1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages
  4. Volume 40, Issue 2
  5. Article
Volume 40, Issue 2
  • ISSN 0920-9034
  • E-ISSN: 1569-9870
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

This article presents an argument that bare (singular) nouns in Papiamentu include additional silent functional structure, as proposed in Kester and Schmitt (2007). The argument is based on Dutch-Papiamentu code-switched noun phrases and exploits the crucial datum that a Dutch bare noun is grammatical when inserted in a Papiamentu sentence, although bare nouns are ungrammatical in a Dutch unilingual sentence. We propose that this datum can be accounted for if the Dutch bare noun is the complement of a silent Papiamentu category, D or Num. The locus of cross-linguistic variation that yields the (un)acceptability of bare nouns is a property in D or Num.

© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/jpcl.00134.lop
2024-01-19
2026-07-22

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/jpcl.00134.lop
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Aboh, Enoch & Michel DeGraff
    2014 Some notes on bare noun phrases in Haitian Creole and in Gungbe: a transatlantic, sprachbund perspective. InTor Anders Afarli & Brit Maehlum (eds.), The sociolinguistics of grammar, 203–236. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins. 10.1075/slcs.154.11abo
     https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.154.11abo [Google Scholar]
  2. Alexandre, Nélia & Tjerk Hagemeijer
    2007 Bare nouns and the nominal domain in Santomel InInM. Baptista and J. Guéron (eds) Noun Phrases in Creole Languages: A Multi-Faceted Approach, 37–60. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.31.05ale
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.05ale [Google Scholar]
  3. Badiola, Lucía, Rodrigo Delgado, Ariane Sande & Sara Stefanich
    2018 Code-switching attitudes and their effects on acceptability judgment tasks. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism8(1). 5–24. 10.1075/lab.16006.bad
     https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.16006.bad [Google Scholar]
  4. Baptista, Marlyse
    2007 On the syntax and semantics of DP in Cape Verdean Creole. InMarlyse Baptista and Jaqueline Guéron (eds) Noun Phrases in Creole Languages: A Multi-Faceted Approach, 61–106. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.31.06bap
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.06bap [Google Scholar]
  5. Baptista, Marlyse & Jaqueline Guéron
    (eds.) 2007a Noun Phrases in Creole Languages: A Multi-Faceted Approach. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.31
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31 [Google Scholar]
  6. Baptista, Marlyse and Jaqueline Guéron
    2007b Functional deficiency, ellipsis or innovation in Creole languages?InMarlyse Baptista & Jaqueline Guéron (eds.) Noun Phrases in Creole Languages: A Multi-Faceted Approach, 471–484. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.31.28bap
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.28bap [Google Scholar]
  7. Backus, Ad
    1996 Two in One. Bilingual Speech of Turkish Immigrants in The Netherlands. Tilburg, Netherlands: Tilburg University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Bošković, Željko
    2005 On the locality of left branch extraction and the structure of NP. Studia Linguistica591. 1–45. 10.1111/j.1467‑9582.2005.00118.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9582.2005.00118.x [Google Scholar]
  9. Broekhuis, Hans & Marcel den Dikken
    2012 Nouns and Noun Phrases. Volume 2. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Bruyn, Adrienne
    2007 Bare nouns and articles in Sranan. InMarlyse Baptista & Jaqueline Guéron (eds) Noun Phrases in Creole Languages: A Multi-Faceted Approach, 339–382. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.31.19bru
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.19bru [Google Scholar]
  11. Chen, Lisa & Rint Sybesma
    1999 Bare and Not-So-Bare Nouns and the Structure of NP. Linguistic Inquiry301. 509–542. 10.1162/002438999554192
     https://doi.org/10.1162/002438999554192 [Google Scholar]
  12. Chierchia, Gennaro
    1998 Reference to kinds across languages. Natural Language Semantics61. 339–405. 10.1023/A:1008324218506
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008324218506 [Google Scholar]
  13. Chomsky, Noam
    1981 Lectures of Government and Binding. Dordrecht: Foris.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Contreras, Heles
    1986 Spanish Bare NPs and the ECP. InIvonne Bordelois, Heles Contreras & Karen Zagona (eds.) Generative Studies in Romance Syntax, 25–49. Dordrecht: Foris.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Corbett, Greville G.
