# GPCV Template Suite — Master Concept Taxonomy

*Version 3.0 — May 2026*

*© 2026 Alan William Preston*

---

## Purpose

This taxonomy maps real-world concepts to GPCV templates, providing the foundation for the

"I want to learn about" searchable index on the Conceptionary website. Learners may select

from this index or enter their own concept.

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## How to Read This Document

- **Shape** describes the conceptual structure of the gradient or pattern.

- **Template family** lists the most appropriate template type(s).

- **States Mode** vocabulary: primarily nouns, adjectives, adverbs.

- **Transitions Mode** vocabulary: primarily verbs.

- **Collocation Mode** *(proposed)*: vocabulary items displayed with grammatical partners.

- Sections marked *(discrete named categories)* contain no inherent gradient;

  items are named points rather than positions on a spectrum.

---

## Template Code Reference

| Code | Full Name |

|---|---|

| Horizontal | Horizontal Line |

| Vertical | Vertical Line |

| Diagonal | Diagonal Line (Up or Down) |

| IT5L | Instant Temporary 5 Lines |

| IT5LI | Instant Temporary 5 Lines Inverted |

| IP3LP | Instant Permanent 3 Lines Positive |

| IP3LN | Instant Permanent 3 Lines Negative |

| GT5L | Gradual Temporary 5 Lines |

| GT5LI | Gradual Temporary 5 Lines Inverted |

| GP3LP | Gradual Permanent 3 Lines Positive |

| GP3LN | Gradual Permanent 3 Lines Negative |

| GTCV | Gradual Temporary Curve |

| GTCVI | Gradual Temporary Curve Inverted |

| GPCVP | Gradual Permanent Curve Positive |

| GPCVN | Gradual Permanent Curve Negative |

| Clock | Clock |

| TTT | Telling the Time |

| POD | Parts of the Day |

| DOW | Days of the Week |

| MOY | Months of the Year |

| Seasons | Seasons of the Year |

| Lunar | Lunar Cycle |

| TidalD | Tidal Cycle (Daily) |

| TidalM | Tidal Cycle (Monthly) |

| Rice | Rice Growing Cycle |

| Compass | Compass |

| Steering | Steering Wheel — Directions |

---

## Super-Category Index

1. Temporal

2. Geographic / Places

3. Sensory

4. Action

5. Relational

6. Impression

7. Emotional

8. Mental

9. Physical Properties

10. Bodily / Physiological

11. Health / Medical

12. Natural / Environmental

13. Spatial / Directional

14. Social / Cultural

15. Economic / Financial

16. Moral / Ethical

17. Aesthetic / Artistic

18. Quantitative

19. Linguistic / Communicative

---

## 1. TEMPORAL

*Concepts relating to time, duration, frequency, sequence, and cyclical patterns.

Many cyclical templates were designed specifically for this category.*

### 1.1 Cyclical time

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Time of day | Morning, afternoon, evening, night | Cycle | Clock / TTT / POD |

| Days of the week | Monday … Sunday | Cycle | DOW |

| Months of the year | January … December | Cycle | MOY |

| Seasons | Spring, summer, autumn, winter | Cycle | Seasons |

| Agricultural / ecological cycles | Rice growing, tidal patterns, lunar phases, menstrual cycle | Cycle | Rice / TidalD / TidalM / Lunar |

### 1.2 Linear time

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Sequence / order | First, next, then, finally; before, during, after | Named sequence | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Duration | Brief, short, medium, long, endless | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Frequency | Never, rarely, sometimes, often, always | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Recency | Just now, recently, a while ago, long ago, ancient history | Negative gradient | GPCVN / Diagonal |

| Age / lifecycle | Infant, child, adolescent, adult, middle-aged, elderly | Positive gradient | GP3LP / GT5L |

| Anticipation | Far off, approaching, imminent, now | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Speed / pace | Very slow, slow, moderate, fast, very fast | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Decay over time | Fresh, ageing, old, expired | Negative gradient | GPCVN |

### 1.3 Punctuality and scheduling

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Punctuality | Very early, early, on time, late, very late | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Urgency | Not urgent, low priority, moderate, urgent, critical | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

---

## 2. GEOGRAPHIC / PLACES

*Geographic concepts become template-ready only when a specific dimension of place is

identified. The place itself is a named category; the dimension (distance, familiarity,

privacy) generates the gradient.*

### 2.1 Scale and containment

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Scale of place | Room, house, street, suburb, city, region, country, continent, world | Positive gradient | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Rooms of a home | Bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room, dining room, garage | Named categories | Horizontal / Vertical |

| Zones within a room | Near the window, in the corner, by the door | Proximity gradient | Diagonal |

### 2.2 Distance and accessibility

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Physical proximity | Here, nearby, close, far, very far, out of reach | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Travel time | Walking distance, short drive, long drive, flight required | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Accessibility | Very easy to reach, easy, moderate, difficult, inaccessible | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

### 2.3 Familiarity with place

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Personal familiarity | Unknown, heard of, visited once, know well, know very well | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Frequency of visit | Never, rarely, occasionally, regularly, daily | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Places in life timeline | Places I've been, places I go, places I might go | Named sequence | GT5L / Horizontal |

### 2.4 Social character of place

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Privacy | Very private (bedroom), semi-private, semi-public, public (street) | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Formality | Very informal, informal, neutral, formal, very formal | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Crowdedness | Empty, quiet, busy, crowded, packed | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Safety | Dangerous, unsafe, uncertain, safe, very safe | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Noise level | Silent, quiet, moderate, noisy, very noisy | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

