The grammar of individuation, number and measurement
Luis Miguel Toquero-Pérez
June 2024
 

This dissertation presents a new view on what it means to be ‘count’ (book(s) vs. water) and ‘countable’ (i.e. can the noun in question be measured in terms of cardinality) and their role in the architecture of the grammar. To accomplish this goal, the proposed research aims to develop the basis for a comprehensive theory of individuation and number by probing the distribution of individuation and number features in the nominal domain, as instantiated by the count-mass distinction. I argue that individuation and number are two distinct properties both of which are part of Universal Grammar’s inventory of features and they affect the words’ ability to occur in different morpho-syntactic environments within and across languages. Individuation is responsible for making discrete units available, i.e. sometimes referred to as atoms, and number is responsible for determining whether the word in question refers to the minimal units (i.e singular) or nonminimal units (i.e. plural). In a nutshell, I make the case that what makes a noun ‘count’ is markedness for both individuation and number, whereas countable nouns need only be marked for individuation. Variation depends on which of the two features are available. The general picture that emerges is one where being count entails being countable, but being mass does not entail being non-countable. I then go on to show how the proposed theory (i) makes predictions about, and accounts for, different form-meaning mismatches; and (ii) enables us to establish robust cross-linguistic generalizations that link syntactic structure to form and meaning, illuminating our understanding of the interactions between the different modules of the grammar.
Format: [ pdf ]
Reference: lingbuzz/008263
(please use that when you cite this article)
Published in: PhD Dissertation, University of Southern California
keywords: nominal morpho-syntax and semantics, count-mass distinction, number, measure words, numerals, english, mongolian, spanish
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