JSM 2011 Online Program

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Abstract Details

Activity Number: 182
Type: Contributed
Date/Time: Monday, August 1, 2011 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education
Abstract - #300730
Title: Describing Quantitative Relationships Using Informal Grammar
Author(s): Milo Schield*+
Companies: StatLit Project
Address: 9 Robb Farm Road, North Oaks, MN, 55127,
Keywords: statistical literacy ; syntax ; semantics
Abstract:

This paper investigates the informal grammar used to describe quantitative relationships. It excludes the use of formal-grammar: ratio-nouns such as percent, percentage, rate, chance, odds, risk, likelihood and probability. The approach is empirical - examining the words and phrases found in ordinary usage. This paper investigates implicit relationships involving the quantitative functions of words (e.g., of, to, per, out of, of every, of each and out of every) when placed between two numbers. It investigates explicit relationships involving (1) the quantitative functions of tendency adjectives (likely, apt, liable and prone), verbs (tend and inclined) and nouns (inclination, tendency and propensity); (2) the difference between non-temporal and tempo-ral comparisons and (3) the properties of coordinated comparisons (the more x, the more y).


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