Modal inferences in marked indefinites
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Maria Aloni
Abstract
In this paper, we first present the results of a synchronic corpus study of the determiner irgendein and the pronoun irgend jemand in German and identify four main uses: ignorance effect in specific uses (spU), ignorance effect under epistemic modals (epiU), narrow-scope existential meaning in negative contexts (NPu), free choice effect under deontic modals (deoFC). Then we sketch a formal account in the framework of a Dynamic Semantics with Conceptual Covers along the lines of Aloni and Port (2011) and Aloni (2012). This enables us (i) to derive the obligatory ignorance effect irgend-indefinites induce in specific uses and under epistemic modals, (ii) to account for the NPu and deoFC uses, and (iii) to explain the different behavior of the indefinite under different modals.
Abstract
In this paper, we first present the results of a synchronic corpus study of the determiner irgendein and the pronoun irgend jemand in German and identify four main uses: ignorance effect in specific uses (spU), ignorance effect under epistemic modals (epiU), narrow-scope existential meaning in negative contexts (NPu), free choice effect under deontic modals (deoFC). Then we sketch a formal account in the framework of a Dynamic Semantics with Conceptual Covers along the lines of Aloni and Port (2011) and Aloni (2012). This enables us (i) to derive the obligatory ignorance effect irgend-indefinites induce in specific uses and under epistemic modals, (ii) to account for the NPu and deoFC uses, and (iii) to explain the different behavior of the indefinite under different modals.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- List of abbreviations ix
- Advances in weak referentiality 1
- Modal inferences in marked indefinites 17
- Epistemic and scopal properties of some indefinites 45
- Antonymic prepositions and weak referentiality 73
- Weak referentiality and Russian instrumental nominals 101
- Predicate nominals in Papiamentu 129
- Many a plural 157
- Telic definites and their prepositions 183
- How weak and how definite are Weak Definites? 213
- Modified weak definites 237
- Functional frames in the interpretation of weak nominals 265
- Unscrambling the lexical nature of weak definites 287
- Inalienable possession 311
- Basque nominals 335
- Referential properties of definites and salience spreading 365
- Index 389
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- List of abbreviations ix
- Advances in weak referentiality 1
- Modal inferences in marked indefinites 17
- Epistemic and scopal properties of some indefinites 45
- Antonymic prepositions and weak referentiality 73
- Weak referentiality and Russian instrumental nominals 101
- Predicate nominals in Papiamentu 129
- Many a plural 157
- Telic definites and their prepositions 183
- How weak and how definite are Weak Definites? 213
- Modified weak definites 237
- Functional frames in the interpretation of weak nominals 265
- Unscrambling the lexical nature of weak definites 287
- Inalienable possession 311
- Basque nominals 335
- Referential properties of definites and salience spreading 365
- Index 389
