ISBN:
9789400753105
Language:
English
Pages:
Online-Ressource (VII, 207 p. 220 illus, digital)
Series Statement:
Studies in Linguistics and Philosophy 92
Series Statement:
SpringerLink
Series Statement:
Bücher
Parallel Title:
Buchausg. u.d.T. Different kinds of specificity across languages
Keywords:
Comparative linguistics
;
Semantics
;
Grammar, Comparative and general Syntax
;
Linguistics
;
Linguistics
;
Linguistics Philosophy
;
Comparative linguistics
;
Semantics
;
Grammar, Comparative and general Syntax
;
Definiteness (Linguistics)
;
Semantics
;
Konferenzschrift 2007
;
Definitheit
;
Kontrastive Semantik
Abstract:
This anthology of papers analyzes a range of specificity markers found in natural languages. It reflects the fact that despite intensive research into these markers, the vast differences between the markers across languages and even within single languages have been less acknowledged. Commonly regarded specific indefinites are by no means a homogenous class, and so this volume fills a gap in our understanding of the semantics and pragmatics of indefinites. The papers explore differences and similarities among these specificity markers, concentrating on the following issues: whether specificity is a purely semantic or also a pragmatic notion; whether the contribution of specificity markers is located on the level of the at-issue content; whether some kind of speaker-listener asymmetry concerning the identification of the referent is involved; and the behavioral scope of these indefinites in the context of other quantifiers, negation, attitude verbs, and intensional/modal operators
Abstract:
This anthology of papers analyzes a range of specificity markers found in natural languages. It reflects the fact that despite intensive research into these markers, the vast differences between the markers across languages and even within single languages have been less acknowledged. Commonly regarded specific indefinites are by no means a homogenous class, and so this volume fills a gap in our understanding of the semantics and pragmatics of indefinites.The papers explore differences and similarities among these specificity markers, concentrating on the following issues: whether specificity is a purely semantic or also a pragmatic notion; whether the contribution of specificity markers is located on the level of the at-issue content; whether some kind of speaker-listener asymmetry concerning the identification of the referent is involved; and the behavioral scope of these indefinites in the context of other quantifiers, negation, attitude verbs, and intensional/modal operators.
Description / Table of Contents:
Different Kinds of Specificity Across Languages; Contents; Contributors; Chapter 1: Introduction; References; Chapter 2: Specificity Markers and Nominal Exclamatives in French; 2.1 Introduction; 2.2 Un N Précis Versus un N; 2.2.1 An Anti-singleton Indefinite; 2.2.2 A Selective Indefinite; 2.2.3 Background and Scope; 2.3 Un Certain N Versus un N (Précis); 2.3.1 Un Certain N And un N Précis; 2.3.2 Un Certain N Versus un N; 2.3.2.1 The Uses of un Certain N; 2.3.2.2 The Evidential Value of un Certain N; 2.3.3 Intermediate Conclusion; 2.4 The Puzzle of Exclamative Nominal Sentences
Description / Table of Contents:
2.4.1 The Guise of the Surprise2.4.2 A Temporal Conflict; 2.4.3 Some Speculations About Evaluative Items; 2.5 Conclusions; References; Chapter 3: The Interpretation of the German Specificity Markers Bestimmt and Gewiss; 3.1 Introduction; 3.2 The Syntax of Bestimmt and Gewiss; 3.3 Semantic Differences Between Bestimmt and Gewiss; 3.3.1 Identifiability; 3.3.2 The Scope-Taking Behaviour of `Bestimmt' and `Gewiss'; 3.3.2.1 Negation; 3.3.2.2 Nominal Quantifiers; 3.3.2.3 Conditionals; 3.3.2.4 Intensional Operators; 3.4 A Comparison to Other Specificity Markers; 3.5 A Formal Analysis
Description / Table of Contents:
3.5.1 Technicalities: Concealed Questions Under Cover3.5.2 The Meaning of `Bestimmt'; 3.5.2.1 Pragmatic Issues; 3.5.2.2 Identifiability; 3.5.2.3 Scope: Nominal Quantifiers; 3.5.2.4 Scope: Negation; 3.5.2.5 Scope: Intensional Operators and Conditionals; 3.5.3 Technicalities: Conventional Implicatures; 3.5.4 The Meaning of `Gewiss'; 3.6 Conclusion; References; Chapter 4: Pragmatic Variation Among Specificity Markers; 4.1 Introduction; 4.2 Specificity Marking in English and Russian; 4.3 Felicity Conditions on Specificity; 4.3.1 ThisR-Indefinites and Noteworthiness
Description / Table of Contents:
4.3.2 OdinR-Indefinites and Identifiability4.3.3 Felicity Conditions: Noteworthiness vs. Identifiability; 4.3.4 Shades of Identifiability; 4.3.5 Crosslinguistic Evidence; 4.4 Anti-uniqueness; 4.4.1 A Possible Answer: Maximize Presupposition; 4.4.2 Deriving the Anti-uniqueness Effects on OdinR; 4.5 Possessive Constructions; 4.5.1 Types of Possessive Constructions in Russian; 4.5.2 Possessive Constructions and Specificity in Russian; 4.5.3 The Puzzle; 4.6 Conclusion and Further Questions; References; Chapter 5: Certain Presuppositions and Some Intermediate Readings, and Vice Versa
Description / Table of Contents:
5.1 Introduction5.2 Choice Functions and Intermediate Readings; 5.2.1 Wide-Scope Indefinites and Choice Functions; 5.2.2 Existential Closure versus Choice Functions from Context; 5.3 Different Kinds of Exceptional Scope: A Certain and Some; 5.4 The Meaning for Some and a Presuppositional Explanation of Schwarz's Generalization; 5.5 Presuppositions of a Certain; 5.6 Conclusion; References; Chapter 6: Exceptional Scope: The Case of Spanish; 6.1 Introduction; 6.2 Domain Restriction and Exceptional Scope: Un vs. Algún; 6.2.1 Singleton Indefinites; 6.2.2 Un vs. Algún
Description / Table of Contents:
6.2.3 Testing the Prediction: Un vs. Algún in Relative Clauses and Conditionals
Note:
Description based upon print version of record
DOI:
10.1007/978-94-007-5310-5
URL:
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