G énéricité: Ana Müller - 17 sept.

[Alda Mari]

Chers collègues, 

nous avons le plaisir de vous inviter au prochain séminaire 'Généricité: Interprétation et Usages' qui recevra l'exposé de

Ana Müller (Sãn Paulo)
"The expression of Genericity in Brazilian Portuguese"

Jeudi 17 Septembre 2009
11h00 - 13h00
à l'ENS
29, rue d'Ulm
Pavillon Jardin
Salle de réunion RDC. 

La page du séminaire se trouve à l'adresse: 
http://lumiere.ens.fr/~amari/genius/Seminar.htm

Cordialement, 
Alda Mari

Abstract:
This paper investigates the semantics of kind-referring expressions and of generic quantification in Brazilian Portuguese (BP). In BP genericity may be expressed by a singular definite (1) Noun Phrase, and also by indefinite noun phrases such as the indefinite generic (2), the bare singular (3) and the bare plural (4). The main goal of the paper is to address the differences in the interpretations of these four types of generic expressions in BP in light of the distinction between generically quantified sentences and kind-referring expressions (cf. Krifka et al.1995).

 

(1)       O        brasileiro       é trabalhador.

The     Brazilian        is hardworking

'Brazilians are hardworking'

 

(2)       Um     brasileiro       é         trabalhador.

a         Brazilian        is          hardworking

'Brazilians is hardworking'

 

(3)       Brasileiro       é         trabalhador.

Brazilian        is          hardworking

'Brazilians are hardworking'

 

(4)       Brasileiros      são     trabalhadores.

'Brazilians     are     hardworking

                                           

The paper argues that the generic definite NP is a kind-referring expression, whereas generic indefinite NPs are just normal indefinites bound by a generic operator. The paper also argues that an explanation for the semantics of generic quantification in Brazilian Portuguese emerges if one takes the denotation of common nouns in this language as a neutralization between atomic and plural denotations. Count common nouns in BP are best analyzed as denoting both atoms and pluralities. The different interpretations of generic indefinites may then be attributed to the semantics of a SINGular and of a PLural operator and to the semantics of generic quantification.

 

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