The Semantics of Determiners

Domain Restriction in Skwx Wu7mesh
Unabridged ed
ISBN: 978-1-4438-5311-8
Verlag: Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Buch, Englisch, 290 Seiten, Format (B × H): 151 mm x 214 mm, Gewicht: 558 g

This book investigates the properties of determiners in Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Salish.

Determiners in Skwxwú7mesh are shown to behave significantly differently from the definite determiner the in English, as Skwxwú7mesh lacks a definite/indefiniteness distinction. All Skwxwú7mesh DPs can be used in both familiar and novel contexts, and are not required to refer to a unique entity. Instead, Skwxwú7mesh determiners are split along deictic/non-deicticlines.

Determiners can therefore vary in terms of their semantics. However, determiners are argued to universally encode contextual sensitivity (domain restriction). A strict correlation between the syntax and semantics of determiners is proposed: if an article occupies D, it is context sensitive. Conversely, articles that do not occupy D are not context sensitive.

This book also explores determiner systems in other Salish languages. Deixis is a part of most of the Salish determiner systems, but the systems vary quite a bit from one another. Other languages discussed include Inuttut (Labrador Inuktitut), Lithuanian and Maori.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Gillon, Carrie

Über Autor(innen)

Gillon, Carrie
Carrie Gillon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at Arizona State University. She has published work in the International Journal of American Linguistics on deixis in Skwxwú7mesh, on the semantics of determiners in Determiners: Variation and Universals, and on the mass-count distinction in Inuttut in Linguistic Variation.