The chameleon in the Chinese individual exceed comparative

Abstract

The X A-le D construction is an explicit individual exceed comparative, in which the aspectual suffix -le licenses the covert individual-denoting compared object pro. The reference of this compared object is chameleon-like, which makes it possible for this type of comparative to be ambiguous between the stative and the dynamic meaning. Since this compared object is not a degree term, the differential measure phrase inside becomes the only possible candidate that can indirectly bind the degree argument of the adjective by restricting the degree argument that represents the difference between the compared objects.