Types of common nouns in Ga
Agata Renans
University of Potsdam
September 17, 2013
Düsseldorf
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Introduction
Ga language
spoken in West Africa, in Ghana
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Introduction
Ga language
the Greater Accra Region
600 000 speakers
one of the five government
supported languages, taught
in the schools
SVO, 2 tones: low and high
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Introduction
The main claims:
There are three types of CNs in Ga:
singular and plural count nouns
mass nouns
intermediate nouns
one of the main evidence for the existence of the third intermediate
type of CNs → interaction with the exclusive particles
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Introduction
The main claims:
There are three types of CNs in Ga:
singular and plural count nouns
mass nouns
intermediate nouns
one of the main evidence for the existence of the third intermediate
type of CNs → interaction with the exclusive particles
The plan of the talk
1
three types of CNs in Ga
2
exclusive particles in Ga
3
(1) + (2) = interaction of the different types of CNs with the exclusive
particles
4
analysis
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Introduction
Common Nouns in Ga
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Common Nouns in Ga
Count nouns
Mass nouns
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Common Nouns in Ga
Count nouns
they can be combined with numerals without the use of classifiers,
they obtain morphological plural markers when they refer to a cumulation of the
NP-entities
Mass nouns
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Common Nouns in Ga
Count nouns
they can be combined with numerals without the use of classifiers,
they obtain morphological plural markers when they refer to a cumulation of the
NP-entities
(1)
Kofi ye sEbE-i
2 nyE.
K. eat egg.plant-PL 2 yesterday
‘Kofi ate two egg plants yesterday.’
Mass nouns
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Common Nouns in Ga
Count nouns
they can be combined with numerals without the use of classifiers,
they obtain morphological plural markers when they refer to a cumulation of the
NP-entities
(1)
Kofi ye sEbE-i
2 nyE.
K. eat egg.plant-PL 2 yesterday
‘Kofi ate two egg plants yesterday.’
wolo (book), nyEmi yoo (sister), aduawa (fruit), sEbE (eggplant), akpoplonto (turtle),
mama (textile), weku (family)
Mass nouns
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Common Nouns in Ga
Count nouns
they can be combined with numerals without the use of classifiers,
they obtain morphological plural markers when they refer to a cumulation of the
NP-entities
(1)
Kofi ye sEbE-i
2 nyE.
K. eat egg.plant-PL 2 yesterday
‘Kofi ate two egg plants yesterday.’
wolo (book), nyEmi yoo (sister), aduawa (fruit), sEbE (eggplant), akpoplonto (turtle),
mama (textile), weku (family)
Mass nouns
they cannot be combined with numerals without the use of classifiers,
they are not pluralized when they refer to a cumulation of the NP-entities
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Common Nouns in Ga
Count nouns
they can be combined with numerals without the use of classifiers,
they obtain morphological plural markers when they refer to a cumulation of the
NP-entities
(1)
Kofi ye sEbE-i
2 nyE.
K. eat egg.plant-PL 2 yesterday
‘Kofi ate two egg plants yesterday.’
wolo (book), nyEmi yoo (sister), aduawa (fruit), sEbE (eggplant), akpoplonto (turtle),
mama (textile), weku (family)
Mass nouns
they cannot be combined with numerals without the use of classifiers,
they are not pluralized when they refer to a cumulation of the NP-entities
(2)
*Kofi ye yOO
2 nyE.
K.
eat bean 2 yesterday.
‘Kofi ate two beans yesterday.’
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
(3)
Kofi ye yOO
pii
nyE.
K. eat bean many yesterday.
‘Kofi ate a lot of beans yesterday.’
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Common Nouns in Ga
Count nouns
they can be combined with numerals without the use of classifiers,
they obtain morphological plural markers when they refer to a cumulation of the
NP-entities
(1)
Kofi ye sEbE-i
2 nyE.
K. eat egg.plant-PL 2 yesterday
‘Kofi ate two egg plants yesterday.’
wolo (book), nyEmi yoo (sister), aduawa (fruit), sEbE (eggplant), akpoplonto (turtle),
mama (textile), weku (family)
Mass nouns
they cannot be combined with numerals without the use of classifiers,
they are not pluralized when they refer to a cumulation of the NP-entities
(2)
*Kofi ye yOO
2 nyE.
K.
eat bean 2 yesterday.
