Definiteness and Indefiniteness in Burmese

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Zitierfähiger Link (URI): http://hdl.handle.net/10900/143396
http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:21-dspace-1433963
http://dx.doi.org/10.15496/publikation-84740
Dokumentart: Konferenzpaper
Erscheinungsdatum: 2023-07
Sprache: Englisch
Fakultät: 5 Philosophische Fakultät
Fachbereich: Philosophische Fakultät
DDC-Klassifikation: 400 - Sprache, Linguistik
490 - Andere Sprachen
Schlagworte: Linguistik , Semantik , Feldforschung , Birmanisch , Bestimmtheit
Freie Schlagwörter:
linguistics, semantics, fieldwork, Sino-Tibetan languages, Burmese, definiteness
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Abstract:

We report on the interpretation of different forms of singular argument nominals in Burmese, a language without articles, from original fieldwork. Like in Mandarin Chinese (Jenks, 2018), bare nouns are unique definites, with demonstratives used for anaphoric definites. Indefinites use the numeral ‘one’. We develop an analysis based on Jenks’ analysis of Mandarin Chinese definites, extended with a novel proposal for ‘one’-indefinites. Indefinites introduce an anti-uniqueness inference, which we derive from a Non-Vacuity constraint rather than Maximize Presupposition a` la Heim (1991), with crucial evidence from anaphoric definites with ‘one.’ We also describe the availability of bare noun indefinite objects, which we analyze as a form of (pseudo) noun incorporation.

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