[Lingtyp] Weak scalar quantifiers (some)

[Christian Lehmann]

Am 02.01.2025 um 12:02 schrieb Mira Ariel:
>
> first, a request for conceptual clarification. You seem to be 
> contrasting 'some' as a scalar quantifier to 'some' as a determiner. 
> Is the latter the same as an indefinite pronoun?
>
> Both can be pronominal, and my question doesn't care about this 
> distinction:
>
> Determiner: A: Would you like to buy *some* apples?
>
>             B: Yes, can I have *some*?
>
> Scalar Quan: A: Would you like all the apples?
>
>             B1: I'd like *some* of them.
>
>             B2: I'd like *some*.
>
> The main (almost absolute difference) is stress. Scalar quantifier is 
> overwhelmingly stressed, determiner /some /isn't. Also, scalar 
> quantifier favors subject (or topic position), while determiner /some 
> /favors direct object position (data based on Santa Barbara Corpus, 
> cited in a paper recently submitted).
>
>
> Semantically/pragmatically: scalar quantifier /some/ profiles an 
> upper-bounded quantity ('less than all'). Determiner /some /is 
> oblivious to this question.
>
>
> Now, the standard German forms for the quantifier are /einige/ and 
> /etliche/. The etymological dictionary of German 
> (https://www.dwds.de/d/wb-etymwb <https://www.dwds.de/d/wb-etymwb>) 
> categorizes both as indefinite pronouns.
>
> Would you use these forms in the counterpart of the scalar quantifier 
> examples above? In both?
>
>
Translating your examples:

Determiner: A: Möchten Sie Äpfel kaufen?

            B: Ja; kann ich welche haben?

Scalar Quan: A: Möchten Sie alle Äpfel haben?

            B1: Ich möchte ein paar davon.

            B2: Ich möchte ein paar.


My Sprachgefühl tells me that /einige/ is possible in B1 and B2, but not 
idiomatic. This may be related to the human/animate/inanimate 
distinction: /einige/ would be unproblematic if the question were

A: Kennen Sie alle Kollegen? 'Do you know all the colleagues?'

B: Ich kenne einige (von ihnen). 'I know some (of them).'


Here, again, /ein paar/ would be equally possible; and maybe some 
speakers would feel that /ein paar/ are less than /einige/.

-- 

Prof. em. Dr. Christian Lehmann
Rudolfstr. 4
99092 Erfurt
Deutschland

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E-Post: 	christianw_lehmann at arcor.de
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