‘Kofi ate two beans yesterday.’
(3)
Kofi ye yOO
pii
nyE.
K. eat bean many yesterday.
‘Kofi ate a lot of beans yesterday.’
yOO, nu (water), fO (oil), gari (gries), shika (money), su (mud), waN (grey hair), tawa
(tobacco)
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Common Nouns in Ga
Intermediate nouns
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Common Nouns in Ga
Intermediate nouns
like count nouns ⇒ they can be combined with numerals without the use of
classifiers
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Common Nouns in Ga
Intermediate nouns
like count nouns ⇒ they can be combined with numerals without the use of
classifiers
like mass nouns ⇒ they are not pluralized when they refer to a cumulation of the
NP-entities
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Common Nouns in Ga
Intermediate nouns
like count nouns ⇒ they can be combined with numerals without the use of
classifiers
like mass nouns ⇒ they are not pluralized when they refer to a cumulation of the
NP-entities
(4)
Lisa ye atomo 2 nyE.
Lisa eat potato 2 yesterday
‘Lisa ate two potatoes yesterday.’
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Common Nouns in Ga
Intermediate nouns
like count nouns ⇒ they can be combined with numerals without the use of
classifiers
like mass nouns ⇒ they are not pluralized when they refer to a cumulation of the
NP-entities
(4)
Lisa ye atomo 2 nyE.
Lisa eat potato 2 yesterday
‘Lisa ate two potatoes yesterday.’
(5)
Lisa ye atomo nyE.
Lisa eat potato yesterday
‘Lisa ate potato(s) yesterday.’ ⇒ it does not follow how many
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Common Nouns in Ga
Intermediate nouns
like count nouns ⇒ they can be combined with numerals without the use of
classifiers
like mass nouns ⇒ they are not pluralized when they refer to a cumulation of the
NP-entities
(4)
Lisa ye atomo 2 nyE.
Lisa eat potato 2 yesterday
‘Lisa ate two potatoes yesterday.’
(5)
Lisa ye atomo nyE.
Lisa eat potato yesterday
‘Lisa ate potato(s) yesterday.’ ⇒ it does not follow how many
loo (fish), bloodo (bread), amo (tomato), atomo (potato), kOmi (kenkey), amadaa
(plaintain), abonua (lemon), waa (snail), kaa (crab), Naa (crab)
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Common Nouns in Ga
Count Nouns
The denotation of count nouns — sublattice structures (Link 1983):
a⊕b⊕c
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
sEbEi
a
b
c
sEbE
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Common Nouns in Ga
Mass nouns 1
Mass nouns 2
f⊕g⊕h
a⊕b⊕c
f⊕g
f⊕h
g⊕h
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
...
...
...
a
b
c
Link (1983), (Wilhelm 2008)
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Chierchia (1998)
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Common Nouns in Ga
Mass nouns in Ga
Intermediate nouns in Ga
f⊕g⊕h
a⊕b⊕c
f⊕g
f⊕h
g⊕h
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
...
...
...
a
b
c
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Common Nouns in Ga
Mass nouns in Ga
Intermediate nouns in Ga
f⊕g⊕h
a⊕b⊕c
f⊕g
f⊕h
g⊕h
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
...
...
...
a
b
c
Mass nouns
they are not pluralized when they refer to a cumulation of the NP-entities
Intermediate nouns
they are not pluralized when they refer to a cumulation of the NP-entities
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Common Nouns in Ga
Mass nouns in Ga
Intermediate nouns in Ga
f⊕g⊕h
a⊕b⊕c
f⊕g
f⊕h
g⊕h
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
...
...
...
a
b
c
Mass nouns
they are not pluralized when they refer to a cumulation of the NP-entities
they cannot be combined with numerals without the use of classifiers,
Intermediate nouns
they are not pluralized when they refer to a cumulation of the NP-entities
they can be combined with numerals without the use of classifiers
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Common Nouns in Ga
Intermediate summary:
3 types of CNs in Ga:
count → sublattice structures
mass → a full join-semilattice structure without the atomic elements
intermediate → a full join-semilattice structure with atomic elements
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Common Nouns in Ga
Exclusive particles in Ga
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Exclusive particles
Exclusives in Ga — Introduction
Unusual proliferation of exclusives in Ga:
(6)
a.
b.
