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The Definiteness Effect: Semantics or Pragmatics?

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Abstract

In this paper I propose and defend a semantically based account of the distribution of DPs in existential there-sentences in English in opposition to the pragmatic account proposed in Zucchi (1995). The two analyses share many features, making it possible to study variation along the semantics/pragmatics dimension while holding the rest constant.

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  1. Department of Linguistics, UCLA, 3125 Campbell Hall, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1543, USA E-mail

    Edward L. Keenan

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  1. Edward L. Keenan
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Keenan, E.L. The Definiteness Effect: Semantics or Pragmatics?. Natural Language Semantics 11, 187–216 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024400425028

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