Handbook of Quantifiers in Natural Language [electronic resource] /
Keenan, Edward.editor.
Paperno, Denis.editor.
Covering a strikingly diverse range of languages from 12 linguistic families, this handbook is based on responses to a questionnaire constructed by the editors. Focusing on the formation, distribution and semantic interpretation of quantificational expressions, the book explores 17 languages including German, Italian, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Malagasy, Hebrew, Pima, Basque, and more. The language data sets enable detailed crosslinguistic comparison of numerous features. These include semantic classes of quantifiers (generalized existential, generalized universal, proportional, partitive), syntactically complex quantifiers (intensive modification, Boolean compounding, exception phrases) and several others such as quantifier scope ambiguities, quantifier float, and binary quantifiers. Its theory-independent content extends earlier work by Matthewson (2008) and Bach et al. (1995), making this handbook suitable for linguists, semanticians, philosophers of language and logicians alike.
Description based upon print version of record.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Introduction  -- Chapter 1 The Quantifier Questionnaire  -- Chapter 2 Quantifiers in Adyghe   -- Chapter 3 Quantification in Basque  -- Chapter 4 Garifuna Quantification  -- Chapter 5 Quantification in German   -- Chapter 6 The landscape of Quantificational expressions in Greek   -- Chapter 7 Quantifiers in Modern Hebrew  -- Chapter 8 Quantification in Hungarian  -- Chapter 9 Quantifiers in Italian  -- Chapter 10 Quantity expressions in Japanese  -- Chapter 11 Malagasy Quantifiers  -- Chapter 12 Taiwan Mandarin Quantifiers   -- Chapter 13 Pima Quantifiers   -- Chapter 14 Quantification in Standard Russian  -- Chapter 15 Quantification in Telugu  -- Chapter 16 Quantification in Western Armenian  -- Chapter 17 Wolof Quantifiers  -- Chapter 18 Overview  -- Subject Index.
Covering a strikingly diverse range of languages from 12 linguistic families, this handbook is based on responses to a questionnaire constructed by the editors. Focusing on the formation, distribution and semantic interpretation of quantificational expressions, the book explores 17 languages including German, Italian, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Malagasy, Hebrew, Pima, Basque, and more. The language data sets enable detailed crosslinguistic comparison of numerous features. These include semantic classes of quantifiers (generalized existential, generalized universal, proportional, partitive), syntactically complex quantifiers (intensive modification, Boolean compounding, exception phrases) and several others such as quantifier scope ambiguities, quantifier float, and binary quantifiers. Its theory-independent content extends earlier work by Matthewson (2008) and Bach et al. (1995), making this handbook suitable for linguists, semanticians, philosophers of language and logicians alike.
Semantics.
Language and languages—Philosophy.
Syntax.
Semantics.
Philosophy of Language.
Syntax.
Studies in Linguistics and Philosophy