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Predicate nominals in Papiamentu

a comparison with Brazilian Portuguese and other languages

image of Predicate nominals in Papiamentu

This paper presents a comparative analysis of number in predicate nominals in Papiamentu and Brazilian Portuguese. While Papiamentu predicate nominals do not show plural agreement when the subject is plural, Brazilian Portuguese shows agreement in spite of the fact that both languages allow number neutral bare count nouns to appear in argument position. Using tools from Distributed Morphology, we provide an analysis that can explain why number morphology is not always realized in determinerless predicate nominals. We argue that the variation between the two languages arises from a difference between their respective vocabulary items. Papiamentu plural marker - nan cannot behave as a simple agreement marker, because it contains an additional definite feature (Schmitt & Kester 2005; Kester & Schmitt 2007). In Brazilian Portuguese, however, overt morphological number marking is the result of agreement with the subject DP.

References

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    1991 Lárticle zéro en français: quelques proprieties. Langage102: 103–124. doi: 10.3406/lgge.1991.1602
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    1996 Associative DPs. InLinguistics in the Netherlands, C. Cremers & M. den Dikken (eds), 13–24, Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/avt.13.04bes
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     [Google Scholar]
  6. Cardinaletti, A. & Starke, M
    1999 The typology of structural deficiency: A case study of the three classes of pronouns. InClitics in the Languages of Europe, H. van Riemsdijk (ed.), 145–233. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Carlson, G
    1977 A unified analysis of the English bare plural. Linguistics and Philosophy1: 413–457. doi: 10.1007/BF00353456
     https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00353456 [Google Scholar]
  8. Chierchia, G
    1998 Reference to kinds across languages. Natural Language Semantics6: 339–405. doi: 10.1023/A:1008324218506
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008324218506 [Google Scholar]
  9. Déchaine, R.-M. & Wiltschko, M
    2002 Decomposing pronouns. Linguistic Inquiry33: 409–442. doi: 10.1162/002438902760168554
     https://doi.org/10.1162/002438902760168554 [Google Scholar]
  10. Doetjes, J
    1997 Quantifiers and Selection: On the Distribution of Quantifying Expressions in French, Dutch and English. PhD dissertation, University of Leiden. The Hague: HAG [HIL Dissertations 32].
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Dijkhoff, M
    1983 The process of pluralization in Papiamentu. InStudies in Caribbean Language, L.D. Carrington (ed.), 217–229. Trinidad: Society of Caribbean Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Espinal, M.T. & McNally, L
    2009 Characterizing ‘have’ predicates and indefiniteness. InProceedings of the IV NEREUS International Workshop [Arbeitspapier 124], M.T. Espinal , M. Leonetti & L. McNally (eds). Konstanz: University Konstanz.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Farkas, D. & de Swart, H
    2003 The Semantics of Incorporation. Stanford CA: CSLI.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. 2010 The semantics and pragmatics of plurals. Semantics and Pragmatics3(6): 1–54. doi: 10.3765/sp.3.6
     https://doi.org/10.3765/sp.3.6 [Google Scholar]
  15. Fernández Laborans, M.J
    1999 La predicación: Las oraciones copulativas. InGramática descriptiva de la lengua española, I. Bosque & V. Demonte (eds), 2357- 2460. Madrid: Real Academia Española, Colección Nebrija y Bello.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Halle, M. & Marantz, A
    1993 Distributed morphology and the pieces of inflection. InThe View from Building 20. Essays in Linguistics in Honor of Sylvain Bromberger, K. Hale & S.J. Keyser (eds), 111–176. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Heim, I
    1988 The Semantics of Definite and Indefinite Noun Phrases. New York NY: Garland.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Higgins, F.R
    1979 The Pseudo-cleft Construction In English. New York NY: Garland.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Kester, E.-P
    1996 The Nature of Adjectival Inflection. PhD dissertation, Utrecht University.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Kester, E.-P. & Schmitt, C
