The distinction between the Indefinites umand algumin the Brazilian Portuguese / A distinção entre os indefinidos ume algumno português brasileiro

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2007

RESUMO

This work studies the denotation of indefinite phrases with umand algumin the pre-verbal position in Brazilian Portuguese and it argues in favor of a distinction between them. The goal of this dissertation is to discuss the properties that distinguish these two indefinites and the semantic contributions they provide to sentences where they appear. The works of Kratzer and Shimoyama (2002), Alonso-Ovalle and Menéndez-Benito (2003) and Pires de Oliveira (2005) are the background to the analysis proposed here. This dissertation argues that algumis an epistemic indefinite that marks speakerslack of knowledge about who (or what) satisfies her existential claims. However umdoes not induce to this epistemic effect and can be appropriate when the speaker intends to refer to a specific individual. The analysis of the speakers intuition and the analysis of data (departing of works of the mentioned authors) permitted to conclud, in the respect to quantification: um NP(i) presents variability of quantificational force; (ii) it can be antecedent of an anaphoric pronoun; (iii) it does not have its scope constrained by if-sentences; (iv) it can be combined with nonrestrictive clauses. Um NPis not an epistemic indefinite and, due to this, (i) it can be read as an "referential"; (ii) it does not induce to the domain widening; (iii) it is not associated with free choice effect; (iv) it does not induce an epistemic indefinite. On the other hand, algum NP(i) presents variability of quantificational force; (ii) it can not be antecedent of an anaphoric pronoun; (iii) it has its scope constrained by ifsentences; (iv) it can not be combined with non-restrictive clauses. Algum NPis an epistemic indefinite and, due to this, (i) it can be read as an "referential"; (ii) it induces to the domain widening; (iii) it is associated with free choice effect; (iv) it induces an epistemic indefinite.The proposals of this work are made under the theoretical point of view of Formal Semantics and are relevant because they contribute to studies concerned with a general theory of indefinites.

ASSUNTO(S)

semântica algum indefinidos modalidade indefinites um algum epistemic modality um semantics

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