ISBN:
9789400730021
Language:
English
Pages:
Online-Ressource (XV, 268p, digital)
Series Statement:
Studies in Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 85
Series Statement:
SpringerLink
Series Statement:
Bücher
Parallel Title:
Buchausg. u.d.T. Dobrovie-Sorin, Carmen, 1952 - Redefining indefinites
Keywords:
Romance languages
;
Semantics
;
Linguistics
;
Linguistics
;
Romance languages
;
Semantics
;
Romanische Sprachen
;
Nominalphrase
;
Unbestimmtheit
;
Französisch
;
Nominalphrase
;
Unbestimmtheit
;
Französisch
;
Indefinitpronomen
;
Französisch
;
Indefiniter Relativsatz
;
Indefinitpronomen
;
Syntax
;
Semantik
Abstract:
This volume explores the interpretation of indefinites and the constraints on their distribution by paying particular attention to key issues in the interface between syntax and semantics: the relation between the semantic properties of indefinite determiners and the denotation of indefinite DPs, their scope, and their behaviour in generic and conditional sentences. Examples come from French, other Romance languages and English. Central to the proposed analyses is a distinction between two types of entities, individualized entities and amounts. Weak indefinites are analyzed as existential generalized quantifiers over amounts and strong indefinites as either Skolem terms or generalized quantifiers over individualized entities. The up-to-date review of the literature and the new falsifiable proposals contained in this book will be of particular interest to linguistics students and scholars interested in the cross-linguistic semantics of indefinites.
Description / Table of Contents:
Redefining Indefinites; Foreword; Contents; Introduction; Chapter 1: Why Indefinites?; 1.1 Typology of DPs; 1.1.1 Referential DPs; 1.1.2 Quantified DPs; 1.1.2.1 Tripartite Structures; 1.1.2.2 Generalized Quanti fi ers; 1.1.3 Indefinite DPs; 1.2 The Representation of Inde fi nite DPs; 1.2.1 Indefinites and Existential Quanti fi cation; 1.2.2 Indefinites as Free Variables; 1.2.3 Indefinites as Choice Functions; 1.2.4 Indefinites as Skolem Terms; 1.2.5 Indefinites and Properties; 1.2.6 Indefinites as Existential Generalized Quanti fi ers over Amounts; 1.2.7 Conclusion
Description / Table of Contents:
1.3 Semantic Properties of Nominal Determiners1.3.1 Conservativity; 1.3.2 Intersectivity; 1.3.3 Symmetry; 1.3.4 Proportional Determiners; 1.3.5 Monotonicity; 1.3.5.1 Monotone Increasing with respect to A; 1.3.5.2 Monotone Increasing with respect to B; 1.3.5.3 Monotone Decreasing with respect to A; 1.3.5.4 Monotone Decreasing with Respect to B; 1.3.6 The Semantic Characterization of Inde fi nites; 1.4 The Interpretation of Inde fi nites; 1.4.1 The Interpretation of Inde fi nites and Presupposition; 1.4.1.1 Assertion and Presupposition
Description / Table of Contents:
1.4.1.2 Presupposition of Existence and Assertion of Existence1.4.1.3 Presupposition and Partitivity; 1.4.2 Distributive and Collective Readings; 1.4.3 Scope Ambiguities; 1.4.4 Specific/Non-specific/Generic Readings; 1.5 Conclusion; Chapter 2: Bare Noun Phrases; 2.1 Bare Noun Phrases across Languages; 2.1.1 An Overview of Crosslinguistic Variation; 2.1.2 The Distribution of Bare NPs in Romanian, Spanish and Catalan; 2.1.3 The Syntactic Structure of Bare NPs; 2.2 Bare Plurals Are not the Plural Counterparts of Singular Indefinites; 2.2.1 Opacity; 2.2.2 Scope; 2.2.3 Aspect
Description / Table of Contents:
2.2.4 Anaphoric Relations2.3 Count Bare Singulars Are not the Singular Counterparts of Bare Plurals; 2.3.1 Distribution; 2.3.2 Crosslinguistic Variation; 2.3.3 Interpretation: Narrow Scope with respect to Negation; 2.3.4 Conclusions; 2.4 The Semantics of Bare Plurals; 2.4.1 Bare Plurals and Reference to Kinds; 2.4.1.1 The Carlsonian Analysis; 2.4.1.2 Bare Plurals in Romance Languages Are Not Kind-Referring; 2.4.2 Bare Plurals and Property Denotation; 2.4.2.1 Existential Predicates; 2.4.2.2 Accounting for Carlson's Observations Regarding Scope; 2.4.2.3 Problems
Description / Table of Contents:
2.4.2.4 The Property Analysis of Count Bare Singulars2.4.3 Bare Plurals and VP-level Existential Closure; 2.4.3.1 VP-Level Existential Closure and Scope; 2.4.3.2 VP-Level Existential Closure and Aspect; 2.4.3.3 Problems with Generic Objects; 2.4.4 Bare Plurals as Amount-Referring Expressions; 2.4.4.1 Individuals vs. Amounts; 2.4.4.2 Bare Plurals as Existential Generalized Quantifiers over Amounts; 2.5 Existential Predicates and Entity Predicates; 2.5.1 Individual-Level and Stage-Level Predicates; 2.5.2 Space Localization; 2.5.3 Some Apparent Problems
Description / Table of Contents:
2.6 French Indefinites Headed by du/de la/des
Note:
Description based upon print version of record
DOI:
10.1007/978-94-007-3002-1
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