    2007 Papiamentu and Brazilian Portuguese: A comparative study of bare nominals. InNoun Phrases in Creole languages: A Multi-faceted Approach [Creole Language Library 31], M. Baptista & J. Guéron (eds), 107–143. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/cll.31.07kes
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.07kes [Google Scholar]
  21. Kupferman, L
    1979 Les constructions Il est un médecin/ Cést un médecin: Essai de solution. Cahier de Linguistique9: 131–164. Montréal: Press de l’Université du Québec. doi: 10.7202/800080ar
     https://doi.org/10.7202/800080ar [Google Scholar]
  22. 1991 Structure événementielle de l’alternance un/Ø devant les noms humains attributs. Langages101: 52–75. doi: 10.3406/lgge.1991.1599
     https://doi.org/10.3406/lgge.1991.1599 [Google Scholar]
  23. Lyons, C
    1999 Definiteness. Cambridge: CUP. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511605789
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511605789 [Google Scholar]
  24. Matushansky, O
    2006 Head movement in linguistic theory. Linguistic Inquiry37(1): 69–109. doi: 10.1162/002438906775321184
     https://doi.org/10.1162/002438906775321184 [Google Scholar]
  25. Munn, A. & Schmitt, C
    2001 Bare nominals and the morphosyntax of number. InCurrent Issues in Romance Linguistics[Current Issues in Linguistic Theory 220], T. Satterfield , C. Tortora & D. Cresti (eds), 225–239. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/cilt.220.16mun
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.220.16mun [Google Scholar]
  26. 2005 Number and indefinites. Lingua115: 821–855. doi: 10.1016/j.lingua.2004.01.007
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2004.01.007 [Google Scholar]
  27. Nakanishi, K. & Tomioka, S
    2004 Japanese plurals are exceptional. Journal of East Asian Linguistics13: 113–140. doi: 10.1023/B:JEAL.0000019058.46668.c1
     https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JEAL.0000019058.46668.c1 [Google Scholar]
  28. Naro, A.J. & Scherre, M.M.P
    2003 A trend study of number agreement in Brazilian Portuguese: Social dimensions. New Ways of Analyzing Variation 32. Philadelphia PA: University of Pennsylvania.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Odijk, J
    1992 Uninflected adjectives in Dutch. InLinguistics in the Netherlands 9, R. Bok-Bennema & R. van Hout (eds), 197–208. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/avt.9.19odi
     https://doi.org/10.1075/avt.9.19odi [Google Scholar]
  30. Roy, A
    2006 Non-verbal Predications: A Syntactic Analysis of Predicational Copular Sentences. PhD dissertation, University of Southern California.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Sauerland, U. , Anderssen, J. & Yatsushiro, J
    2005 The plural is semantically unmarked. InLinguistic Evidence, S. Kepser & M. Reis (eds), 413–434. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. doi: 10.1515/9783110197549.413
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110197549.413 [Google Scholar]
  32. Scherre, M.M.P. & Naro, A.J
    1991 Marking in discourse: 'Birds of a feather'. Language Variation and Change3: 23–32. doi: 10.1017/S0954394500000430
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954394500000430 [Google Scholar]
  33. Schmitt, C. & Munn, A
    1999 Against the nominal mapping parameter: Bare nouns in Brazilian Portuguese. InProceedings of NELS 29, P. Tamanji , M. Hirotani & N. Hall (eds), 339–353. University of Delaware.
     [Google Scholar]
  34. 2003 The syntax and semantics of bare arguments in Brazilian Portuguese. Linguistic Variation Yearbook2: 185–216. doi: 10.1075/livy.2.08sch
     https://doi.org/10.1075/livy.2.08sch [Google Scholar]
  35. Schmitt, C. & E.-P. Kester
    2005 Bare nominals in Papiamentu and Brazilian Portuguese: An exo-skeletal approach. InTheoretical and Experimental Approaches to Romance Linguistics. Selected Proceedings of the 34th Linguistic Symposium on Romance Languages, R. Gess & E.J. Rubin (ed.), 237–256. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/cilt.272.15sch
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.272.15sch [Google Scholar]
  36. de Swart, H
    2001 Weak readings of indefinites: Type shifting and closure. The Linguistic Review18: 69- 96. doi: 10.1515/tlir.18.1.69
     https://doi.org/10.1515/tlir.18.1.69 [Google Scholar]
  37. de Swart, H.E. , Winter, Y. & Zwarts, J
    2007 Bare nominals and reference to capacities. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory25(1): 195–222. doi: 10.1007/s11049‑006‑9007‑4
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s11049-006-9007-4 [Google Scholar]
  38. Vassilieva, M.B
    2005 Associative and Pronominal Plurality. PhD dissertation, Stony Brook University.
     [Google Scholar]