Basic exclusives:
kome, too, pE, kEkE, sOO
Complex exclusives:
kome too, kome pE, kome too pE, too pE, kEkE pE, etc.
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Exclusive particles
Exclusives in Ga — Introduction
Unusual proliferation of exclusives in Ga:
(6)
a.
b.
Basic exclusives:
kome, too, pE, kEkE, sOO
Complex exclusives:
kome too, kome pE, kome too pE, too pE, kEkE pE, etc.
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Exclusive particles
Exclusives in Ga — Introduction
Unusual proliferation of exclusives in Ga:
(6)
a.
b.
Basic exclusives:
kome, too, pE, kEkE, sOO
Complex exclusives:
kome too, kome pE, kome too pE, too pE, kEkE pE, etc.
kome → is not a full-blooded exclusive; derives from ekome (one)
pE, too → typical exclusive particles, the differences in their semantics
are hard to detect, BUT:
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Exclusive particles
Exclusives in Ga — Introduction
Unusual proliferation of exclusives in Ga:
(6)
a.
b.
Basic exclusives:
kome, too, pE, kEkE, sOO
Complex exclusives:
kome too, kome pE, kome too pE, too pE, kEkE pE, etc.
kome → is not a full-blooded exclusive; derives from ekome (one)
pE, too → typical exclusive particles, the differences in their semantics
are hard to detect, BUT:
they are visible when pE and too are part of the complex exclusives:
kome pE and kome too
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Exclusive particles
Exclusives in Ga — Introduction
Unusual proliferation of exclusives in Ga:
(6)
a.
b.
Basic exclusives:
kome, too, pE, kEkE, sOO
Complex exclusives:
kome too, kome pE, kome too pE, too pE, kEkE pE, etc.
kome → is not a full-blooded exclusive; derives from ekome (one)
pE, too → typical exclusive particles, the differences in their semantics
are hard to detect, BUT:
they are visible when pE and too are part of the complex exclusives:
kome pE and kome too
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Interaction of three types of CNs with exclusive particles
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CNs and exclusives
Interaction with singular count nouns → as expected
(7)
Kofi he
wolo X kome pE/ X kome too nyE.
K. bought book PART
PART
yesterday
‘Kofi bought only (one) book yesterday.’
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CNs and exclusives
Interaction with singular count nouns → as expected
(7)
Kofi he
wolo X kome pE/ X kome too nyE.
K. bought book PART
PART
yesterday
‘Kofi bought only (one) book yesterday.’
Interaction with mass nouns
(8)
Kofi he
yOO *kome pE/ Xkome too nyE.
K. bought bean PART
PART
yesterday
‘Kofi bought only beans yesterday.’
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CNs and exclusives
Interaction with singular count nouns → as expected
(7)
Kofi he
wolo X kome pE/ X kome too nyE.
K. bought book PART
PART
yesterday
‘Kofi bought only (one) book yesterday.’
Interaction with mass nouns
(8)
Kofi he
yOO *kome pE/ Xkome too nyE.
K. bought bean PART
PART
yesterday
‘Kofi bought only beans yesterday.’
Interaction with intermediate nouns
(9)
Kofi he
atomo X kome pE/ Xkome too nyE.
K. bought potato PART
PART
yesterday
‘Kofi bought only 1 potato/ only potato(s) yesterday.’
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CNs and exclusives
Interaction of common nouns with exclusives in Ga
sg. count nouns
mass nouns
intermed. nouns
kome
kome pE
kome too
too
pE
1 NP
−
1 NP
only 1 NP
−
only 1 NP
only (1) NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
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CNs and exclusives
Interaction of common nouns with exclusives in Ga
sg. count nouns
mass nouns
intermed. nouns
kome
kome pE
kome too
too
pE
1 NP
−
1 NP
only 1 NP
−
only 1 NP
only (1) NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
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CNs and exclusives
Interaction of common nouns with exclusives in Ga
sg. count nouns
mass nouns
intermed. nouns
kome
kome pE
kome too
too
pE
1 NP
−
1 NP
only 1 NP
−
only 1 NP
only (1) NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
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Interaction of CNs with exclusive particles — analysis
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Interaction — analysis
Part 1. Denotations of CNs
Count nouns
Mass nouns
a⊕b⊕c
f⊕g⊕h
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
f⊕g
f⊕h
g⊕h
a
b
c
...
...
...
