Good manners: On the degree effect of good events

Abstract

This paper discusses the semantics of so-called ‘degree’ well in English and German, in examples such as well loaded and gut beladen. While in previous literature well is analysed as an ad-adjectival modifier (of closed scale adjectives), we propose to examine well as a manner adverb and to derive the manner vs. degree reading from the type of event well is a predicate of.