References

  1. Adger, D
    2003 Core Syntax: A Minimalist Approach. Oxford: OUP.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Anscombre, J.-C
    1991 Lárticle zéro en français: quelques proprieties. Langage102: 103–124. doi: 10.3406/lgge.1991.1602
     https://doi.org/10.3406/lgge.1991.1602 [Google Scholar]
  3. den Besten, H
    1996 Associative DPs. InLinguistics in the Netherlands, C. Cremers & M. den Dikken (eds), 13–24, Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/avt.13.04bes
     https://doi.org/ 10.1075/avt.13.04bes [Google Scholar]
  4. Borer, H
    2005 In Name Only. Structuring Sense, Vol. I. Oxford: OUP. doi: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199263905.001.0001
     https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199263905.001.0001 [Google Scholar]
  5. Bosque, I
    1996 Por qué determinados sustantivos no son sustantivos determinados. InEl sustantivo sin determinación. La Ausencia de Determinante en la Lengua Española, I. Bosque (ed.). 13–120. Madrid: Visor Libros.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Cardinaletti, A. & Starke, M
    1999 The typology of structural deficiency: A case study of the three classes of pronouns. InClitics in the Languages of Europe, H. van Riemsdijk (ed.), 145–233. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Carlson, G
    1977 A unified analysis of the English bare plural. Linguistics and Philosophy1: 413–457. doi: 10.1007/BF00353456
     https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00353456 [Google Scholar]
  8. Chierchia, G
    1998 Reference to kinds across languages. Natural Language Semantics6: 339–405. doi: 10.1023/A:1008324218506
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008324218506 [Google Scholar]
  9. Déchaine, R.-M. & Wiltschko, M
    2002 Decomposing pronouns. Linguistic Inquiry33: 409–442. doi: 10.1162/002438902760168554
     https://doi.org/10.1162/002438902760168554 [Google Scholar]
  10. Doetjes, J
    1997 Quantifiers and Selection: On the Distribution of Quantifying Expressions in French, Dutch and English. PhD dissertation, University of Leiden. The Hague: HAG [HIL Dissertations 32].
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Dijkhoff, M
    1983 The process of pluralization in Papiamentu. InStudies in Caribbean Language, L.D. Carrington (ed.), 217–229. Trinidad: Society of Caribbean Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Espinal, M.T. & McNally, L
    2009 Characterizing ‘have’ predicates and indefiniteness. InProceedings of the IV NEREUS International Workshop [Arbeitspapier 124], M.T. Espinal , M. Leonetti & L. McNally (eds). Konstanz: University Konstanz.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Farkas, D. & de Swart, H
    2003 The Semantics of Incorporation. Stanford CA: CSLI.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. 2010 The semantics and pragmatics of plurals. Semantics and Pragmatics3(6): 1–54. doi: 10.3765/sp.3.6
     https://doi.org/10.3765/sp.3.6 [Google Scholar]
  15. Fernández Laborans, M.J
    1999 La predicación: Las oraciones copulativas. InGramática descriptiva de la lengua española, I. Bosque & V. Demonte (eds), 2357- 2460. Madrid: Real Academia Española, Colección Nebrija y Bello.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Halle, M. & Marantz, A
    1993 Distributed morphology and the pieces of inflection. InThe View from Building 20. Essays in Linguistics in Honor of Sylvain Bromberger, K. Hale & S.J. Keyser (eds), 111–176. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Heim, I
    1988 The Semantics of Definite and Indefinite Noun Phrases. New York NY: Garland.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Higgins, F.R
    1979 The Pseudo-cleft Construction In English. New York NY: Garland.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Kester, E.-P
    1996 The Nature of Adjectival Inflection. PhD dissertation, Utrecht University.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Kester, E.-P. & Schmitt, C
    2007 Papiamentu and Brazilian Portuguese: A comparative study of bare nominals. InNoun Phrases in Creole languages: A Multi-faceted Approach [Creole Language Library 31], M. Baptista & J. Guéron (eds), 107–143. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/cll.31.07kes
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.07kes [Google Scholar]
  21. Kupferman, L
