Indefinitely definite expressions
-
Jerrold M. Sadock
Abstract
Languages with articles indicating the definiteness or indefiniteness of noun phrases sometimes allow certain forms to occur without articles. In several such cases that are examined here, the expressions without articles are neither definite nor indefinite in and of themselves, but can be interpreted either way in one context or another. One case from Old Norse and two cases from English that work this way will be discussed. But the direct correlation between the presence of an overt article and an indication of (in)definiteness, and the absence of an article and the lack of such an indication cannot be maintained. Proper names without an article are definite, and count noun plurals and mass noun singulars are indefinite without an article.
Abstract
Languages with articles indicating the definiteness or indefiniteness of noun phrases sometimes allow certain forms to occur without articles. In several such cases that are examined here, the expressions without articles are neither definite nor indefinite in and of themselves, but can be interpreted either way in one context or another. One case from Old Norse and two cases from English that work this way will be discussed. But the direct correlation between the presence of an overt article and an indication of (in)definiteness, and the absence of an article and the lack of such an indication cannot be maintained. Proper names without an article are definite, and count noun plurals and mass noun singulars are indefinite without an article.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Scandinavian
- On the syntax of the accusative/dative alternation in spatial PPs in Norwegian dative dialects 9
- Spurious topic drop in Swedish 27
-
Germanic sociolinguistics
- “The voice from below” 53
- Gender maintenance and loss in Totenmålet, English, and other major Germanic varieties 77
-
French
- Non-finite adjuncts in French 111
- Topics and the left periphery 131
-
Language change
- The developmental logic of the analytic past in German and Polish 175
- The diachrony of pronouns and demonstratives 195
-
Lesser-studied languages
- Origins of metathesis in Batsbi 221
- Indefinitely definite expressions 239
-
Language acquisition
- Doing diachrony 259
- The acquisition of linguistic variation 275
-
Language evolution
- The evolution of language 301
- Language as technology 327
- Index 359
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Scandinavian
- On the syntax of the accusative/dative alternation in spatial PPs in Norwegian dative dialects 9
- Spurious topic drop in Swedish 27
-
Germanic sociolinguistics
- “The voice from below” 53
- Gender maintenance and loss in Totenmålet, English, and other major Germanic varieties 77
-
French
- Non-finite adjuncts in French 111
- Topics and the left periphery 131
-
Language change
- The developmental logic of the analytic past in German and Polish 175
- The diachrony of pronouns and demonstratives 195
-
Lesser-studied languages
- Origins of metathesis in Batsbi 221
- Indefinitely definite expressions 239
-
Language acquisition
- Doing diachrony 259
- The acquisition of linguistic variation 275
-
Language evolution
- The evolution of language 301
- Language as technology 327
- Index 359