    2000 Number. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9781139164344
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139164344 [Google Scholar]
  16. Dayal, Veneeta and Yagmur Sag
    2020 Determiners and Bare Nouns. Annual Review of Linguistics61. 173–194. 10.1146/annurev‑linguistics‑011718‑011958
     https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-linguistics-011718-011958 [Google Scholar]
  17. Déprez, Viviane
    2005 Morphological Number, Semantic Number and Bare Nouns. Lingua1151. 857–883. 10.1016/j.lingua.2004.01.006
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2004.01.006 [Google Scholar]
  18. Dobrovie-Sorin, Carmen and Claire Beyssade
    2012 Redefining Indefinites. Dordrecht: Springer. 10.1007/978‑94‑007‑3002‑1
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-3002-1 [Google Scholar]
  19. Durrleman, Stephanie
    2015 Nominal architecture in Jamaican Creole. Journal of Pidgin and Creole languages34(2). 287–345. 10.1075/jpcl.30.2.03dur
     https://doi.org/10.1075/jpcl.30.2.03dur [Google Scholar]
  20. González-Vilbazo, Kay
    2005 Die Syntax des Code-Switching. Esplugisch:Sprachwechsel an der Deutschen Schule Barcelona. Cologne, Germany: University of Cologne dissertation.
  21. Guillemin, Diana
    2011 The syntax and semantics of a determiner system: a case study of Mauritian Creole. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.38
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.38 [Google Scholar]
  22. Hicks, Christopher
    2018 The Parameterisation of Number. Studia Linguistica721. 509–536. 10.1111/stul.12074
     https://doi.org/10.1111/stul.12074 [Google Scholar]
  23. Heim, Irene & Angelika Kratzer
    1998 Semantics in Generative Grammar. Oxford: Blackwell.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Jacobs, Bart
    2012 Origins of a Creole: The History of Papiamentu and Its African Ties. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. 10.1515/9781614511076
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9781614511076 [Google Scholar]
  25. Jacobs, Bart & Pieter Muysken
    2019 Heritage languages in a post-colonial setting: focus on Papiamentu. InS. Aalberse, A. Backus and P. Muysken (eds.) Heritage Languages: A Language Contact Approach, 204–223. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Kester, Ellen Petra & J. Fun
    2012 Language use, language attitudes and identity among Aruban students in the Netherlands. InN. Faraclas, R. Severing, C. Weijer and L. Echteld (eds.) Multiplex Cultures and Citizenships, 231–248. Willemstad: University of Curaçao/Fundashon pa Planifikashon di Idioma.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Kester, Ellen Petra & Tirza Hortencia
    2010 Language use, language attitudes and identity among Curaçaoan high school students. InN. Faraclas, R. Severing, C. Weijer and E. Echteld (eds.) Continuity, Divergence and Convergence in Language, Culture and Society on the ABC-Islands, 25–38. Willemstad: Fundashon di Planifikashon di Idioma.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Kester, Ellen-Petra & Cristina Schmitt
    2007 Papiamentu and Brazilian Portuguese: A Comparative Study of Bare Nominals. InMarlyse Baptista and Jaqueline Guéron (eds) Noun Phrases in Creole Languages: A Multi-Faceted Approach, 107–143. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.31.07kes
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.07kes [Google Scholar]
  29. Kihm, Alain
    2007 On the interpretation of bare noun phrases in Guinea-Bissau Portuguese Creole (Kriyol). InM. Baptista and J. Guéron (eds) Noun Phrases in Creole Languages: A Multi-Faceted Approach, 145–170. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.31.08kih
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.08kih [Google Scholar]
  30. Kouwenberg, Silvia
    2007 Bare nouns in Berbice Ditch Creole. InMarlyse Baptista & Jaqueline Guéron (eds) Noun Phrases in Creole Languages: A Multi-Faceted Approach, 437–458. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.31.25kou
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.25kou [Google Scholar]
  31. Liceras, Juana M., Raquel Fernández Fuertes, Susana Perales, Rocío Pérez-Tattam, & Kenton Todd Spradlin
    2008 Gender and Gender Agreement in Bilingual Native and Non-Native Grammars: A View from Child and Adult Functional-Lexical Mixings. Lingua1181. 827–851. 10.1016/j.lingua.2007.05.006
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2007.05.006 [Google Scholar]
  32. Longobardi, Giuseppe
    1994 Reference and Proper Names: A Theory of N-Movement in Syntax and Logical Form. Linguistic Inquiry251. 609–665.
     [Google Scholar]
  33. 2001 The Structure of DPs: Some Principles, Parameters and Problems. InMark Baltin (ed) The Handbook of Contemporary Syntactic Theory, 562–603. Oxford: Blackwell. 10.1002/9780470756416.ch18
     https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470756416.ch18 [Google Scholar]
  34. Muysken, Pieter, Hetty Kook & Paul Vedder
    1996 Papiamentu/Dutch codeswitching in bilingual parent-child reading. Applied Psycholinguistics171. 485–505. 10.1017/S0142716400008213
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0142716400008213 [Google Scholar]
  35. van Osch, Brechje, M. Carmen Parafita Couto, Ivo Boers & Bo Sterken
    2023 Adjective position in the code-switched speech of Spanish and Papiamento heritage speakers in the Netherlands: Individual differences and methodological considerations. Frontiers in Psychology141:1136023. 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1136023
     https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1136023 [Google Scholar]
  36. Pablos, Leticia, M. Carmen Parafita Couto, Bastian Boutonnet, Amy De Jong, Marlou Perquin, De Annelies Haan & Niels Schiller
    2019 Adjective-noun order in Papiamento-Dutch code-switching. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism91. 710–735. 10.1075/lab.17036.pab
     https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.17036.pab [Google Scholar]
  37. Parafita Couto, M. Carmen & Gullberg, Marianne
    2019 Code-switching within the Noun Phrase: Evidence from Three Corpora. International Journal of Bilingualism23(2). 695–714. 10.1177/1367006917729543
     https://doi.org/10.1177/1367006917729543 [Google Scholar]
  38. Parafita Couto, M. Carmen, Charlotte Pouw, Rodi Laanen & Luis López
    . To appear. The role of INFL in code-switching: a study of heritage speakers of Papiamentu in the Netherlands. Frontiers in Psychology.