---

## 3. SENSORY

*Concepts relating to the five senses — perception of the external world.*

### 3.1 Visual

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Brightness | Dark, dim, moderate, bright, dazzling | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Clarity / focus | Blurred, hazy, clear, sharp | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Colour intensity | Pale, muted, vivid, saturated | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Size (perceived) | Tiny, small, medium, large, huge | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Distance (perceived) | Here, nearby, far, very far, out of sight | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Visibility | Invisible, barely visible, visible, prominent | Positive gradient | GP3LP |

### 3.2 Auditory

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Volume | Silent, quiet, moderate, loud, deafening | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Pitch | Very low, low, mid, high, very high | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Clarity | Muffled, unclear, clear, distinct | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Pleasantness | Harsh, unpleasant, neutral, pleasant, beautiful | Bell curve | GTCV |

### 3.3 Touch

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Temperature (felt externally) | Freezing, cold, cool, warm, hot, burning | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Comfort | Painful, uncomfortable, neutral, comfortable, blissful | Bell curve | GTCV |

| Texture | Rough, coarse, smooth, silky | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Pressure | None, light, moderate, firm, intense | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Pain (external) | None, mild, moderate, severe, unbearable | Positive gradient | GP3LP / GT5L |

### 3.4 Smell

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Detectability | Undetectable, faint, noticeable, strong, overpowering | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Pleasantness | Foul, unpleasant, neutral, pleasant, delightful | Bell curve | GTCV |

| Freshness | Stale, musty, neutral, fresh, fragrant | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 3.5 Taste

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Palatability | Revolting, unpleasant, acceptable, good, delicious | Positive gradient | GP3LP / GT5L |

| Sweetness | Unsweetened, slightly sweet, sweet, very sweet, cloying | Bell curve | GTCV |

| Spiciness | Mild, slightly spicy, hot, very hot, unbearable | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Bitterness | None, slight, moderate, bitter, intensely bitter | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Saltiness | Unsalted, lightly salted, well-salted, salty, oversalted | Bell curve | GTCV |

| Freshness (taste) | Stale, going off, neutral, fresh, very fresh | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Strangeness | Familiar, slightly unusual, unfamiliar, exotic, bizarre | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

---

## 4. ACTION

*Concepts describing what is done, how it is done, and with what result.

Action concepts are among the most template-ready in the taxonomy —

almost every sub-category maps to a clean positive gradient.*

### 4.1 Pace and urgency

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Speed | Very slow, slow, moderate, fast, very fast | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Haste | Leisurely, unhurried, moderate, hurried, frantic | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Punctuality | Very early, early, on time, late, very late | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

### 4.2 Effort and difficulty

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Difficulty | Very easy, easy, moderate, difficult, very difficult, impossible | Positive gradient | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Complexity | Simple, straightforward, involved, complicated, very complex | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Effort required | Effortless, light, moderate, strenuous, exhausting | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Skill required | No skill, basic, intermediate, advanced, expert | Positive gradient | GT5L / Diagonal |

### 4.3 Progress and completion

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Progress | Not started, begun, underway, nearly done, complete | Positive gradient | GP3LP / GT5L |

| Completeness | Incomplete, partial, mostly done, complete, perfect | Positive gradient | GP3LP |

| Success of outcome | Failure, poor, acceptable, good, excellent | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

### 4.4 Care and quality

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Carefulness | Careless, hasty, moderate, careful, very careful | Bell curve | GTCV |

| Accuracy | Very inaccurate, approximate, mostly correct, accurate, exact | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Neatness | Messy, untidy, acceptable, tidy, very neat | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 4.5 Frequency and habit

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Frequency | Never, rarely, sometimes, often, always | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Regularity | Erratic, irregular, occasional, regular, habitual | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

---

## 5. RELATIONAL

*Concepts describing the nature of connections between people.*

### 5.1 Social closeness

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Familiarity | Complete stranger, vaguely familiar, acquaintance, friend, close friend, intimate | Positive gradient | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Intimacy | Formal, polite, friendly, warm, very close | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Frequency of contact | Never, rarely, occasionally, regularly, constantly | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Dependence | Fully independent, somewhat dependent, reliant, very dependent | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

### 5.2 Power and hierarchy

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Social status | Subordinate, junior, equal, senior, superior | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Authority | No authority, limited, moderate, significant, full authority | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Formality of relationship | Very informal, informal, neutral, formal, very formal | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 5.3 Trust and agreement

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Trust | Complete distrust, suspicious, neutral, trusting, complete trust | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Agreement | Strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, strongly agree | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Reliability | Unreliable, inconsistent, mostly reliable, reliable, completely dependable | Positive gradient | GP3LP |

### 5.4 Conflict and harmony

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Harmony | Open conflict, tense, uneasy, civil, harmonious, very harmonious | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Conflict level | Peaceful, minor tension, disagreement, argument, serious conflict | Dual metaphor | GTCV (escalates / rises) / GTCVI (descends into / calms down) |

| Cooperation | Obstructive, uncooperative, neutral, cooperative, fully collaborative | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

### 5.5 Comparison between people *(from Comparatives)*

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Comparison of people | Younger than, the same age as, older than, the oldest of all | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Social comparison | Less experienced, equally experienced, more experienced, the most experienced | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Comparative status | Lower status, equal status, higher status, the highest status | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Similarity between people | Completely different, somewhat similar, equally matched, very similar, identical | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

---

## 6. IMPRESSION

*Concepts describing how something appears or seems to someone —

subjective perception of external things and people.*

### 6.1 Perceived qualities of things

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Perceived difficulty | Seems effortless, easy, manageable, hard, impossible | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Perceived quality | Seems very poor, poor, acceptable, good, excellent | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Perceived value | Seems worthless, cheap, fair, good value, invaluable | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Perceived importance | Seems trivial, minor, moderate, important, critical | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Perceived urgency | Seems unimportant, low priority, moderate, urgent, critical | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Perceived size | Seems tiny, small, moderate, large, enormous | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Perceived age | Seems brand new, recent, middle-aged, old, ancient | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 6.2 Perceived qualities of people

