This collection of studies by leading scholars in the field focuses on the semantics of non-definite (bare and indefinite) plural NPs. The contributions in the first part concentrate on bare plurals and their cross-linguistic counterparts. They discuss applicability of the notion of 'semantic incorporation' to bare plurals by contrasting them to bare singulars, with the aim of accounting for the interaction between the semantics of number and the degree of (in)dependency of the NP with respect to the verb. The articles in the second part examine the relationship between the semantics of number and the semantics of aspect. The contributions in the third part concentrate on non-definite numerical noun phrases by addressing a range of fundamental questions such as: the semantics of indefinite time-phrases, numericals in classifier- and non-classifier languages, scope interactions, the at least- and exactly-readings, referential properties of numericals. The volume will be welcomed by linguists interested in the semantics of number in non-definite NPs.

Table of contents

Introduction Svetlana Vogeleer and Liliane Tasmowski 1–32 Part I. Non-definiteness, Plurality, and Incorporation The meaningful bounds of incorporation Greg N. Carlson 35–50 Bare nouns, number and types of incorporation Carmen Dobrovie-Sorin, Tonia Bleam and M. Teresa Espinal 51–79 The unmarked determiner Donka F. Farkas 81–105 Bare objects in Korean: (Pseudo-)incorporation and (in)definiteness Song-Nim Kwon and Anne Zribi-Hertz 107–132 Bare plurals in object position: Which verbs fail to give existential readings, and why? Sheila Glasbey 133–157 Part II. Alternatives to the Incorporation Approach: Relating Non-Definiteness and Plurality to Aspect Aspectual implications of the semantics of plural indefinites Henriette de Swart 161–189 Indefinites, quantifiers and pluractionals: What scope effects tell us about event pluralities Brenda Laca 191–217 Generic sentences and bare plurals Jacqueline Guéron 219–234 Part III. Numerical Non-definites Indefinite time phrases, in situ scope, and dual-perspective intensionality Fred Landman 237–266 Identity of the domain of quantification for numerals Mana Kobuchi-Philip 267–290 Scope shift with numeral indefinites: Syntax or processing? Tanya Reinhart 291–310 Take 'five': The meaning and use of a number word Bart Geurts 311–329 The semantics of paranumerals Francis Corblin 331–353 Index 355–358