     [Google Scholar]
  39. Parafita Couto, M. Carmen & Hans Stadthagen-Gonzalez
    2019 El book or the libro? Insights from acceptability judgments into determiner/noun code-switches. International Journal of Bilingualism, 23(1). 349–360. 10.1177/1367006917728392
     https://doi.org/10.1177/1367006917728392 [Google Scholar]
  40. Poplack, Shana
    1980 Sometimes I will start a sentence in Spanish y termino en espaÑol. Toward a typology of code-switching. Linguistics181. 581–618. 10.1515/ling.1980.18.7‑8.581
     https://doi.org/10.1515/ling.1980.18.7-8.581 [Google Scholar]
  41. Prince, Ellen
    1981 Toward a Taxonomy of Given-New Information. InPeter Cole (ed) Radical Pragmatics, 223–254. New York: Academic Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  42. Ritter, Elizabeth
    1993 Two Functional Categories in Noun Phrases: Evidence from Modern Hebrew. Syntax and Semantics261. 37–62.
     [Google Scholar]
  43. Rivera-Castillo, Yolanda
    2022 A description of Papiamentu: A Creole language of the Caribbean. Brill: Leiden, Netherlands. 10.1163/9789004448834
     https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004448834 [Google Scholar]
  44. Rizzi, Luigi
    1982 Issues in Italian syntax. Dordrecht: Foris. 10.1515/9783110883718
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110883718 [Google Scholar]
  45. Schmitt, Cristina and Ellen-Petra Kester
    2005 Bare nominals in Papiamentu and Brazilian Portuguese: an exo-skeletal approach. InRandall Gess and Edward Rubin (eds.) Theoretical and Experimental Approaches to Romance Linguistics. Selected Proceedings of the 34th Linguistic Symposium of Romance Languages, 237–256. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cilt.272.15sch
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.272.15sch [Google Scholar]
  46. 2014 Predicate nominals in Papiamentu. A Comparison with Brazilian Portuguese and Other Languages. InAna Aguilar-Guevara, Bert Le Bruyn & Joost Zwarts (eds.) Weak Referentiality, 129–156. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
     [Google Scholar]
  47. Schmitt, Cristina and Allan Munn
    1999 Against the Nominal Mapping Parameter: Bare Nouns in Brazilian Portuguese. InP. tamanji, M. Hirotani and N. Hall (eds.) Proceedings of NELS 29, 339–353. University of Delaware.
     [Google Scholar]
  48. Schwegler, Armin
    2007 Bare nouns in Palenquero: a fresh consensus in the making. InM. Baptista and J. Guéron (eds) Noun Phrases in Creole Languages: A Multi-Faceted Approach, 205–222. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.31.11sch
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.11sch [Google Scholar]
  49. Stewart, Michele
    2011 The expression of number in Jamaican Creole. Journal of Pidgin and Creole languages26(2). 363–385. 10.1075/jpcl.26.2.05ste
     https://doi.org/10.1075/jpcl.26.2.05ste [Google Scholar]
  50. Stowell, Tim
    1981 Origins of Phrase Structure. Cambridge, Massachussets, MIT dissertation.
  51. Zhang, Nina Ning
    2013 Classifier structures in Mandarin Chinese. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. 10.1515/9783110304992
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110304992 [Google Scholar]
  52. Zribi-Hertz, Anne and Herby Glaude
    2007 Bare NPs and deficient DPs in Haitian Creole and French: From morphosyntax to referent construal. InM. Baptista and J. Guéron (eds) Noun Phrases in Creole Languages: A Multi-Faceted Approach, 265–298. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cll.31.15zri
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.31.15zri [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/jpcl.00134.lop
Loading
Remarks on the syntax of bare nouns in Papiamentu
Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages 40, 302 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1075/jpcl.00134.lop
/content/journals/10.1075/jpcl.00134.lop
/content/journals/10.1075/jpcl.00134.lop
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): bare noun; code-switching; D; Num; Papiamentu

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error