Adverbs and Logical Form: A Linguistically Realistic Theory

‘Ad-Verbs’ modify (i.e. ‘change') verbs. Adverbs internal to a VP are Ad-Verbs modifying the verb that heads that VP. VP-external adverbs may be interpreted as Ad-Verbs only with respect to some higher verb (e.g. an auxiliary or a ‘verb' in the translation into an interpreted logic). Basic Ad-Sentences also exist; but neither they nor Ad-Verbs are adequately translated as functional operators applying to independently evaluated arguments. Adverbs typically translate into expressions like variable-binding operators which introduce the ‘variables’ which they ‘bind’. Adverbs signal re-evaluation of the expressions on which they operate, helping to ‘build’ logical form.