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The definite article in non-specific object noun phrases: Comparing French and Italian

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Abstract

Italian allows for the use of the definite article in non-specific direct object NPs ( mettersi la giacca ‘put on a jacket’, avere il gatto ‘have a cat’). However, in French, the corresponding constructions typically take only the indefinite article ( se mettre un blouson, avoir un chat ). We present a corpus analysis and a questionnaire study which both establish a striking contrast between French and Italian on this point. We argue that the more widespread use of the Italian definite article in this non-specific function shows that it is further grammaticalized than its French counterpart. This conclusion calls for a reconsideration of the widespread view of French as the language with the more grammaticalized article system.

Abstract

Italian allows for the use of the definite article in non-specific direct object NPs ( mettersi la giacca ‘put on a jacket’, avere il gatto ‘have a cat’). However, in French, the corresponding constructions typically take only the indefinite article ( se mettre un blouson, avoir un chat ). We present a corpus analysis and a questionnaire study which both establish a striking contrast between French and Italian on this point. We argue that the more widespread use of the Italian definite article in this non-specific function shows that it is further grammaticalized than its French counterpart. This conclusion calls for a reconsideration of the widespread view of French as the language with the more grammaticalized article system.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part 1. Synchrony – and its implications for diachrony
  6. Discourse binding: DP and pronouns in German, Dutch, and English 21
  7. Gender, number, and indefinite articles: About the 'typological inconsistency' of Italian 49
  8. Covert patterns of definiteness/indefiniteness and aspectuality in Old Icelandic, Gothic, and Old High German 73
  9. The definite article in Indo-European: Emergence of a new grammatical category? 103
  10. 'No' changes: On the history of German indefinite determiners in the scope of negation 141
  11. Part 2. Synchrony – ontological and typological characteristics
  12. The functional range of bare singular count nouns in English 171
  13. The definite article in non-specific object noun phrases: Comparing French and Italian 189
  14. Early functions of definite determiners and DPs in German first language acquisition 215
  15. Part 3. Diachrony – universally unified characteristics?
  16. The discourse-functional crystallization of DP from the original demonstrative 241
  17. Determinerless noun phrases in Old Romance passives 257
  18. On the structure and development of nominal phrases in Norwegian 287
  19. The emergence of DP from a perspective of ontogeny and phylogeny: Correlation between DP, TP and aspect in Old English and first language acquisition 311
  20. Demonstratives and possessives: From Old English to present-day English 339
  21. Index 363
Nominal Determination
This chapter is in the book Nominal Determination
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.89.11kup

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part 1. Synchrony – and its implications for diachrony
  6. Discourse binding: DP and pronouns in German, Dutch, and English 21
  7. Gender, number, and indefinite articles: About the 'typological inconsistency' of Italian 49
  8. Covert patterns of definiteness/indefiniteness and aspectuality in Old Icelandic, Gothic, and Old High German 73
  9. The definite article in Indo-European: Emergence of a new grammatical category? 103
  10. 'No' changes: On the history of German indefinite determiners in the scope of negation 141
  11. Part 2. Synchrony – ontological and typological characteristics
  12. The functional range of bare singular count nouns in English 171
  13. The definite article in non-specific object noun phrases: Comparing French and Italian 189
  14. Early functions of definite determiners and DPs in German first language acquisition 215
  15. Part 3. Diachrony – universally unified characteristics?
  16. The discourse-functional crystallization of DP from the original demonstrative 241
  17. Determinerless noun phrases in Old Romance passives 257
  18. On the structure and development of nominal phrases in Norwegian 287
  19. The emergence of DP from a perspective of ontogeny and phylogeny: Correlation between DP, TP and aspect in Old English and first language acquisition 311
  20. Demonstratives and possessives: From Old English to present-day English 339
  21. Index 363
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