Degree Neuter Relative Constructions

• Jon Ander Mendia ^[1]
  1. [1] Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

     Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

     Barcelona, España

     
• Localización: Isogloss: Open Journal of Romance Linguistics, ISSN-e 2385-4138, Vol. 8, Vol. 5 (Romance Languages and Linguistic Theory (RLLT) 19), 2022 (Ejemplar dedicado a: RLLT19, Selected papers from Going Romance Amsterdam)
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
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• Resumen

  • This paper presents a syntax and semantics for Degree Neuter Relatives (DNRs) in Spanish, an unusual construction involving a relative clause seemingly headed by a gradable predicate and the neuter determiner lo. I propose an analysis of DNRs that avoids compositionality problems derived from sortal mismatches between degrees and entities. In addition, I suggest that despite the cross-linguistic rarity of DNRs, it is no coincidence that they are available in Spanish: the proposed analysis relies on aspects of the morphological inventory of Spanish that allows the language to construct degreedenoting Free Relatives headed by a definite article, and so DNRs should not be expected in languages lacking this ability.