scholarly journals Choice-functional Series of Indefinite Pronouns and Hamblin Semantics

2015 ◽  
pp. 309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor Yanovich
Keyword(s):  
Functional Series ◽  
Hamblin Semantics ◽  
Indefinite Pronouns

No abstract.

Theoretical Approaches to the Functions of Indefinite Pronouns

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Haspelmath
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Features ◽  
Semantic Change ◽  
Intrinsic Properties ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Mental Spaces ◽  
Logical Semantics ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Indefinite Pronouns

This chapter focuses on various theoretical approaches to the semantic and syntactic functions of indefinite pronouns. It begins with a discussion of structuralist semantics, which suggests that language is a system whose parts must be defined and described on the basis of their place in the system and their relation to each other, rather than on the basis of their own intrinsic properties. It then considers some of the problems associated with structuralist semantics, including the unclear status of the semantic features; significant overlap of the functions of grammatical items in many areas, including indefinite pronouns; and structuralist semantics makes wrong predictions about semantic change. The chapter proceeds by analysing logical semantics and the issues raised by this approach, along with syntactic approaches, the theory of mental spaces, pragmatic scales and scale reversal. Finally, it explains the relationship between focusing and sentence accent.

Formal and Functional Types of Indefinite Pronoun

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Haspelmath
Keyword(s):  
Relative Clauses ◽  
Negative Polarity ◽  
Ontological Category ◽  
Functional Types ◽  
Formal Element ◽  
Free Relative ◽  
Existential Sentences ◽  
Universal Quantifiers ◽  
Indefinite Pronoun ◽  
Indefinite Pronouns

This chapter examines formal and functional types of indefinite pronoun. It first presents some examples of different indefinite pronoun series in a variety of languages, focusing on a formal element shared by all members of an indefinite pronoun series, such as some and any in English. This element is called indefiniteness marker, an affix or a particle which stands next to the pronoun stem. The chapter proceeds by discussing two main types of derivational bases from which indefinite pronouns are derived in the world's languages: interrogative pronouns and generic ontological category nouns like person, thing or place. It also looks at the main functional types of indefinite pronoun, namely: negative indefinite pronouns and negative polarity (or scale reversal). Finally, it analyses some alternatives to indefinite pronouns, including generic nouns, existential sentences, non-specific free relative clauses, and universal quantifiers.

Overview

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Haspelmath
Keyword(s):  
Functional Variation ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Typological Approach ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Syntactic Properties ◽  
Indefinite Pronouns

This book examines the connections between the formal and functional (semantic and syntactic) properties of indefinite pronouns. It considers the main theoretical debates surrounding the semantic and syntactic properties of indefinite pronouns as well as the diachronic sources of the markers of indefinite pronouns. It describes the new generalizations that emerge from the typological and diachronic research and provides explanations. It also outlines the goals and methods of the typological approach, focusing on the important preconditions for typology such as the availability of data from a variety of languages. Other topics covered by the book include the space of formal and functional variation found in indefinite pronouns, implicational universals, theoretical approaches to the functions of indefinite pronouns such as the tradition of structuralist semantics, the grammaticalization of indefinite pronouns, further sources of indefinite pronouns that cannot be easily subsumed under grammaticalization, and the cross-linguistic patterning of negative indefinite pronouns.

scholarly journals Indefinites and free choice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Degano ◽  
Maria Aloni
Keyword(s):  
Free Choice ◽  
Historical Linguistics ◽  
Formal Semantics ◽  
Alternative Semantics ◽  
Current Usage ◽  
Diachronic Study ◽  
Grammatical Theories ◽  
Indefinite Pronouns

AbstractIndefinites display a great functional variety and they give rise to different pragmatic effects. We focus on free choice indefinites and in particular on the Italian qualsiasi. Our aim is to reconstruct the grammaticalization path of this item and understand how diachronic data might shed some light on existing semantic theories of free choice. We employ corpus-based tools to build a database containing occurrences of qualsiasi from its origin and early forms to its current usage. We show that qualsiasi emerged from a particular unconditional construction and we outline the different stages which led to its grammaticalization. We analyze the compatibility of our diachronic study with formal accounts of free choice inferences, with a focus on Alternative Semantics analyses for indefinite pronouns and so-called grammatical theories of free choice. Our work shows that an integration between formal semantics and historical linguistics is fruitful and worth pursuing.

