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1702 Cognitive Sciences, 2004 Linguistics, Languages & Linguistics

Abstract:

In this paper I focus on the semantics and distribution of Dutch bare plurals and faded partitives. It has been claimed in the literature that both types of noun phrases are indefinite, because they can occur in existential sentences. I discuss the semantic differences between faded partitives and bare plurals. It will be argued that bare plurals are ambiguous: they can take kind-referring or non-kind-referring (indefinite) interpretations, while faded partitives always take kind-referring readings. Our analysis makes it possible to handle subject-object asymmetries in the distribution of both types of noun phrases.