Non-optimal argumentation: The case of ‘at most’ constructions

‘At least’, ‘at most’ and the ‘extreme’ measure: The Russian scalar limit operator construction po + Adj + mere

“…On a conventional numerical scale, eight years is situated higher than six, so one would expect an operator from the maximum group. Additionally, the 'worst case scenario' meaning has been also associated with maximal operators (Katzir 2019b). Although the 'worst case scenario' meaning of po krajnej mere is now outdated, this reveals that the boundary between the upper and the lower thresholds might not be as rigid as one might assume.…”

“…Such contexts would not be felicitous with po bolʹšej mere (13a); instead, a descriptive construction would be used, as in (13b). In Katzir's (2019b) classification of maximal subconstructions based on their argumentative functions, example (16) qualifies as a concessive maximum construction whose functions are conceptualized as "(i) introducing the strongest counter-argument against the speaker's main point, while at the same time (ii) construing it as insufficient to invalidate it" (Katzir 2019b: 7). It is thus considered as a counterpart of the rhetorical at least, which is argued to introduce a weak, yet sufficient argument in favour of the speaker's point (Katzir 2019b: 14).…”

“…It is thus considered as a counterpart of the rhetorical at least, which is argued to introduce a weak, yet sufficient argument in favour of the speaker's point (Katzir 2019b: 14). 13 As a counterpart of the evaluative at least, Katzir (2019b) proposes the concessiveevaluative maximum construction. It introduces the worst possible outcome of an action or event advocated by the speaker which is construed as not bad enough to be a sufficient argument to deter one from performing the recommended action.…”

“…'by the large measure' in ( 29) is used as a simple scalar maximal operator, but po vysokoj mere lit. 'by the high measure' in (30) can be characterized, in Katzir's (2019b) classification, as concessive (see Section 4). It introduces the strongest counterargument to the speaker's point, which nonetheless cannot completely undermine their point: although the people in question might have some very poor understanding of the arts, they are in any case no experts.…”

“…'pragmatic superlatives' in Fauconnier [1975]). Besides context-invariant or semantic scales evoked by these items, other studies have emphasized various types of non-conventional scales (in particular, see Ducrot [1980] on argumentative scales) and ensuing discourse functions, referring to such items as maximal and minimal superlative modifiers (Katzir 2019a(Katzir , 2019b, scalar focus quantifiers (Gast 2013), scalar operators (San Martín Núñez and Rojas Inostroza 2020) or scalar limit markers (Fuentes Rodríguez 2016).…”