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Perceived friendliness | Seems hostile, unfriendly, neutral, friendly, very warm | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Perceived trustworthiness | Seems untrustworthy, unreliable, neutral, trustworthy, completely reliable | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Perceived competence | Seems incompetent, weak, adequate, capable, highly competent | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Perceived intelligence | Seems slow, below average, average, sharp, very intelligent | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Perceived attractiveness | Seems very unattractive, plain, ordinary, attractive, very attractive | Bell curve | GTCV |

| First impression | Very negative, negative, neutral, positive, very positive | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

---

## 7. EMOTIONAL

*Concepts describing felt states — their direction, intensity, and movement over time.*

### 7.1 Valence spectra (negative ↔ positive)

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Happiness | Very unhappy, sad, neutral, happy, very happy, joyful | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Contentment | Miserable, discontented, neutral, content, very content | Positive gradient | GP3LP |

| Love / affection | Hatred, dislike, indifferent, like, love, deep love | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Pride | Deep shame, ashamed, neutral, proud, very proud | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Gratitude | Resentful, ungrateful, neutral, grateful, deeply grateful | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 7.2 Arousal spectra (calm ↔ intense)

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Excitement | Bored, unstimulated, neutral, interested, excited, exhilarated | Positive gradient | GP3LP / GT5L |

| Anxiety | Calm, slightly uneasy, anxious, very anxious, panicked | Positive gradient | GTCV |

| Anger | Calm, mildly irritated, annoyed, angry, furious | Positive gradient | GTCV |

| Fear | Fearless, slightly nervous, afraid, very afraid, terrified | Positive gradient | GTCV |

| Surprise | Fully expected, anticipated, mildly surprising, very surprising, completely unexpected | Inverted gradient | Diagonal |

### 7.3 Social and relational emotions

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Loneliness | Deeply lonely, isolated, neutral, connected, fully belonging | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Embarrassment | Not at all, slightly self-conscious, embarrassed, deeply embarrassed | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Jealousy | Not at all, slightly envious, jealous, very jealous, consumed by jealousy | Positive gradient | GTCV / Diagonal |

### 7.4 Emotional intensity and duration

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Emotional intensity | Barely felt, mild, moderate, strong, overwhelming | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Emotional duration | Fleeting, brief, lasting, prolonged, permanent | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Emotional recovery | Devastated, slowly improving, recovering, recovered, thriving | Positive gradient | GPCVP |

| Mood cycle | Low, improving, stable, declining, low again | Cycle | Seasons / Cyclical |

---

## 8. MENTAL

*Concepts describing cognitive states and processes —

knowledge, understanding, belief, expectation, evaluation, and decision.*

### 8.1 Knowledge and understanding

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Knowledge level | Completely ignorant, vaguely aware, informed, knowledgeable, expert | Positive gradient | GT5L / GP3LP |

| Understanding | Completely confused, partly confused, partially understand, understand, fully understand | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Memory | Completely forgotten, vague memory, partial memory, remember clearly, remember perfectly | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Learning progress | Not started, aware, practising, competent, mastered | Positive gradient | GP3LP / GT5L |

### 8.2 Attention and concentration

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Attention | Completely distracted, unfocused, partly attentive, focused, fully absorbed | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Mental effort | Effortless, light, moderate, demanding, exhausting | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Alertness | Asleep, drowsy, awake, alert, fully alert | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

### 8.3 Belief and certainty

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Certainty | Completely uncertain, doubtful, unsure, fairly certain, absolutely certain | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Belief | Completely disbelieve, doubt, uncertain, believe, completely believe | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Expectation | Totally unexpected, unlikely, possible, probable, certain to happen | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Surprise at outcome | Exactly as expected, mostly expected, somewhat surprising, very surprising, completely unexpected | Inverted gradient | Diagonal |

### 8.4 Evaluation and judgement

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Overall evaluation | Very negative, negative, neutral, positive, very positive | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Preference | Strongly dislike, dislike, neutral, like, strongly like | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Approval | Strongly disapprove, disapprove, neutral, approve, strongly approve | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Aesthetic judgement | Ugly, unattractive, ordinary, attractive, beautiful | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

### 8.5 Decision and intention

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Decisiveness | Completely undecided, leaning, somewhat decided, decided, firmly decided | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Intention | No intention, considering, planning, intending, committed | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Willingness | Completely unwilling, reluctant, neutral, willing, eager | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

---

## 9. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

*Measurable or observable attributes of objects and substances.*

### 9.1 Dimension

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Length | Very short, short, medium, long, very long | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Width | Very narrow, narrow, medium, wide, very wide | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Height | Very low, low, medium, high, very tall | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Depth | Very shallow, shallow, moderate, deep, very deep | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Size (overall) | Tiny, small, medium, large, enormous | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Weight | Very light, light, moderate, heavy, very heavy | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Volume / capacity | Empty, mostly empty, half full, mostly full, full | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

### 9.2 Surface and texture

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Roughness | Very smooth, smooth, slightly rough, rough, very rough | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Hardness | Very soft, soft, firm, hard, very hard | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Sharpness | Very blunt, blunt, moderate, sharp, very sharp | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Flexibility | Completely rigid, stiff, moderate, flexible, very flexible | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Stickiness | Not sticky, slightly sticky, sticky, very sticky, completely adhesive | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 9.3 Optical properties

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Transparency | Completely opaque, mostly opaque, translucent, mostly clear, completely transparent | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Brightness / luminosity | Completely dark, dim, moderate, bright, dazzling | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Colour saturation | Colourless, pale, muted, vivid, intensely saturated | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 9.4 Structural and material properties

