UCL Working Papers in Linguistics 9 (1997)

A unitary approach to the interpretation of definites

RICHARD BREHENY


This paper proposes a unitary approach to the interpretation of definites which accounts for the fact that all forms of such expressions can get weak and strong readings in all types of constructions. The analysis proposed is an underdetermination account, where the universal force of definites is understood not to be determined by the grammar, but is routinely inferred at the pragmatic level. The analysis assumes that the basic mechanism for interpreting definites is the same as that for indefinites, but that the behaviour of definites is to be explained by reference to certain non-truth-conditional properties of definites in combination with pragmatic principles.



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