The set of scalar quantifiers is a mixed bag of different expressions reflecting different degrees of

grammaticalisation.

- genuine quantifier words (many, much, few),

- numerals (four)
- grammaticised quantifiers that also function as lexical words (little)
- partitive expressions (a number of)
- quantifiers preceded by the indefinite article a (a few, a great many, a little)

Little/Few vs. A Little/A few

a. There are few people who remember me. [non-specific]

b. There is little love left for me in your heart. [non-specific]

a. There are (still) a few people who remember me. [specific]

b. There is (still) a little love left for me in your heart. [specific]

- here the indefinite article a is obviously not used in its normal sense as a determiner of a singular count
noun.
If we contrast quantifiers with and without the indefinite article a, we see that the nominals with the
bare quantifiers few and little denote non-specific referents, while those with a few and a little under
denote specific referents.

The quantifiers few and little in (28) mean a small number and a small amount, respectively.

We tend to associate these quantified non-specific referents with negative expectations;

- they are therefore not compatible with adverbs such as still, at least and already, which indicate
positive expectations:
? There are at least few people who believe that.
?There is at least little risk in the project.

The quantifiers a few and a little in (29) mean quantities slightly above the implicit norm. Why should
their combination with the indefinite article come to express larger quantities than the simple
quantifiers few and little?

the article a(n) applies to a bounded, uniplex instance of an object. Its conceptual contribution here is to
make us see the unbounded referents as bounded: a few people = a collective group, a little love a
delimited portion

Being clearly defined by their boundaries, these entities now qualify to be used as actual, specific
referents.
The quantifiers a few and a little also tend to be associated with positive expectations, as can be seen
from their compatibility with the positive-oriented adverbs still, at least and already. The quantity they
describe is seen as sufficient enough for a given purpose.

HOW TO TEACH:

English grammars:

Example 1: Longman: a few, a little - indicate a small amount

few, little - not many, not much

Englesko-hrvatski kolski rjenik (Grahovac, Pavlinek): Littlei few imaju pomalo negativno znaenje, dok
a little i a few imaju vie pozitivno znaenje:

They have got little money. They are very poor.

Oni imaju malo novaca. Oni su siromani.

They have got a little money, theyre not really poor.

Oni imaju malo (neto) novaca, nisu ba siromani.

The explanation should be more straightforward. insert picture satisfied/dissatisfied

- also practice intonation

Shades of number and amount quantification

Using adverbs

The range of scalar quantifications is unlimited. If the speaker wants to make finer-grained distinctions
about a scalar quantity she may make use of adverbs such as quite, very, about, rather, fairly, roughly,
etc.

Table 6.5.

Due to the norm as a reference point on the scale, the intensifying adverb quite increases the quantity
expressed by a few, whereas the intensifying adverb very decreases the quantities expressed by few and
little.

Stress and intonation

Stress and intonation may be used to move a quantity up or down the scale.
For example, the stressed quantifiers in We (only) saw a fw cranes or There is (only) a lttle money left
reduce the quantities below the norm.

Using understatement and hyperbole

a. I have been to a few countries. (I have been all over the world)
b. I spent mountains of money for just one drink.
- important to practice saying this sentences

Lexical quantifiers

As the last example shows, the class of scalar quantifiers may be expanded by using lexical expressions
such as mountains of. Many of these lexical quantifiers are metaphorical. Since we understand more as
up, a large number of these metaphorical quantifiers derive from words with a high vertical extension.
Since both objects and substances can be piled up, the same metaphorical quantifiers can be used
with both types of nouns.

MORE IS UP

Table 6.6. lexical uantifiers