Abstract
Discourse is a representation of reality to be shared with others but there are times when such a representation fails to provide an accurate evaluation of it. That is typically the case with quantitative numerical assignment, either because the speaker is (temporarily) unable to come up with an adequate evaluation or because he does not wish to do so. The result of the tension between fuzziness and precision in spontaneous spoken discourse is a grammar of numerical approximation forms which combine the scanning of quantity and of its representation. Whether it be with juxtaposition, coordination, adverb/suffix insertion or more elaborate forms, the surface of discourse displays a series of structures that bring us back to the cultural and cognitive basis for numerical representation, while unveiling the complexity of our relationship to numbers. All data come from the London Lund corpus of spoken English.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
