Heterogeneous sets: a diachronic typology of associative and similative plurals

IF 1.7 2区文学 0 LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS

Linguistic Typology Pub Date : 2021-02-15 DOI:10.1515/LINGTY-2021-2072

Caterina Mauri, A. Sansó

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引用次数: 8

Abstract

Abstract This paper provides a diachronic typology of what we call ‘heterogeneous plurals’, an overarching term comprising associative plurals (expressions meaning X[person] & company) and similative plurals (expressions meaning X and similar entities). Based on a 110-language sample, we identify the most recurrent sources of these two types of plurals by means of various types of evidence (homophony/identity, internal reconstruction, comparison with cognate languages). The two types of plurals develop out of different source types: while the sources of associative plurals include elements that work as set constructors (plural anaphoric elements, plural possessives, names meaning ‘group’), those of similative plurals comprise elements with vague reference such as interrogative/indefinite items or uncertainty markers. There are also a few source types that may develop into both associative and similative plurals, such as connectives (‘and/with’) and universal quantifiers (‘every/all’). The differences in the diachronic pathways leading to the two types of plurals are explained in terms of the different referential properties of the nominal bases from which they are formed (proper names/kin terms vs. common nouns), but also taking into account the typical discourse contexts in which the two types of plurals are employed.

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异质集合：联想复数和比喻复数的历时类型学

摘要本文提供了我们所称的“异质复数”的历时类型学，这是一个总体术语，包括联想复数（表示X[人]和公司）和比喻复数（表示X和类似实体）。基于110种语言样本，我们通过各种类型的证据（同音/同一性、内部重建、与同源语言的比较）来确定这两种类型的复数的最常见来源。两种类型的复数由不同的来源类型发展而来：虽然联想复数的来源包括充当集合构造器的元素（复数回指元素、复数所有格、意为“组”的名称），但类似复数的来源则包括具有模糊指代的元素，如疑问/不确定项或不确定性标记。也有一些源类型可以发展为联想复数和明喻复数，如连接词（“and/with”）和通用量词（“very/all”）。导致这两种类型复数的历时途径的差异是根据它们形成的名词基础的不同指称性质（专有名称/亲属术语与普通名词）来解释的，但也考虑到使用这两种形式复数的典型话语语境。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Linguistic Typology Multiple-

CiteScore

3.70

自引率

5.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Linguistic Typology provides a forum for all work of relevance to the study of language typology and cross-linguistic variation. It welcomes work taking a typological perspective on all domains of the structure of spoken and signed languages, including historical change, language processing, and sociolinguistics. Diverse descriptive and theoretical frameworks are welcomed so long as they have a clear bearing on the study of cross-linguistic variation. We welcome cross-disciplinary approaches to the study of linguistic diversity, as well as work dealing with just one or a few languages, as long as it is typologically informed and typologically and theoretically relevant, and contains new empirical evidence.