are often analysed as mandative, treat the propositional content of the subordinate clause as a part of a good integrated whole and can therefore be interpreted as pertaining to the class of evaluative adjectives.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1278-3331
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spelling doaj-art-e63cc9dff9ce4fa1b961ff4f6ff393ed2025-01-30T12:32:54ZengPresses Universitaires du MidiAnglophonia1278-33312427-04662015-07-011910.4000/anglophonia.509La modalité appréciative : vers une sémantique de goodViviane ArigneThis article analyses the lexical semantics of the adjective good in indefinite singular NPs such as a good wife, a good burglar or good bread. The adjective good is central to the semantic concept of evaluative modality defined in the framework of the opposition good vs. bad, which is consensually considered to be a positive vs. negative opposition within which good is seen as the positive term. The study shows that good marks the ontological completeness of an entity construed as an integrated whole, whether the noun referring to this entity is a discrete noun or a mass noun. Good also posits the existence of this integrated whole and its parts, which accounts for it being interpreted as positive. The ontological study is extended to adjectives which, like good, are found in superordinate clauses in the context of meditative-polemic should. Adjectives such as essential, vital, adequate and appropriate, which are often analysed as mandative, treat the propositional content of the subordinate clause as a part of a good integrated whole and can therefore be interpreted as pertaining to the class of evaluative adjectives.https://journals.openedition.org/anglophonia/509lexical semanticsevaluative modalitygoodontologymeditative-polemic should
spellingShingle Viviane Arigne
La modalité appréciative : vers une sémantique de good
Anglophonia
lexical semantics
evaluative modality
good
ontology
meditative-polemic should
title La modalité appréciative : vers une sémantique de good
title_full La modalité appréciative : vers une sémantique de good
title_fullStr La modalité appréciative : vers une sémantique de good
title_full_unstemmed La modalité appréciative : vers une sémantique de good
title_short La modalité appréciative : vers une sémantique de good
title_sort la modalite appreciative vers une semantique de good
topic lexical semantics
evaluative modality
good
ontology
meditative-polemic should
url https://journals.openedition.org/anglophonia/509
work_keys_str_mv AT vivianearigne lamodaliteappreciativeversunesemantiquedegood