On Friday, September 30, at 3:30 in Machmer E-37, Gennaro Chierchia (Harvard University) will present:
Title: Some parameters of epistemic and free choice indefinites
Abstract: In this talk I explore a quadrant of the system of polarity sensitive
items, namely the existential one, that includes items like Italian 'uno
qualunque' and 'un qualche', German 'irgendein', Spanish 'algun', Rumanian
'vreun'. The attempt is to identify the generative matrix at the basis of
typological generalizations on the behavior of such items. The concept of
'implicature' and a characterization of the ways in which implicatures may get
'grammaticized' through an alternatives based semantics play a key role in this
attempt.
Join us at Barbara's house (50 Hobart Ln.) for dinner afterwards.
