Definiteness and the English Existential.

Ward, Gregory; Birner, Betty

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Peer reviewed

ERIC Number: EJ518127

Record Type: CIJE

Publication Date: 1995

Pages: N/A

Abstractor: N/A

ISBN: N/A

ISSN: ISSN-0097-8507

EISSN: N/A

Definiteness and the English Existential.

Ward, Gregory; Birner, Betty

Language, v71 n4 p722-42 Dec 1995

Presents an account of existential "there"-sentences in which the postverbal negative phrase (NP) is required to represent a "hearer-new" entity. The article identifies five types of formally definite yet hearer-new NPs that may occur in "there"-sentences. The restriction against definite NPs in "there"-sentences results from a mismatch in cognitive status. (49 references) (Author/CK)

Descriptors: Context Effect, Data Analysis, Discourse Analysis, Negative Forms (Language), North American English, Phrase Structure, Semantics, Sentence Structure, Verbs

Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive; Journal Articles

Education Level: N/A

Audience: N/A

Language: English

Sponsor: N/A

Authoring Institution: N/A

Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A