Indefinites and the Type of Sets

Indefinites and the Type of Sets explores a new theory of indefinite noun phrase interpretation and definiteness effects. The book begins by introducing an adjectival theory of noun phrase interpretation and the relevant aspects of the semantics of noun phrases, and also providing comparisons with alternative theories. In the remainder of the book, Landman uses the adjectival theory of indefinites to develop a new account of various types of definiteness effects. Indefinites and the Type of Sets is written accessibly by one of the world s most prominent formal semanticists and is a valuable resource for students and scholars in formal semantics, as well as the neighboring fields of syntax, pragmatics, and the philosophy of language.

Acknowledgements.

Reading this book at different levels.

Introduction.

1. Numerical Adjectives and the Type of Sets.

2. The Adjectival Theory of Indefinite Predicates and Arguments.

3. The Variable Constraint on Predicates and There–Insertion Subjects.

4. Problems for Weak–Strong Analyses of There–Insertion Subjects.

5. There–Insertion Subjects as Subjects Adjoined to Verb Phrases.

6. There–Insertion Subjects Adjoined to Saturated Predicates.

7. Some Questions about There–Insertion in Dutch.

8. The Problem of Negative Noun Phrases.

9. Relational Indefinites and Semantic Incorporation.

10. Definite Time–Adverbials and Event Measures.

11. Indefinite Time–Adverbials and the Counting–Grid.

References.

Index.

Fred Landman is Professor of Semantics at Tel Aviv University. His publications include Events and Plurality (2000), Structures for Semantics (1991), Towards a Theory of Information (1986), and Varieties of Formal Semantics (edited with Frank Veltman, 1984).

"An impressive contribution to the study of definiteness effects in natural language, empirically rich and theoretically stimulating. Fred Landman s style is uniquely engaging he makes hardcore linguistics fun to read!" Veneeta Dayal, Rutgers University <!––end––>

"Some people might think that everything has been said about the semantics of indefinites. Landman′s book proves the opposite. It contains a wealth of new ideas and insights about this never–aging topic." Gerhard Jäger, University of Potsdam