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Strength | Very fragile, fragile, moderate, strong, very strong | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Density | Very sparse, sparse, moderate, dense, very dense | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Age / condition | Brand new, slightly used, worn, old, very old / deteriorated | Negative gradient | GPCVN |

| Fullness | Completely empty, mostly empty, half full, mostly full, completely full | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

### 9.5 Thermal and energetic properties

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Temperature | Freezing, cold, cool, warm, hot, very hot, burning | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Speed of movement | Completely still, barely moving, slow, moderate, fast, very fast | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Energy level | Inert, low energy, moderate, high energy, very high energy | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

---

## 10. BODILY / PHYSIOLOGICAL

*Internal states of the body as experienced from within —

distinct from Sensory (external perception) and Physical Properties (object attributes).*

### 10.1 Hunger and thirst

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Hunger | Not hungry, slightly hungry, hungry, very hungry, starving | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Thirst | Not thirsty, slightly thirsty, thirsty, very thirsty, parched | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Satiety | Starving, hungry, satisfied, full, overfull | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Appetite | No appetite, poor appetite, moderate, good appetite, ravenous | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 10.2 Energy and fatigue

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Physical energy | Completely exhausted, low energy, moderate, energetic, very energetic | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Fatigue | Fully rested, slightly tired, tired, very tired, exhausted | Negative gradient | GT5L |

| Sleepiness | Wide awake, slightly drowsy, drowsy, very sleepy, barely conscious | Negative gradient | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Physical arousal | Completely inert, low, moderate, active, highly activated | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 10.3 Comfort and pain

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Physical comfort | Very uncomfortable, uncomfortable, neutral, comfortable, very comfortable | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Pain level | No pain, mild discomfort, moderate pain, severe pain, unbearable pain | Conditional | ITGCV* (sudden onset e.g. injury) / GTCV (gradual onset e.g. infection) |

| Nausea | None, slight, moderate, nauseous, severely nauseous | Positive gradient | GTCV |

| Tension / tightness | Completely relaxed, slightly tense, tense, very tense, rigid | Positive gradient | GTCV |

### 10.4 Temperature and internal sensation

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Felt body temperature | Very cold, cold, cool, normal, warm, hot, feverish | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Breathlessness | Breathing easily, slightly breathless, breathless, very breathless, gasping | Positive gradient | GTCV |

| Intoxication | Completely sober, slightly affected, moderately affected, drunk, severely intoxicated | Positive gradient | GTCV |

### 10.5 Physical capacity

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Physical strength (felt) | Very weak, weak, moderate, strong, very strong | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Coordination | Very uncoordinated, clumsy, moderate, coordinated, very coordinated | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Mobility | Immobile, severely restricted, moderately restricted, slightly restricted, fully mobile | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

### 10.6 Lifecycle states

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Life stage | Infant, child, adolescent, adult, middle-aged, elderly | Positive gradient | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Pregnancy stages | Not pregnant, early pregnancy, mid-pregnancy, late pregnancy, post-partum | Named sequence | GT5L / Horizontal |

---

## 11. HEALTH / MEDICAL

*States and trajectories of illness, wellness, and recovery.*

### 11.1 Wellness and illness

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Overall wellness | Very ill, ill, unwell, slightly unwell, healthy, very healthy | Positive gradient | GP3LP / GT5L |

| Severity of illness | Mild, moderate, severe, critical, life-threatening | Negative gradient | GTCVI |

| Symptom severity | No symptoms, mild, moderate, severe, very severe | Positive gradient | GTCV |

| Fever level | No fever, mild fever, moderate fever, high fever, very high fever | Positive gradient | GTCV |

| Medical urgency | No urgency, monitor, needs attention, urgent, emergency | Positive gradient | GTCV (gradual) / GT5L (sudden cause) |

### 11.2 Recovery and treatment

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Recovery trajectory | Newly ill, early recovery, improving, mostly recovered, fully recovered | Positive gradient | GPCVP / GT5L |

| Treatment response | No response, slight improvement, moderate improvement, good response, full recovery | Positive gradient | GPCVP / Diagonal |

| Medication dosage | Underdosed, low, therapeutic, high, overdosed | Bell curve | GTCV |

| Side effect severity | None, mild, moderate, severe, unbearable | Positive gradient | GTCV |

### 11.3 Mental health

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Mental health level | Very poor, poor, moderate, good, very good | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Stress level | No stress, mild, moderate, high, overwhelming | Positive gradient | GTCV |

| Mood stability | Highly volatile, unstable, moderate, mostly stable, very stable | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

### 11.4 Medical procedures *(discrete named categories)*

| Category cluster | Examples | Template family |

|---|---|---|

| Diagnosis | Examination, testing, scanning, blood test, diagnosis | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Treatment | Medication, surgery, physiotherapy, counselling, vaccination | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Care setting | Home care, GP clinic, outpatient, hospital ward, intensive care | GT5L / Diagonal |

---

## 12. NATURAL / ENVIRONMENTAL

*Weather, climate, landscape, and natural phenomena —

distinct from Geographic (human-inhabited places).*

### 12.1 Weather conditions

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Wind speed | Calm, light breeze, moderate wind, strong wind, gale, storm | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Rainfall intensity | None, drizzle, light rain, moderate rain, heavy rain, torrential | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Ambient temperature | Freezing, very cold, cold, cool, mild, warm, hot, very hot, extreme heat | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Cloud cover | Clear sky, few clouds, partly cloudy, mostly cloudy, overcast, storm clouds | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Humidity | Very dry, dry, moderate, humid, very humid, oppressive | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Visibility | Zero visibility, poor, moderate, good, excellent | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Natural light level | Total darkness, dim, low light, moderate, bright, dazzling | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

### 12.2 Sea and water conditions

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Sea state | Calm, slight swell, moderate swell, rough, very rough, storm | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Water temperature | Freezing, very cold, cold, cool, warm, hot | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Flood level | Dry, damp, waterlogged, flooded, severely flooded | Positive gradient | GTCV |

| Tidal state | Low tide, rising, mid tide, high tide, falling | Cycle | TidalD / TidalM |

