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<div>In reply to Iris Berent's query (below):</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>There are various languages which might be thought of as using
number morphology to mark extent, as in the 'greater numbers' of
languages like Banyun, Fula and so on (Corbett 2000: 30-35), and in
'plurals of abundance' (2000: 238-239). However, this is as part of a
number system, not 'rather than' number.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>details in:<i> Number</i>, Cambridge University Press,
2000.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Best</div>
<div>Greville G. Corbett</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Surrey Morphology Group</div>
<div>University of Surrey</div>
<div
>Guildford,Surrey, <span
></span
> <span
></span> </div>
<div>Great
Britain <span
></span
> <span
></span> </div>
<div>http://www.surrey.ac.uk/LIS/SMG/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>At 6:02 pm +0100 20/9/02, Dan Everett wrote:</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Folks,<br>
<br>
I am forwarding the following question from a psychologist colleague
at<br>
Florida Atlantic University. Please copy your response to the list
also<br>
to her at: iberent@science.fau.edu<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
<br>
Dan Everett<br>
<br>
Here is the question:<br>
************************<br>
<br>
Is there a language that marks nouns for extent, rather than for<br>
number? Because extent can be conceptually represented for either<br>
individuals or masses, a marking for extent would treat
individuals<br>
and masses alike. For instance, if the English plural were used
to<br>
mark extent, one could say things like "some waters" and
"some<br>
apples", and contrast them with "few water" and
"few apple". Such<br>
marking for extent should further be expected to constrain
syntactic<br>
agreement, in parallel to number agreement.<br>
<br>
Are such systems attested?<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Iris Berent</blockquote>
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