Annali di Ca’ Foscari. Serie occidentale

Rivista | Annali di Ca’ Foscari. Serie occidentale
Fascicolo | 50 | 2016
Articolo | The Interpretation of Indefinites with Adnominal Adjectives in the Sicilian Dialects

The Interpretation of Indefinites with Adnominal Adjectives in the Sicilian Dialects

Abstract

Indefinite nominals can typically be modified by pre- or postnominal adjectives in Romance languages. With the exception of a small group of adjectives concerning physical or moral characteristics whose meaning changes according to their pre- or postnominal use, the position of an attributive adjective does not alter its meaning. However, prenominal adjectives in a Spanish indefinite trigger its specific interpretation, thus preventing its variable reading; the same phenomenon obtains also in Catalan. The aim of this paper is to discuss specific cases in some Sicilian dialects – mainly in the dialect of Delia (province of Caltanissetta) – in order to provide further evidence of the fact that prenominal evaluative adjectives force the specific interpretation of indefinites in Romance. Since Sicilian dialects do not typically display prenominal adjectives, this paper will therefore draw on elatives to check whether Sicilian shows a parallel restriction in the postnominal position.


Open access | Peer reviewed

Presentato: 12 Aprile 2016 | Accettato: 01 Agosto 2016 | Pubblicato 30 Settembre 2016 | Lingua: it

Keywords ElativesQualificative adjectivesNon-specific interpretationSicilian dialects


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