LINGUIST List 10.604

Tue Apr 27 1999

Sum: Hornstein's 'de se'

Editor for this issue: Jody Huellmantel <jodylinguistlist.org>

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  • Ana Perez-Leroux, summary of 'de se' responses

    Message 1: summary of 'de se' responses

     Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 09:36:41 -0500
    From: Ana Perez-Leroux <atp2psu.edu>
    Subject: summary of 'de se' responses


    Dear linguists,

    In reference to my query on Hornstein's usage of the term 'de se', in his article in Linguistic Inquiry early this year, I received responses from:

    Donald Stahl <donaldstahlhotmail.com> Cassian Braconnier <cassianworldnet.net> Hornstein (via Mari Broman Olsen <molsenumiacs.umd.edu>, who kindly submitted the query to Hornstein) Luis Fernando Alonso Ovalle & Alejandra Barriales Bouche <luisaloacad.umass.edu>

    SUMMARY OF RESPONSES - ------ The term was introduced by the philosopher David Lewis in a paper in the Philosophical Review. It was coined in the context of the philosophical terminology "de dicto" and "de re." "De dicto" (or dictu) means relying on the words used to convey a bit of information as opposed to relying only upon the thing spoken of for the statement's truth or falsity. E.g., 'It is possible that the Morning Star is not the Evening Star.' is true de dicto, but not de re.

    "De se" is supposed to mean that the statement's truth value depends upon the speaker only (I think). - ---------- Read Higginbotham's paper in the Control volume for a long discussion of 'de se' readings. N - --------- The use of the term 'de se' appears in a classic paper by Lewis [no reference was provided], referring to a contrast with 'de re' readings. Its integration in the semantics literature is mainly due to Chierchia's work [no reference provided],and has had interesting implications for temporal semantics.

    [My translation & summary of original response]

    Gratefully, Ana Perez-Leroux

    Ana Teresa Perez-Leroux Assistant Professor of Spanish and Linguistics Dept. of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese The Pennsylvania State University 352 N.Burrowes Bldg. University Park, PA 16802 tel: (814) 865-6252/ messages at 865-4252 Fax: (814) 863-7944