### 12.3 Landscape and terrain

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Terrain gradient | Flat, gently sloping, hilly, steep, mountainous | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Altitude | Sea level, low, moderate, high, very high, extreme altitude | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Vegetation density | Barren, sparse, scattered, moderate, dense, very dense | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Water body depth | Dry, shallow, moderate, deep, very deep | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 12.4 Environmental quality

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Air quality | Very polluted, polluted, moderate, clean, very clean | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Water quality | Severely polluted, polluted, moderate, clean, pristine | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Environmental degradation | Pristine, slightly degraded, moderately degraded, severely degraded, destroyed | Negative gradient | GTCVI |

| Noise pollution | Silent, quiet, moderate, noisy, very noisy | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 12.5 Natural events

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Storm intensity | Calm, developing, moderate, severe, catastrophic | Positive gradient | GTCV |

| Natural disaster severity | No event, minor, moderate, severe, catastrophic | Negative gradient | GTCVI |

| Drought severity | Normal, dry, drought, severe drought, extreme drought | Negative gradient | GTCVI |

---

## 13. SPATIAL / DIRECTIONAL

*Abstract spatial relationships and orientation —

distinct from Geographic (named places) and Physical Properties (object dimensions).*

### 13.1 Vertical position

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Height position | Underground, at ground level, low, medium, high, very high | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Above / below | Far below, below, level, above, far above | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Depth position | At the surface, shallow, moderate, deep, very deep | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 13.2 Horizontal position and direction

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Left / right | Far left, left, centre, right, far right | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| In front / behind | Far in front, in front, level, behind, far behind | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Compass direction | N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW | Cycle | Compass / Steering |

| Orientation to reference | Facing away, side on, partially facing, facing toward | Named sequence | Horizontal |

### 13.3 Proximity and containment

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Physical proximity | Touching, very close, close, nearby, far, very far, out of sight | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Inside / outside | Deeply inside, inside, at the threshold, just outside, far outside | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Surrounding / enclosed | Wide open, open, partially enclosed, mostly enclosed, completely enclosed | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 13.4 Sequence and order

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Positional order | First, second, third, fourth, fifth | Named sequence | Horizontal / GT5L |

| Progress along a path | Start, early stage, midway, late stage, destination | Positive gradient | GP3LP / GT5L |

| Relative position in queue | At the front, near front, middle, near back, at the back | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

---

## 14. SOCIAL / CULTURAL

*Shared customs, norms, ceremonies, and social obligations —

distinct from Relational (interpersonal dynamics between individuals).*

### 14.1 Formality of occasion

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Occasion formality | Very informal, informal, neutral, formal, very formal (state ceremony) | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Dress code | Casual, smart-casual, business, formal, black tie | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Celebratory significance | Everyday, minor occasion, moderate, major event, grand ceremony | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

### 14.2 Tradition and custom

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Degree of tradition | Completely modern, mostly modern, mixed, mostly traditional, completely traditional | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Social obligation | No obligation, slight expectation, moderate, strong, mandatory | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Social taboo | Widely accepted, slightly sensitive, sensitive, taboo, absolute taboo | Negative gradient | GTCVI |

| Adherence to custom | Completely ignores, often ignores, sometimes follows, usually follows, strictly adheres | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

### 14.3 Cultural familiarity

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Cultural distance | Same culture, similar, different, very different, completely unfamiliar | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Cultural familiarity | Unknown practice, heard of, vaguely understood, understood, fully participating | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Religious / ceremonial significance | Secular, slight significance, moderately significant, highly significant, sacred | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 14.4 Social conformity

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Conformity | Completely non-conformist, unconventional, moderate, conventional, strictly conformist | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Social acceptance | Completely rejected, marginalised, tolerated, accepted, fully included | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Gift-giving obligation | No expectation, slight, moderate, strong, mandatory | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 14.5 Cyclical social events

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Annual celebrations | New Year, national holidays, religious festivals, harvest festivals | Cycle | MOY / Seasons |

| Weekly social rhythms | Weekday routines, weekend customs, market days, day of worship | Cycle | DOW |

---

## 15. ECONOMIC / FINANCIAL

*Cost, value, wealth, and financial transactions —

not covered in any other category.*

### 15.1 Cost and price

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Price level | Free, very cheap, cheap, moderate, expensive, very expensive | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Affordability | Completely unaffordable, very expensive, manageable, affordable, very affordable, free | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Value for money | Terrible value, poor value, fair, good value, excellent value | Bell curve | GTCV |

| Price change | Dramatically falling, falling, stable, rising, dramatically rising | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

### 15.2 Wealth and financial security

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Wealth level | Destitute, very poor, poor, working class, middle class, wealthy, very wealthy | Positive gradient | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Financial security | Desperate, struggling, just managing, secure, very secure | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Debt level | Deeply in debt, in debt, breaking even, saving, financially comfortable | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Spending tendency | Extremely frugal, frugal, moderate, generous, extravagant | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

### 15.3 Economic conditions

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Economic growth | Severe recession, recession, stagnant, slow growth, strong growth | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Market supply | Severe shortage, shortage, adequate, surplus, massive surplus | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Business success | Failing, struggling, breaking even, profitable, very profitable | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

### 15.4 Financial transactions *(discrete named categories)*

| Category cluster | Examples | Template family |

|---|---|---|

| Transaction types | Buying, selling, lending, borrowing, investing, donating, saving | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Payment methods | Cash, card, bank transfer, credit, barter | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Employment status | Unemployed, part-time, full-time, multiple jobs | Horizontal / GT5L |

