The expression of the notions of ignorance and certainty in Brazilian Portuguese: the cases of "algum" and "(um) certo".

• Grant number: 09/06371-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: July 01, 2009
• End date: March 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Linguistics - Linguistic Theory and Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Ana Lucia de Paula Muller
• Grantee: Lidia Lima da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The study of languages has allowed to observe the existence of indefinite pronouns and undefined determinants that can be associated with the speaker's state of acknowledgement or ignorance, or another prominent agent's (such as the subject of the sentence) with respect to determining the referent of the phrase (constituted by the pronoun or determiner and a name). Many scholars (cf. ABUSCH; ROOTH, 1997; ALONI, 2007; ALONI; VAN ROOIJ, 2007; ALONSO-OVALLE; MENÉNDEZ-BENITO, 2010; BECKER, 1999; CHIERCHIA, 2006; CONDORAVDI, 2005; EBERT, EBERT; HASPELMATH,1997; HINTERWIMMER, 2009; FALAUS, 2009; FARKAS, 2006; GIANNAKIDOU, 2009; IONIN, 2008; JAYEZ & TOVENA, 2006, KRATZER & SHIMOYAMA, 2002; ZAMPARELLI, 2007, among others) have been devoted to the description and analysis of such indefinites. The aim of this paper is to describe and explain, from the theoretical apparatus of formal semantics, the semantic as well as pragmatic contributions of algum ('some') and (um) certo ('a certain') and show those contributions each of them brings to the meaning of sentences in which they appear. It is argued that, regarding the marcation of identifiability of the referent, these indefinites are in opposite positions, because whereas algum ('some') combined with countable and mass nouns marks that the speaker (or another prominent agent) is not able to identify the referent of DP, um certo, ('a certain') marks instead that the speaker is able to identify the referent. Nonetheless, when they are combined with abstract nouns such as charme ('charm') both mark the vagueness in relation to a scale of vagueness present in the noun. This work intends to be a contribution to the understanding of the semantics in indefinite determinants in Brazilian Portuguese. By describing and analyzing the semantic and pragmatic behaviors of algum ('some') and (um) certo ('a certain'), this text contributes, in a broader way, to the studies which have been carried out in several languages with the goal of build a typology for the indefinites associates to the speakers epistemic state.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

SILVA, Lidia Lima da. The manifestation of notions of ignorance and of knowledge in Brazilian Portuguese: the case of algum (some) and (um) certo (a certain). 2012. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD) São Paulo.