ABSTRACT
A class of complementary expressions ( complementarity) so named by Cruse (1980) because they are both scalar and gradable, e.g. clean vs dirty. In contrast to antonymous expressions ( antonymy), gradable complementaries divide the conceptual domain into two mutually exclusive segments. In order to understand gradable complementaries, one must generally make a value judgment about the degree to which a characteristic is undesirable, e.g. safe vs dangerous or sober vs drunk.
