a construction that has the semantic function of assigning different positions on a gradable predicative scale to two referents, the comparee and the standard. The comparative construction therefore consists of three propositions: the predicative scale applies to the comparee, it also applies to the standard, and the comparee exceeds the standard on the scale. Example: The tree is taller than the house is an instance of the comparative construction – the comparee is the tree, the standard is the house, the gradable comparative scale is height, and the comparee exceeds the standard in height. (Section 17.2.1)