134 research outputs found
Specificity and definiteness in sentence and discourse structure
No full textIn this paper, I argue that this informally given list of characteristics covers only a certain subclass of specific indefinites. […] In particular, I dispute the definition of specific indefinites as "the speaker has the referent in mind" as rather confusing if one is working with a semantic theory. Furthermore, I discuss "relative specificity", it. cases in which the specific indefinite does not exhibit wide, but intermediate or narrow scope behavior. Based on such data, I argue that specificity expresses a referential dependency between introduced discourse items. Informally speaking, the specificity of the indefinite expression something [...] expresses that the reference of the expression depends on the reference of another expression, here, on the expression a monk, not the speaker
Reference and quantification in nominal phrases: the current landscape and the way ahead.
No full textThe thematic volume ‘Determiners and quantifiers: Functions, variation, and change’ explores the interface between morphosyntax and semantics-pragmatics in the domain of referential and quantificational nominal expressions. We present case studies from Romance and Germanic languages, dealing with both synchronic and diachronic aspects. Our aim is to empirically test, on the basis of comparative data, the most recent theoretical developments in the analysis of reference and quantification and to identify focal points for future research. The chapters variously contribute to three fundamental areas in the study of reference and quantification: reference and quantification between morphosyntax and interpretation; reference and quantification in discourse; reference and quantification in diachrony. In this introductory contribution, we single out some outstanding issues for each of these areas, and we provide an overview of the insights emerging from the studies collected in this volume. Before we focus on the three areas listed above, we will start with a more general section on interface issues between morphosyntax and semantics in the domain of reference and quantification
Indefiniteness and Specificity in Old Italian Texts
No full textObject of this study is the marking of nominal indefiniteness in Old Italian, more precisely Old Tuscan texts, in three collections of novellas
Sluicing phenomena
No full textThe paper shows that in various sluicing types, the wh-phrase in the sluicing sentence as well as its relatum in the antecedent clause must be F-marked, and it explains this observation with Schwarzschild's (1999) and Merchant's (1999) focus theory. According to the semantics of the wh-phrase, it will argue that the relatum of the wh-phrase is an indefinite expression that must allow a specific interpretation. Following Heusinger (1997, 2000), specificity will be defined as an anchoring relation between the discourse referent introduced by the indefinite expression and a discourse given item. Because specific indefinite expressions are always novel, contexts like the scope of definite DPs, the scope of thematic matrix predicates, and the scope of downward-monotonic quantifiers which all exhibit non-novel indefinites do not allow sluicing
The Distribution of two Indefinite Articles: The Case of Uzbek
No full textvon Heusinger K, Klein U. The Distribution of two Indefinite Articles: The Case of Uzbek. In: Ebert C, Hinterwimmer S, eds. Different kinds of specificity across languages. Studies in Linguistics and Philosophy. Vol 92. Dordrecht: Springer; 2013: 155-176
Two indefinite articles in Uzbek
No full textvon Heusinger K, Klein U. Two indefinite articles in Uzbek. In: Shibagaki R, Vermeulen R, eds. Proceedings of the 5th Workshop on Formal Altaic Linguistics (WAFL 5). MIT Working Papers in Linguistics (MWPL). Vol 58. 2009: 153-164
Game theory in semantics and pragmatics
No full textJäger G. Game theory in semantics and pragmatics. In: Maienborn C, Portner P, von Heusinger K, eds. Semantics. An international handbook of natural language meaning. HSK. Berlin, Boston: Mouton de Gruyter; 2012: 2487-2516
Case in conflict: embedded subjects in Mongolian
No full textKlein U, von Heusinger K, Guntsetseg D. Case in conflict: embedded subjects in Mongolian. In: Lamers M, de Swart P, eds. Case, Word Order and Prominence. Interacting Cues in Language Production and Comprehension. Dordrecht: Springer; 2012: 43-64
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