---

## 16. MORAL / ETHICAL

*Right and wrong, fairness, honesty, and virtue —

fundamental to human experience and present in everyday language.*

### 16.1 Core virtues (bipolar spectra)

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Honesty | Completely dishonest, dishonest, neutral, honest, completely honest | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Kindness | Cruel, unkind, neutral, kind, very kind | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Fairness | Very unfair, unfair, neutral, fair, very fair | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Generosity | Very selfish, selfish, neutral, generous, very generous | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Compassion | No compassion, little, moderate, compassionate, very compassionate | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Respect | Deeply disrespectful, disrespectful, neutral, respectful, very respectful | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Trustworthiness | Completely untrustworthy, unreliable, neutral, trustworthy, completely dependable | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

### 16.2 Responsibility and courage

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Responsibility | Completely irresponsible, irresponsible, neutral, responsible, very responsible | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Moral courage | Avoids all moral challenge, avoids mostly, sometimes stands up, often, always stands up | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Bravery | Cowardly, timid, moderate, brave, very brave, heroic | Positive gradient | GP3LP / GT5L |

| Integrity | No integrity, low, moderate, high, complete integrity | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

### 16.3 Social ethics

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Environmental responsibility | Very harmful, harmful, neutral, responsible, very responsible | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Social justice | Deeply unjust, unjust, neutral, just, very just | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Inclusiveness | Exclusionary, unwelcoming, neutral, inclusive, very inclusive | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Civic responsibility | No engagement, minimal, moderate, active, fully engaged | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

---

## 17. AESTHETIC / ARTISTIC

*Beauty, style, creative expression, and artistic quality —

distinct from Impression (subjective perception of anything)

and Sensory (raw perceptual experience).*

### 17.1 Beauty and appeal

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Visual beauty | Very ugly, ugly, plain, attractive, beautiful, stunning | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Elegance | Graceless, awkward, moderate, elegant, very elegant | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Aesthetic appeal | Deeply unappealing, unappealing, neutral, appealing, very appealing | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Colour harmony | Clashing, discordant, neutral, harmonious, perfectly balanced | Bell curve | GTCV |

### 17.2 Artistic quality

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Technical skill | No skill, beginner, intermediate, skilled, masterful | Positive gradient | GT5L / GP3LP |

| Originality | Completely derivative, mostly derivative, moderate, original, highly original | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Emotional impact | No impact, mild, moderate, strong, overwhelming | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Complexity of design | Very simple, simple, moderate, complex, very complex | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Balance / harmony | Completely unbalanced, unbalanced, moderate, balanced, perfectly harmonious | Bell curve | GTCV |

### 17.3 Music-specific

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Tempo | Very slow, slow, moderate, fast, very fast | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Musical volume | Silent, quiet, moderate, loud, very loud | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Rhythmic regularity | Completely irregular, irregular, moderate, regular, very regular | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 17.4 Artistic styles *(discrete named categories)*

| Category cluster | Examples | Template family |

|---|---|---|

| Visual art styles | Realism, impressionism, abstract, expressionism, minimalism | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Musical genres | Classical, folk, jazz, pop, traditional | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Literary forms | Poetry, narrative, dialogue, essay, song | Horizontal / IT5L |

---

## 18. QUANTITATIVE

*Abstract number, amount, proportion, degree, sufficiency, and probability —

distinct from Physical Properties (measured dimensions of objects).*

### 18.1 Amount and quantity

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| General quantity | None, a little, some, a moderate amount, a lot, very much, all | Positive gradient | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Counting scale | Zero, one, a few, several, many, very many, countless | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Proportion | None, a small fraction, a quarter, half, most, all | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Percentage | 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

### 18.2 Sufficiency *(Collocation Mode recommended)*

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Sufficiency scale | Far too little, too little, just enough, more than enough, far too much | Bell curve | GTCV |

| Adequacy | Completely inadequate, inadequate, borderline, adequate, more than adequate | Bell curve | GTCV / Diagonal |

| Need vs. availability | Great deficit, deficit, balanced, surplus, great surplus | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

*Collocation Mode frames:*

*not [adjective] enough · [adjective] enough · too [adjective] · far too [adjective]*

*not enough [noun] · too much [noun] · too many [noun]*

### 18.3 Scale and ranking

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Order of magnitude | Unit, ten, hundred, thousand, million, billion | Positive gradient | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Ranking | Last, near last, middle, near top, first | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Measurement precision | Very approximate, approximate, moderate, precise, exact | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

### 18.4 Adverbs of degree *(Collocation Mode recommended)*

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Simple degree scale | Not at all, barely, slightly, somewhat, quite, very, extremely | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Full scale including excess | Not at all, slightly, quite, very, extremely, too, far too | Bell curve (excess past peak) | GTCV |

| Diminishing degree | Extremely, very, quite, somewhat, slightly, barely, not at all | Negative gradient | Diagonal |

*Collocation Mode frames:*

*[adverb] + [adjective] (very hot, slightly cold)*

*[adverb] + [adverb] (quite quickly, extremely slowly)*

### 18.5 Comparatives and superlatives *(Collocation Mode recommended)*

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Full comparative-superlative scale | The least / worst, less / worse, as … as (equal), more / better, the most / best | Bipolar spectrum around centre | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Comparative degree | Much less, slightly less, equal, slightly more, much more | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Superlative ranking | The last / least, near last, middle, near top, the first / most | Positive gradient | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Equality expressions | Not as … as, almost as … as, just as … as, exactly as … as | Gradient toward equality | Diagonal |

| Degree of difference | Identical, very similar, slightly different, quite different, completely different | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

*Collocation Mode frames:*

*[adjective]-er / more [adjective] + than*

*the + [adjective]-est / most [adjective] + of / in*

*as + [adjective] + as*

*much / a little / far + [comparative]*

### 18.6 Probability

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Likelihood | Impossible, very unlikely, unlikely, possible, likely, very likely, certain | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Statistical frequency | Never (0%), rarely (<10%), sometimes (~50%), often (>75%), always (100%) | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Risk level | No risk, very low, low, moderate, high, very high, certain | Positive gradient | GTCV / GT5L |

*Note: Probability appears in three locations in the taxonomy for distinct reasons:*

*here (§18.6) as abstract logical likelihood; in Mental (§8.3) as felt certainty;*

*and in Linguistic / Communicative (§19.2) as expressed certainty in language.*

---

## 19. LINGUISTIC / COMMUNICATIVE

*Language itself as a conceptual domain — unique to a language learning suite.