On Indefinite Pronoun Structures with APs: Reply to Kishimoto

2004 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 268-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard K. Larson ◽  
Franc Marušič
Keyword(s):  
Indefinite Pronoun ◽  
Number Of Authors ◽  
Indefinite Pronouns

A number of authors have claimed that indefinite pronoun constructions like everything red are formed by raising a noun (thing) over a higher prenominal adjective (red). We examine phenomena in English and other languages which appear to show that adjectives participating in the indefinite pronoun construction do not correspond to prenominal forms, but to postnominal ones. We evaluate the challenges these results present for the N-raising account, showing that while some can be met, others apparently cannot. This outcome calls for a reexamination of postnominal position with indefinite pronouns.

scholarly journals Saamelaiskielten indefiniittipronominien jäljillä

2021 ◽  
pp. 104-127
Author(s):  
Markus Juutinen ◽  
Jukka Mettovaara
Keyword(s):  
Free Choice ◽  
Open Class ◽  
Indefinite Pronouns

We provide an overview of indefinite pronouns in Saami languages that have been borrowed or calqued from Finnic, Scandinavian or Russian. We define indefinite pronouns in the traditional way, i.e. encompassing all pronouns not belonging to any other pronoun class. The treatment of Saami indefinite pronouns in earlier literature varies, but generally they haven’t received as much attention as other pronouns. From Finnic sources, Saami languages have borrowed e.g. pronouns harva ‘few’, joku ‘some(one)’, kaikki ‘all’, moni ‘many’ and muu ‘other’ as well as pronominal elements ikänänsä ‘-ever’, saati ‘let alone’ and vaikka ‘even (if)’. Loans from Scandinavian include e.g. mange ‘many’, noen ~ någon ‘some’ and same ~ samma ‘same’. Russian loans include pronominal elements ни- ‘not (even)’ хоть ‘even (if)’. Indefinite pronouns in Saami prove to be rather an open class, and elements with similar meanings have been borrowed time after time. The variation is especially abundant in pronouns of indifference and free choice. Most of the pronouns in our data have been noted as loans before, but there are some unnoticed cases. Especially these warrant further study.

scholarly journals Agent-backgrounding in Turkish Sign Language (TİD)

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meltem Kelepir ◽  
Aslı Özkul ◽  
Elvan Tamyürek Özparlak
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
Personal Pronouns ◽  
Spatial Features ◽  
Indefinite Pronouns

Abstract This paper investigates agent-backgrounding constructions in Turkish Sign Language (TİD). TİD displays many of the agent-backgrounding strategies reported in the literature that signed (and spoken) languages employ (Barberà & Cabredo Hofherr, this volume). Use of non-specific indefinite pronominals is a major strategy, and this paper is the first study that identifies these forms in TİD. Moreover, we show that TİD has ways of marking clusivity distinctions of indefinite arguments, and has a special sign that derives exclusive indefinite pronominals, other. We argue that (i) whereas lateral-high R-locus is unambiguously associated with non-specificity, non-high (lateral and central) loci are underspecified in terms of specificity; (ii) the R-locus of indefinite arguments observed in agent-backgrounding contexts in TİD consists of two spatial features [+high] and [+lateral] which express non-specificity and exclusivity. This study further shows that clusivity, usually associated with personal pronouns, must be extended to indefinite pronouns.

scholarly journals Gwarowe nazwy kobiet z sufiksem -ula

LingVaria ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-209
Author(s):  
Maciej Mączyński
Keyword(s):  
Local Dialect ◽  
Negative Connotation ◽  
Indefinite Pronouns

Dialectal Female Names with the Suffix -ula The article discusses female names created with the suffix -ula, taken from the Lexicon of Polish Dialects prepared by the Polish Institute of Sciences (PAN). Despite the possibility of double motivation, it was assumed that most of them were motivated by male names, with only few derived from verbs, adjectives or nouns. Among the formations in question, words with a negative connotation are prevalent, and positive ones (diminutives and terms of endearment) are rare. This is compliant with colloquial Polish in which negative assessment is dominant, too. According to the analysis: 1) the suffix -ula has a feminizing function when it is used to create female names based on common names, and the expressiveness of the name is transferred from the basis to the derivative; 2) the scope of the suffix -ula is limited to Lesser Poland and Silesia; 3) it hardly ever occurs in other dialects.The author of this article discusses the structure, origin and functions of dialectal pronouns which occur in the local dialect of Posada Jaśliska near Krosno. Posada Jaśliska is a village of three cultures: Polish, Lemko and Slovakian. The author describes mutual influences of these three languages on shaping the collection of pronouns, with particular emphasis on the pronouns that are typical of this area or known only in this place: definite ones, such as haw ‘here’ and het ‘very far, somewhere, from somewhere, away’, and indefinite pronouns, such as dakto ‘whoever’, dagdzie ‘wherever’.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document