A quantificational-determiner analysis of EST in relative superlatives

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Campo DC	Valore
dc.identifier	ECF_article_13434
dc.title	A quantificational-determiner analysis of EST in relative superlatives
dc.contributor.author	Carmen Dobrovie-Sorin
dc.contributor.author	Giurgea Ion
dc.publisher	Edizioni Ca’ Foscari - Venice University Press, Fondazione Università Ca’ Foscari
dc.type	Articolo
dc.language.iso	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://edizionicafoscari.it/it/edizioni4/riviste/annali-di-ca-foscari-serie-occidentale/2023/57/a-quantificational-determiner-analysis-of-est-in-r/
dc.description.abstract	The goal of this paper is to reconcile the definite marking with the indefinite-like semantics of those superlatives that take a relative/comparative reading. Following Szabolcsi (1986) and Heim (1999), we will assume that the difference between absolute and relative readings of superlatives is represented at the syntactic level of semantic representation, LF (Logical Form). We will however depart from Heim’s hypothesis that what raises at LF is the superlative operator itself (EST). We will instead assume a quantificational-determiner analysis of EST, which involves two raising operations at LF: EST-raising to Spec,DP and raising of the whole superlative DP (Determiner Phrase) to a scope position in the sentence. We will examine the relative readings of quality superlatives. The generalizations and the proposed analysis are not assumed to extend to quantity superlatives.
dc.relation.ispartof	Annali di Ca’ Foscari. Serie occidentale
dc.relation.ispartof	Vol. 57 \| Settembre 2023
dc.issued	2023-10-30
dc.dateAccepted	2023-06-23
dc.dateSubmitted	2023-05-21
dc.identifier.issn
dc.identifier.eissn	2499-1562
dc.rights	Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.identifier.doi	10.30687/AnnOc/2499-1562/2023/11/006
dc.peer-review	yes
dc.subject	Definiteness
dc.subject	Parasitic scope
dc.subject	Superlatives

Articolo
open access peer reviewed

Dobrovie-Sorin Carmen CNRS-LLF, Université Paris Cité

Ion Giurgea University of Bucharest

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abstract

The goal of this paper is to reconcile the definite marking with the indefinite-like semantics of those superlatives that take a relative/comparative reading. Following Szabolcsi (1986) and Heim (1999), we will assume that the difference between absolute and relative readings of superlatives is represented at the syntactic level of semantic representation, LF (Logical Form). We will however depart from Heim’s hypothesis that what raises at LF is the superlative operator itself (EST). We will instead assume a quantificational-determiner analysis of EST, which involves two raising operations at LF: EST-raising to Spec,DP and raising of the whole superlative DP (Determiner Phrase) to a scope position in the sentence. We will examine the relative readings of quality superlatives. The generalizations and the proposed analysis are not assumed to extend to quantity superlatives.

Pubblicato

30 Ottobre 2023

Accettato

23 Giugno 2023

Presentato

21 Maggio 2023

Lingua

Keywords: Parasitic scope • Superlatives • Definiteness

permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/AnnOc/2499-1562/2023/11/006

Copyright: © 2023 Dobrovie-Sorin Carmen, Ion Giurgea. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

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