Covers how language is used, how well it is used, what it is doing, and how it is received.*

### 19.1 Register and formality

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Formality of language | Very informal (slang), informal, neutral, formal, very formal (ceremonial) | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Politeness level | Rude, impolite, neutral, polite, very polite, deferential | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Directness | Very indirect (heavily implied), indirect, neutral, direct, very direct (blunt) | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Appropriateness for context | Very inappropriate, inappropriate, borderline, appropriate, very appropriate | Bell curve | GTCV |

| Emotional warmth of tone | Cold / hostile, cool, neutral, warm, very warm / enthusiastic | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Humour / levity | Completely serious, slightly playful, humorous, very funny, hilarious | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 19.2 Clarity and comprehensibility

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Clarity of expression | Completely incomprehensible, confusing, partially clear, clear, perfectly clear | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Specificity | Very vague, vague, moderate, specific, very specific | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Vocabulary complexity | Very simple, simple, moderate, complex, very complex | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Grammatical complexity | Very simple, simple, moderate, complex, very complex | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Persuasiveness | Not at all, slightly, moderately, very, extremely persuasive | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Certainty expressed | Possibly, perhaps, I think, I believe, I'm sure, I'm certain | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

| Hedging level | Stated as definite fact, mostly certain, hedged, very hedged, completely non-committal | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 19.3 Speech characteristics

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Volume of speech | Whispered, quiet, moderate, loud, shouted | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Speed of speech | Very slow, slow, moderate, fast, very fast | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Quantity spoken | Silent, minimal, brief, moderate, extensive, very lengthy | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Pitch of voice | Very low, low, moderate, high, very high | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Clarity of pronunciation | Very unclear, mumbled, partially clear, clear, very clear | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Fluency | Very halting, hesitant, moderate, fluent, very fluent | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

### 19.4 Proficiency and accuracy

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Language proficiency | Beginner, elementary, intermediate, upper-intermediate, advanced, native-like | Positive gradient | GT5L / GP3LP |

| Grammatical accuracy | Very inaccurate, inaccurate, mostly correct, accurate, perfectly accurate | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Vocabulary range | Very limited, limited, moderate, wide, very wide | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Comprehension level | Nothing understood, a little, partly, mostly, fully understood | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Reading proficiency | Cannot read, recognises some words, reads slowly, reads well, reads fluently | Positive gradient | GT5L / GP3LP |

| Writing proficiency | Cannot write, writes with great difficulty, writes simply, writes well, writes fluently | Positive gradient | GT5L / GP3LP |

### 19.5 Conversational dynamics

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Turn-taking | Constantly interrupts, often interrupts, balanced, yields readily, very deferential | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Listening quality | Not listening, half-listening, listening, listening carefully, fully attentive | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Conversational initiative | Completely passive, rarely initiates, sometimes, often, always leads | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Response speed | Very slow to respond, slow, moderate, quick, very quick | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Conversation arc | Greeting, small talk, main topic, wrap-up, farewell | Named sequence | GT5L / Horizontal |

| Frequency of communication | Never, rarely, occasionally, regularly, constantly | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

### 19.6 Honesty and truthfulness in language

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Truthfulness | Complete lie, misleading, half-truth, mostly true, completely honest | Positive gradient | GP3LP / Diagonal |

| Sincerity | Completely insincere, superficial, neutral, sincere, deeply sincere | Positive gradient | Diagonal |

| Transparency | Deliberately evasive, vague, neutral, open, completely transparent | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GP3LP |

### 19.7 Adverbs of degree *(Collocation Mode recommended)*

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Simple degree scale | Not at all, barely, slightly, somewhat, quite, very, extremely | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

| Full scale including excess | Not at all, slightly, quite, very, extremely, too, far too | Bell curve (excess past peak) | GTCV |

| Diminishing degree | Extremely, very, quite, somewhat, slightly, barely, not at all | Negative gradient | Diagonal |

*Collocation Mode frames:*

*[adverb] + [adjective] (very hot, slightly cold)*

*not + [adjective] + enough (not warm enough)*

*too + [adjective] (too hot)*

### 19.8 Comparatives and superlatives *(Collocation Mode recommended)*

| Sub-category | Concept examples | Shape | Template family |

|---|---|---|---|

| Full comparative-superlative scale | The least / worst, less / worse, as … as (equal), more / better, the most / best | Bipolar spectrum around centre | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Comparative degree | Much less, slightly less, equal, slightly more, much more | Spectrum around centre | Diagonal |

| Superlative ranking | The last / least, near last, middle, near top, the first / most | Positive gradient | GT5L / Diagonal |

| Equality expressions | Not as … as, almost as … as, just as … as, exactly as … as | Gradient toward equality | Diagonal |

| Degree of difference | Identical, very similar, slightly different, quite different, completely different | Positive gradient | Diagonal / GT5L |

