La scalarité d'indéfinis à sélection arbitraire

Translated title of the contribution: Scalarity of the indefinite arbitrary selection

Pierre Larrivée

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This paper looks at the notion of scale through the negative polarity and free-choice interpretations of arbitrary-selection expressions such as any. These interpretations rest on a scalar model, which explains why they often get associated with the same item cross-linguistically. A scalar model does not seem to emerge readily in the problematic imperatives of the type Pick any card, where the arbitrary selection item differs from its other uses by its existential value and absence of qualitative dimensions. These differences come from a choice over non-distinguishable entities left to the interlocutor. Yet, since this choice is exerted against the whole set of contextual entities, a scalar model seems to stand, for this and other problematic imperative uses.
Translated title of the contributionScalarity of the indefinite arbitrary selection
Original languageFrench
Pages (from-to)94-107
Number of pages14
JournalTravaux de Linguistique
Volume54
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007

Keywords

  • scale
  • negative polarity
  • interpretations
  • arbitrary-selection expressions
  • any
  • existential value
  • qualitative dimensions
  • non-distinguishable entities

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