Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>Scalar approaches to the semantics of gradation are generally based on the conception of degrees
as either points or intervals. In this paper, I will review two prominent approaches which use intervals
differently for modelling the polarity of adjectives. For a relevant subset of gradation phenomena, I will
discuss several problems of these approaches and will develop a new proposal which is characterized
by the assumption that for an attention-based, cognitivist semantics of gradation, both conceptions of
degree are needed for a satisfactory solution of the problems.</jats:p>