Bare singulars and so-called bare singulars
This thesis investigates bare singular nouns from a cross-linguistic perspective, with an emphasis on Spanish. While there has been considerable work on bare plural and bare mass nominals, there is, in comparison, little work on bare singulars and this dissertation aims to ll that gap. I examine the behaviour of bare singulars in argumental position in Rioplatense Spanish (RS), Catalan, Greek, Norwegian, Brazilian Portuguese (BP), Persian and Afro-Bolivian Spanish (ABS) { all of which make use of bare singulars even if they have an inde nite determiner as part of their functional array. I argue that these languages can be split into two groups depending on the position and interpretation that bare singulars occupy. For the rst group (RS, Catalan, Greek and Norwegian) I argue against a number neutral (pseudo)incorporation analysis. Based on their referential properties, binding possibilities and singular number speci cation, I propose that they are DPs, albeit of a defective type. Group 2 bare singulars (BP, Persian and ABS) are truly number neutral DPs. I propose that this is the case as bare plurals, standardly assumed to be number neutral, cannot ful l that role in these languages. The second part of my
Rinaldi, Melisa Gisele
Language ; Linguistics ; Spanish ; bare singulars
Bare singulars and so-called bare singulars. This thesis investigates bare singular nouns from a cross-linguistic perspective, with an emphasis on Spanish. While there has been considerable work on bare plural and bare mass nominals, there is, in comparison, little work on bare singulars and this dissertation aims to ll that gap. I examine the behaviour of bare singulars in argumental position in Rioplatense Spanish (RS), Catalan, Greek, Norwegian, Brazilian Portuguese (BP), Persian and Afro-Bolivian Spanish (ABS) { all of which make use of bare singulars even if they have an inde nite determiner as part of their functional array. I argue that these languages can be split into two groups depending on the position and interpretation that bare singulars occupy. For the rst group (RS, Catalan, Greek and Norwegian) I argue against a number neutral (pseudo)incorporation analysis. Based on their referential properties, binding possibilities and singular number speci cation, I propose that they are DPs, albeit of a defective type. Group 2 bare singulars (BP, Persian and ABS) are truly number neutral DPs. I propose that this is the case as bare plurals, standardly assumed to be number neutral, cannot ful l that role in these languages. The second part of my
bare so_called bare singular investigates bare singular noun cross_linguistic perspective emphasis spanish considerable work bare plural bare mass nominal comparison little_work bare aim gap examine behaviour bare position spanish catalan greek norwegian brazilian portuguese persian spanish make_use bare singular even determiner part functional array argue language split_two group depend position interpretation bare occupy group catalan greek norwegian argue number neutral pseudo incorporation analysis based referential property bind possibility singular number propose dps albeit defective type group bare singular persian truly number neutral dps propose case bare plural standardly assume number neutral role language second_part