Intermediate nouns
a⊕b⊕c
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a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
a
b
c
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Interaction — analysis
Part 2. Denotations of exclusive particles
Denotations of basic exclusives
kome → is analysed as a choice function (CF):
(10)
A choice function is a function from sets of individuals that picks a
unique individual from any non-empty set in its domain (Kratzer 1997).
The output of the CF must be an atomic element.
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Interaction — analysis
Part 2. Denotations of exclusive particles
Denotations of basic exclusives
kome → is analysed as a choice function (CF):
(10)
A choice function is a function from sets of individuals that picks a
unique individual from any non-empty set in its domain (Kratzer 1997).
The output of the CF must be an atomic element.
pE → is a generalized quantifier:
(11)
[[pE]] = λPλQ∀(x)[Q(x) → P(x)]
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Interaction — analysis
Part 2. Denotations of exclusive particles
Denotations of basic exclusives
kome → is analysed as a choice function (CF):
(10)
A choice function is a function from sets of individuals that picks a
unique individual from any non-empty set in its domain (Kratzer 1997).
The output of the CF must be an atomic element.
pE → is a generalized quantifier:
(11)
[[pE]] = λPλQ∀(x)[Q(x) → P(x)]
too → is a particle that incorporates Landman’s (1989) group forming operator (‘↑’)
(12)
[[too]] = λP.λx. for all z ∈ P : x =↑ (z)
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Interaction — analysis
Part 2. Denotations of exclusive particles
Denotations of basic exclusives
kome → is analysed as a choice function (CF):
(10)
A choice function is a function from sets of individuals that picks a
unique individual from any non-empty set in its domain (Kratzer 1997).
The output of the CF must be an atomic element.
pE → is a generalized quantifier:
(11)
[[pE]] = λPλQ∀(x)[Q(x) → P(x)]
too → is a particle that incorporates Landman’s (1989) group forming operator (‘↑’)
(12)
[[too]] = λP.λx. for all z ∈ P : x =↑ (z)
Complex exclusives
scope differences → pE scopes over kome, whereas too is in the scope of kome
(13)
pE (kome (too))
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Interaction — analysis
Complex exclusives:
(NP kome) pE:
(14)
[[NP kome]] = f (λx.[[NP]](x))
(14) is shifted in the Partee-style from hei to he, ti:
(15)
[[NP kome]]λy .y = f (λx.[[NP]](x))
(15) is feeded into the meaning of [[pE]]
(16)
for all z ∈ VP : z = f (λz.[[NP]](x))
(NP too) kome:
(17)
(18)
[[NP too]] = λx. for all z ∈ NP : x =↑ (z)
[[(NP too) kome]] = f (λx.for all z ∈ [[NP]] : x =↑ (z))
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome pE/kome too
(19)
Kofi he
yOO
*kome pE/ Xkome too nyE.
K. bought bean PART
PART
‘Kofi bought only beans yesterday.’
mass nouns
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
yesterday
kome pE
kome too
−
only NP
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome pE
kome → is analysed as a CF
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
pE → is a generalized quantifier
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome pE
kome → is analysed as a CF
pE → is a generalized quantifier
omo (rice)
f⊕g⊕h
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
f⊕g
f⊕h
g⊕h
...
...
...
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome pE
kome → is analysed as a CF
pE → is a generalized quantifier
1. *omo kome
f⊕g⊕h
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
f⊕g
f⊕h
g⊕h
...
...
...
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome pE
kome → is analysed as a CF
pE → is a generalized quantifier
1. *omo kome
f⊕g⊕h
f⊕g
f⊕h
g⊕h
...
...
...
2. *(omo kome) pE
There are no atomic elements in the above structure that can be picked up by the CF
denoted by kome ⇒ kome pE cannot modify mass nouns
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome pE
kome → is analysed as a CF
pE → is a generalized quantifier
1. *omo kome
f⊕g⊕h
f⊕g
f⊕h
g⊕h
...
...
...
2. *(omo kome) pE
There are no atomic elements in the above structure that can be picked up by the CF
denoted by kome ⇒ kome pE cannot modify mass nouns
mass nouns
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kome pE
kome too
−
only NP
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
too → particle that incorporates ‘↑’
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
too → particle that incorporates ‘↑’
1. omo
f⊕g⊕h
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
f⊕g
f⊕h
g⊕h
...