*Collocation Mode frames:*

*[adjective]-er / more [adjective] + than*

*the + [adjective]-est / most [adjective] + of / in*

*as + [adjective] + as*

### 19.9 Speech acts *(discrete named categories)*

| Category cluster | Examples | Template family |

|---|---|---|

| Opening / closing | Greeting, farewell, introducing oneself | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Expressing attitude | Agreeing, disagreeing, approving, objecting | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Social obligations | Thanking, apologising, complimenting, congratulating | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Requesting | Asking, requesting, inviting, instructing, commanding | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Responding to requests | Accepting, refusing, offering, promising | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Information exchange | Asking questions, answering, clarifying, confirming | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Managing conversation | Interrupting, yielding, changing topic, summarising | Horizontal / IT5L |

| Expressing evaluation | Complaining, praising, criticising, warning | Horizontal / IT5L |

---

## APPENDIX A — Interaction Modes

| Mode | Primary vocabulary | Description |

|---|---|---|

| States Mode | Nouns, adjectives, adverbs | Draggable frame reveals static vocabulary items at spatial points on the template |

| Transitions Mode | Verbs | Sliding text along a path shows vocabulary in action and motion |

| Collocation Mode *(proposed)* | Grammatical patterns | Vocabulary items displayed with grammatical partners, revealing collocation structure |

*Collocation Mode is recommended for:*

*Adverbs of Degree (§18.4, §19.7) · Sufficiency (§18.2) · Comparatives and Superlatives (§18.5, §19.8)*

---

## APPENDIX B — Shape Reference

| Shape | Description | Typical template |

|---|---|---|

| Positive gradient | Increases from low to high | Diagonal / GP3LP / GT5L |

| Negative gradient | Decreases; something deteriorates | GPCVN / Diagonal |

| Bell curve | Rises to a peak then falls; extremes undesirable; **always temporary** | GTCV |

| Inverted bell curve | Falls to a trough then rises; middle undesirable; **always temporary** | GTCVI |

| Spectrum around centre | Bipolar; meaningful neutral midpoint; extremes in both directions | Diagonal |

| Named sequence | Discrete categories; no inherent gradient | Horizontal / Vertical / IT5L |

| Cycle | Repeating pattern with no fixed start or end | All cyclical templates |

### Template selection logic — multi-line templates

```

Is the change REVERSIBLE?

│

├── YES → TEMPORARY family

│         Is the transition perceived as INSTANTANEOUS?

│         ├── YES → IT5L / IT5LI

│         └── NO  → GT5L / GT5LI / GTCV / GTCVI

│

└── NO  → PERMANENT family

          Is the transition perceived as INSTANTANEOUS?

          ├── YES → IP3LP (positive) / IP3LN (negative)

          │

          └── NO  → Is there a SUDDEN TRIGGER starting the

                    transition AND a SUDDEN ENDPOINT concluding it,

                    with a perceptible transitional duration?

                    ├── YES → GP3LP (positive) / GP3LN (negative)

                    │         NOTE: GP3LN is rare. Most apparent

                    │         candidates are actually GPCVN.

                    └── NO  → GPCVP (positive) / GPCVN (negative)

```

### GP3LN versus GPCVN — the critical distinction

| Feature | GP3LN | GPCVN |

|---|---|---|

| Trigger | Sudden, identifiable event | No distinct trigger |

| Transitional phase | Gradual, perceptible duration | Continuous, no identifiable phase |

| Endpoint | Sudden, identifiable | No distinct endpoint |

| Direction | Positive → negative | Positive → negative |

| Reversible | No | No |

| Frequency | Rare | Common |

| Example | Tyre puncture: inflated → deflating → flat | Age/condition: new → worn → deteriorated |

### IP3LN versus GP3LN — the perception of duration

| Feature | IP3LN | GP3LN |

|---|---|---|

| Transitional phase duration | Perceived as instantaneous | Perceptible — can be witnessed |

| Example | Glass shattering | Tyre deflating |

---

## APPENDIX C — Template Family Quick Reference

| Template | Best suited for |

|---|---|

| Horizontal / Vertical Line | Named categories with no gradient |

| Diagonal Line | Spectra, bipolar scales, simple gradients, sequences |

| IT5L / IT5LI | Instant reveal; named category sets; instantaneous temporary changes |

| IP3LP | Instantaneous perceived positive change; permanent |

| IP3LN | Instantaneous perceived negative change; permanent (e.g. glass breaking) |

| GT5L | Five-level progressions; staged upward changes; proficiency scales |

| GT5LI | Staged changes falling from a positive norm; distinct stages; reversible |

| GP3LP | Three-stage permanent positive: sudden trigger → gradual transition → sudden endpoint |

| GP3LN | Three-stage permanent negative: sudden trigger → gradual transition → sudden endpoint. RARE. |

| GTCV | Concepts that escalate, rise, mount, heighten, build — even when negative in value; reversible |

| GTCVI | Concepts that worsen, decline, descend, fall from a positive norm; reversible |

| GPCVP | Continuous smooth permanent improvement; no sudden trigger or endpoint |

| GPCVN | Continuous smooth permanent decline; no sudden trigger or endpoint |

| ITGCV *(proposed)* | Instant spike to peak → gradual curve return to baseline; reversible |

| ITGCVI *(proposed)* | Instant drop to trough → gradual curve recovery to baseline; reversible |

| GTICV *(proposed)* | Gradual rise → instant crash back to baseline; reversible |

| GTICVI *(proposed)* | Gradual descent → instant recovery upward; reversible |

| Clock / TTT / POD | Time of day |

| DOW | Days of the week |

| MOY | Months of the year |

| Seasons | Seasonal cycles |

| Lunar / TidalD / TidalM | Natural cycles |

| Rice | Agricultural / growing cycles |

| Compass / Steering | Directional vocabulary |

*Dual-metaphor concepts (e.g. conflict — both GTCV and GTCVI) require a combined

template presenting both curves simultaneously. This is proposed for future development.*

*Entries marked ITGCV* in the taxonomy body indicate a future assignment

pending creation of that proposed template.*