    1979 Les constructions Il est un médecin/ Cést un médecin: Essai de solution. Cahier de Linguistique9: 131–164. Montréal: Press de l’Université du Québec. doi: 10.7202/800080ar
     https://doi.org/10.7202/800080ar [Google Scholar]
  22. 1991 Structure événementielle de l’alternance un/Ø devant les noms humains attributs. Langages101: 52–75. doi: 10.3406/lgge.1991.1599
     https://doi.org/10.3406/lgge.1991.1599 [Google Scholar]
  23. Lyons, C
    1999 Definiteness. Cambridge: CUP. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511605789
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511605789 [Google Scholar]
  24. Matushansky, O
    2006 Head movement in linguistic theory. Linguistic Inquiry37(1): 69–109. doi: 10.1162/002438906775321184
     https://doi.org/10.1162/002438906775321184 [Google Scholar]
  25. Munn, A. & Schmitt, C
    2001 Bare nominals and the morphosyntax of number. InCurrent Issues in Romance Linguistics[Current Issues in Linguistic Theory 220], T. Satterfield , C. Tortora & D. Cresti (eds), 225–239. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/cilt.220.16mun
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.220.16mun [Google Scholar]
  26. 2005 Number and indefinites. Lingua115: 821–855. doi: 10.1016/j.lingua.2004.01.007
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2004.01.007 [Google Scholar]
  27. Nakanishi, K. & Tomioka, S
    2004 Japanese plurals are exceptional. Journal of East Asian Linguistics13: 113–140. doi: 10.1023/B:JEAL.0000019058.46668.c1
     https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JEAL.0000019058.46668.c1 [Google Scholar]
  28. Naro, A.J. & Scherre, M.M.P
    2003 A trend study of number agreement in Brazilian Portuguese: Social dimensions. New Ways of Analyzing Variation 32. Philadelphia PA: University of Pennsylvania.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Odijk, J
    1992 Uninflected adjectives in Dutch. InLinguistics in the Netherlands 9, R. Bok-Bennema & R. van Hout (eds), 197–208. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/avt.9.19odi
     https://doi.org/10.1075/avt.9.19odi [Google Scholar]
  30. Roy, A
    2006 Non-verbal Predications: A Syntactic Analysis of Predicational Copular Sentences. PhD dissertation, University of Southern California.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Sauerland, U. , Anderssen, J. & Yatsushiro, J
    2005 The plural is semantically unmarked. InLinguistic Evidence, S. Kepser & M. Reis (eds), 413–434. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. doi: 10.1515/9783110197549.413
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110197549.413 [Google Scholar]
  32. Scherre, M.M.P. & Naro, A.J
    1991 Marking in discourse: 'Birds of a feather'. Language Variation and Change3: 23–32. doi: 10.1017/S0954394500000430
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954394500000430 [Google Scholar]
  33. Schmitt, C. & Munn, A
    1999 Against the nominal mapping parameter: Bare nouns in Brazilian Portuguese. InProceedings of NELS 29, P. Tamanji , M. Hirotani & N. Hall (eds), 339–353. University of Delaware.
     [Google Scholar]
  34. 2003 The syntax and semantics of bare arguments in Brazilian Portuguese. Linguistic Variation Yearbook2: 185–216. doi: 10.1075/livy.2.08sch
     https://doi.org/10.1075/livy.2.08sch [Google Scholar]
  35. Schmitt, C. & E.-P. Kester
    2005 Bare nominals in Papiamentu and Brazilian Portuguese: An exo-skeletal approach. InTheoretical and Experimental Approaches to Romance Linguistics. Selected Proceedings of the 34th Linguistic Symposium on Romance Languages, R. Gess & E.J. Rubin (ed.), 237–256. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. doi: 10.1075/cilt.272.15sch
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.272.15sch [Google Scholar]
  36. de Swart, H
    2001 Weak readings of indefinites: Type shifting and closure. The Linguistic Review18: 69- 96. doi: 10.1515/tlir.18.1.69
     https://doi.org/10.1515/tlir.18.1.69 [Google Scholar]
  37. de Swart, H.E. , Winter, Y. & Zwarts, J
    2007 Bare nominals and reference to capacities. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory25(1): 195–222. doi: 10.1007/s11049‑006‑9007‑4
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s11049-006-9007-4 [Google Scholar]
  38. Vassilieva, M.B
    2005 Associative and Pronominal Plurality. PhD dissertation, Stony Brook University.
     [Google Scholar]

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