...
...
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
too → particle that incorporates ‘↑’
1. omo too
↑(f⊕g⊕h)
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
↑(f⊕g)
↑(f⊕h)
↑(g⊕h)
...
...
...
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
too → particle that incorporates ‘↑’
1. omo too
↑(f⊕g⊕h)
↑(f⊕g)
↑(f⊕h)
↑(g⊕h)
...
...
...
2. (omo too) kome
From the above structure, CF denoted by kome can pick up a group formed by ‘↑’ ⇒
mass nouns can be modified by kome too
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
too → particle that incorporates ‘↑’
1. omo too
↑(f⊕g⊕h)
↑(f⊕g)
↑(f⊕h)
↑(g⊕h)
...
...
...
2. (omo too) kome
From the above structure, CF denoted by kome can pick up a group formed by ‘↑’ ⇒
mass nouns can be modified by kome too
mass nouns
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
kome pE
kome too
−
only NP
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Interaction — analysis
Mass nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
too → particle that incorporates ‘↑’
1. omo too
↑(f⊕g⊕h)
↑(f⊕g)
↑(f⊕h)
↑(g⊕h)
...
...
...
2. (omo too) kome
From the above structure, CF denoted by kome can pick up a group formed by ‘↑’ ⇒
mass nouns can be modified by kome too
mass nouns
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kome pE
kome too
−
only NP
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Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome pE/kome too
(20)
Kofi he
atomo X kome pE/ Xkome too nyE.
K. bought potato PART
PART
yesterday
‘Kofi bought only 1 potato/ only potato(s) yesterday.’
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Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome pE/kome too
(20)
Kofi he
atomo X kome pE/ Xkome too nyE.
K. bought potato PART
PART
yesterday
‘Kofi bought only 1 potato/ only potato(s) yesterday.’
intermediate nouns
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
kome pE
kome too
only 1 NP
only NP
CountWorkshop
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Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome pE
kome → is analysed as a CF
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
pE → is a generalized quantifier
CountWorkshop
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Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome pE
kome → is analysed as a CF
pE → is a generalized quantifier
1. atomo
a⊕b⊕c
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
a
b
c
CountWorkshop
24 / 34
Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome pE
kome → is analysed as a CF
pE → is a generalized quantifier
1. atomo kome
a⊕b⊕c
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
a
b
c
CountWorkshop
24 / 34
Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome pE
kome → is analysed as a CF
pE → is a generalized quantifier
1. atomo kome
a⊕b⊕c
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
a
b
c
2. (atomo kome) pE
PE scopes over kome, we obtain the reading that everything that Kofi ate was one atomic
potato.
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
CountWorkshop
24 / 34
Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome pE
kome → is analysed as a CF
pE → is a generalized quantifier
1. atomo kome
a⊕b⊕c
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
a
b
c
2. (atomo kome) pE
PE scopes over kome, we obtain the reading that everything that Kofi ate was one atomic
potato.
intermediate nouns
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
kome pE
kome too
only 1 NP
only NP
CountWorkshop
24 / 34
Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
too → particle that works as ‘↑’
CountWorkshop
25 / 34
Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
too → particle that works as ‘↑’
1. atomo
a⊕b⊕c
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
a
b
c
CountWorkshop
25 / 34
Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
too → particle that works as ‘↑’
1. atomo too
↑(a⊕b⊕c)
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
↑(a⊕b)
↑(a⊕c)
↑(b⊕c)
a
b
c
CountWorkshop
25 / 34
Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
too → particle that works as ‘↑’
1. atomo too
↑(a⊕b⊕c)
↑(a⊕b)
↑(a⊕c)
↑(b⊕c)
a
b
c
2. (atomo too) kome
From the above structure, CF denoted by kome can pick up any group of any cardinality
⇒ we obtain the reading: only potato(s) (of unknown cardinality)
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
CountWorkshop
25 / 34
Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
too → particle that works as ‘↑’
1. atomo too
↑(a⊕b⊕c)
↑(a⊕b)
↑(a⊕c)
↑(b⊕c)
a
b
c
2. (atomo too) kome
From the above structure, CF denoted by kome can pick up any group of any cardinality
⇒ we obtain the reading: only potato(s) (of unknown cardinality)
intermediate nouns
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
kome pE
kome too
only 1 NP
only NP
CountWorkshop
25 / 34
Interaction — analysis
Intermediate nouns and kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
too → particle that works as ‘↑’
1. atomo too
↑(a⊕b⊕c)
↑(a⊕b)
↑(a⊕c)
↑(b⊕c)
a
b
c
2. (atomo too) kome
From the above structure, CF denoted by kome can pick up any group of any cardinality
⇒ we obtain the reading: only potato(s) (of unknown cardinality)
intermediate nouns
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
kome pE
kome too
only 1 NP
only NP
CountWorkshop
25 / 34
Discussion
English quantifiers
DP
hhe, ti , ti
D
hhe, ti , hhe, ti , tii
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
NP
he, ti
CountWorkshop
26 / 34
Discussion
Quantifiers in St’at’imcets (Matthewson 2001)
QP
hhe, ti , ti
Q
he, hhe, ti , tii
DP
hei
D
hhe, ti , ei
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
NP
he, ti
CountWorkshop
27 / 34
Discussion
Quantifiers in St’at’imcets (Matthewson 2001)
QP
hhe, ti , ti
Q
he, hhe, ti , tii
DP
hei
D
hhe, ti , ei
NP
he, ti
Ga exclusive particles can be analysed in the analogical way!
