Speaker: Cooper Roberts (MIT)
Title: Agreement determines the interpretation of fraction partitives in some languages, but why?
Time: Wednesday, April 30th, 1pm – 2pm
Location: 32-D461
Abstract: This LFRG presents in-progress work on the syntax-semantics of fraction partitives (e.g., one-third of the cakes). In several Indo-European languages (but not American English), FPs are ambiguous between two readings if the complement is plural. On one reading, the FP is understood to denote a subplurality of the plural individual denoted by the complement. On the other, it can refer to any subpart of the plural individual measuring a fraction of that individual along some non-cardinal dimension. I call these readings count and measure, respectively. Apart from the cross-linguistic variation previously mentioned, this ambiguity is particularly interesting as Agreement determines which reading is licensed. If a DP-external element (e.g., a verb) Agrees with the phi-features of the complement, only the count interpretation is available. If that element Agrees with the fraction, only the measure interpretation is available.
While I ultimately will not offer a satisfying treatment for FPs, this talk outlines the relevant data and theory which may yield useful in understanding the alternation. Ideally, this session will mostly be discussion and deliberation. I welcome any thoughts!