Home Linguistics & Semiotics 14. NPs in aspectual Be constructions in African American English
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14. NPs in aspectual Be constructions in African American English

  • Lisa Green
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Noun Phrases in Creole Languages
This chapter is in the book Noun Phrases in Creole Languages

Abstract

This paper examines indefinite and bare plural NPs in aspectual be constructions in African American English (AAE). Aspectual be constructions are like simple tense generics in that they receive a habitual interpretation. The interpretation of singular indefinite subject NPs in aspectual be constructions depends on the type of predicate that occurs with the subject. On the other hand, bare plural subjects in aspectual be constructions exhibit a similar type of ambiguity associated with bare plurals in generics in English. Bare plurals with individual-level predicates in aspectual be constructions are unambiguous, but bare plurals with stage-level predicates are ambiguous between a habitual and existential habitual reading. It has been noted that NPs in AAE share some patterns with NPs in Creoles, but bare NPs in the two languages are interpreted differently. Analyzing NPs in aspectual be constructions provides an opportunity to learn more about the differences and similarities between the interpretation of NPs in AAE and Creoles.

Abstract

This paper examines indefinite and bare plural NPs in aspectual be constructions in African American English (AAE). Aspectual be constructions are like simple tense generics in that they receive a habitual interpretation. The interpretation of singular indefinite subject NPs in aspectual be constructions depends on the type of predicate that occurs with the subject. On the other hand, bare plural subjects in aspectual be constructions exhibit a similar type of ambiguity associated with bare plurals in generics in English. Bare plurals with individual-level predicates in aspectual be constructions are unambiguous, but bare plurals with stage-level predicates are ambiguous between a habitual and existential habitual reading. It has been noted that NPs in AAE share some patterns with NPs in Creoles, but bare NPs in the two languages are interpreted differently. Analyzing NPs in aspectual be constructions provides an opportunity to learn more about the differences and similarities between the interpretation of NPs in AAE and Creoles.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgment ix
  4. Part I: An introduction
  5. 1. Noun phrases in creole languages 3
  6. Part II: Portuguese-lexified Creoles
  7. 2. Bare nouns and the nominal domain in Santome 37
  8. 3. On the syntax and semantics of DP in Cape Verdean Creole 61
  9. 4. Papiamentu and Brazilian Portuguese 107
  10. 5. On the interpretation of bare noun phrases in Guinea-Bissau Portuguese Creole (Kriyol) 145
  11. Part III: Spanish-lexified Creoles
  12. 6. Some aspects of NPs in Mindanao Chabacano 173
  13. 7. Bare nouns in Palenquero 205
  14. Part IV: French-lexified Creoles
  15. 8. Bare nouns in Réunionnais Creole 225
  16. 9. The bare NP in Lesser Antillean 243
  17. 10. Bare NPs and deficient DPs in Haitian Creole and French 265
  18. Part V: A comparison of romance Creoles
  19. 11. Implicit determination and plural 301
  20. Part VI: English-lexified Creoles
  21. 12. Bare nouns and articles in Sranan 339
  22. 13. Aspects of the syntax and semantics of bare nouns in Jamaican Creole 383
  23. Part VII: African American English
  24. 14. NPs in aspectual Be constructions in African American English 403
  25. 15. Bare nouns in African American English (AAE) 421
  26. Part VIII: Dutch-lexified Creoles
  27. 16. Bare nouns in Berbice Dutch Creole 437
  28. Part IX: A Synthesis and a postface
  29. 17. Properties of noun phrases in creole languages 461
  30. 18. Functional deficiency, ellipsis or innovation in creole languages? 471
  31. Index 485
https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.22gre

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgment ix
  4. Part I: An introduction
  5. 1. Noun phrases in creole languages 3
  6. Part II: Portuguese-lexified Creoles
  7. 2. Bare nouns and the nominal domain in Santome 37
  8. 3. On the syntax and semantics of DP in Cape Verdean Creole 61
  9. 4. Papiamentu and Brazilian Portuguese 107
  10. 5. On the interpretation of bare noun phrases in Guinea-Bissau Portuguese Creole (Kriyol) 145
  11. Part III: Spanish-lexified Creoles
  12. 6. Some aspects of NPs in Mindanao Chabacano 173
  13. 7. Bare nouns in Palenquero 205
  14. Part IV: French-lexified Creoles
  15. 8. Bare nouns in Réunionnais Creole 225
  16. 9. The bare NP in Lesser Antillean 243
  17. 10. Bare NPs and deficient DPs in Haitian Creole and French 265
  18. Part V: A comparison of romance Creoles
  19. 11. Implicit determination and plural 301
  20. Part VI: English-lexified Creoles
  21. 12. Bare nouns and articles in Sranan 339
  22. 13. Aspects of the syntax and semantics of bare nouns in Jamaican Creole 383
  23. Part VII: African American English
  24. 14. NPs in aspectual Be constructions in African American English 403
  25. 15. Bare nouns in African American English (AAE) 421
  26. Part VIII: Dutch-lexified Creoles
  27. 16. Bare nouns in Berbice Dutch Creole 437
  28. Part IX: A Synthesis and a postface
  29. 17. Properties of noun phrases in creole languages 461
  30. 18. Functional deficiency, ellipsis or innovation in creole languages? 471
  31. Index 485
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