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
CountWorkshop
27 / 34
Discussion
QP
hhe, ti , ti
DP
hei
Q
he, hhe, ti , tii
pE
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
D
hhe, ti , ei
NP
he, ti
kome
atomo
CountWorkshop
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Summary
Summary:
traditional distinction between count and mass nouns is an insufficient
tool for describing the semantics of common nouns in Ga
there are 3 types of common nouns in Ga:
singular and plural count nouns
mass nouns
intermediate nouns
three types of common nouns interact in the unexpected ways with the
exclusive particles:
sg. count nouns
mass nouns
intermed. nouns
kome
kome pE
kome too
too
pE
1 NP
−
1 NP
only 1 NP
−
only 1 NP
only (1) NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
only NP
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
CountWorkshop
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Thank you very much!
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
CountWorkshop
30 / 34
Appendix
Sg count nouns and kome pE/kome too
(21)
Kofi he
wolo X kome pE/ X kome too nyE.
K. bought book PART
PART
‘Kofi bought only (one) book yesterday.’
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
yesterday
CountWorkshop
31 / 34
Appendix
Singular count nouns and kome pE/ kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
too → particle that works as ‘↑’
pE → generalized quantifier’
CountWorkshop
32 / 34
Appendix
Singular count nouns and kome pE/ kome too
kome → is analysed as a CF
too → particle that works as ‘↑’
pE → generalized quantifier’
1. wolo
a⊕b⊕c
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
a⊕b
a⊕c
b⊕c
a
b
c
CountWorkshop
32 / 34
Appendix
Interaction with the plural count nouns
(22)
Priscilla he
sEii
*kome pE/ Xkome too nyE.
P.
bought chairs PART
PART
‘Priscilla bought only chairs yesterday.’
yesterday
sEii pE
a⊕b⊕c
a⊕b
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
a⊕c
b⊕c
CountWorkshop
33 / 34
Appendix
Interaction with the plural count nouns
(22)
Priscilla he
sEii
*kome pE/ Xkome too nyE.
P.
bought chairs PART
PART
‘Priscilla bought only chairs yesterday.’
yesterday
sEii too
↑(a⊕b⊕c)
↑(a⊕b)
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
↑(a⊕c)
↑(b⊕c)
CountWorkshop
33 / 34
References
References:
Chierchia, G. (1998), Reference to Kinds across Languages, In NLS, 6: 339–504
Kratzer, A. (1998), Scope or Pseudoscope? Are there Wide-Scope Indefinites?, In
Rothstein, S. (eds.), Events and Grammar
Landman, F. (1989), Groups I, In L&P, 12.5: 559–605
Link, G. (1983), The Logical Analysis of Plural and Mass Nouns: A Lattice-theoretic
Approach. In Bäuerle, E. et al. (eds.), Meaning, Use, and Interpretation of Language,
302–323
Matthewson, L. (2001), Quantification and the nature of crosslinguistic variation, In NLS,
9: 141-189
Wilhelm, A., (2008), Bare Nouns and Number in Dëne Su̧liné, In NLS, 16: 39–68.
Renans (Uni Potsdam, SFB 632)
CountWorkshop
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