Skip to content

Universal 1207:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1207:

Original
Dual quantifier universal:
If a natural language has a basic determiner for each of D and d then these are semantically equivalent to ‘some’ and ‘every’.
Standardized
Dual quantifier universal:
IF there is a basic determiner for each of D and d, THEN these are semantically equivalent to ‘some’ and ‘every’.
Keywords
quantification, basic determiner
Domain
syntax, semantics
Type
no genuine implication; rather: provided that
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
unspecified
Source
Barwise & Cooper 1981: 198 , U10
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    1. Barwise & Cooper propose this rather for consideration than as a strict universal, discussing also the counterexample ‘the one’ and conclude: “U10 would predict that no human language would have basic determiners for each element of such pairs. The proposed universal also predicts that of the sentences below, only (i) and (ii) could be paraphrased as ‘D men left’ for some basic determiner D. i) It is not true that some man didn’t leave. (I.e. every man left.); ii) It is not true that every man didn’t leave. (I.e. some man left.); iii) It is not true that the most men didn’t leave. iv) It is not true that two men didn’t leave. v) Not many men didn’t leave.”2. Note also # 1210.

    1. May 2020

Comments are closed.