Superplurals

Abstract

Can the step from the singular to the plural be iterated? The resulting superplurals would have many valuable applications but are often met with skepticism. This chapter clarifies what superplural reference would be and distinguishes four grades of superplural involvement, ranging from the possibility of a superplural logic to the existence of superplurals in natural language. While the lower grades are shown to be unproblematic, the chapter provides a careful analysis of arguments for and against the higher grades, concluding, in particular, that a strong case can be made for the existence of superplurals in natural language.