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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

The definite article in Romance expletives and long weak definites

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Author(s):
Espinal, M. Teresa ; Cyrino, Sonia
Total Authors: 2
Document type: Journal article
Source: GLOSSA-A JOURNAL OF GENERAL LINGUISTICS; v. 2, n. 1, p. 1-26, MAR 30 2017.
Web of Science Citations: 0
Abstract

This paper focuses on some issues involving expletive articles and long weak definites in Romance (mainly Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Catalan), in comparison to DPs that elicit a strong reading. We show the similarities between expletive definites and long weak definites, and we argue for an analysis in common to other polarity items in terms of polarity sensitivity. We reach the conclusion that the definite article in Romance comes in two variants: the referentially unique variant (to be translated as the semantic iota operator) and the polar variant, formally characterized with an abstract {[}+sigma] feature, that encodes a weak bound reading (to be semantically translated by an existential operator). (AU)

FAPESP's process: 12/06078-9 - Portuguese in time and space: linguistic contact, grammars in competition and parametric change
Grantee:Charlotte Marie Chambelland Galves
Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants