2021/06/14 by Veneeta Dayal, Li Julie Jiang
Arts and Humanities · Computer Science · #Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies #Natural Language Processing Techniques #Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation
paper · pdf · doi:10.1162/ling_a_00433
openalex publication_date 2021/06/14 · crossref created 2021/06/14 · crossref issued 2022/12/22 · crossref published 2022/12/22 · crossref published-online 2022/12/22 · crossref published-print 2022/12/22 · crossref deposited 2024/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25 · crossref indexed 2026/07/29
Jenks (2018) argues that Mandarin bare NPs cannot be classified as definites simpliciter. Adopting the distinction between weak- and strong-article definites in Schwarz 2009, he proposes that Mandarin makes a lexical distinction between the two types of definites: bare nouns are weak definites, demonstratives are strong definites. He further proposes that their distribution is regulated by a principle called Index!. In this article, we first point out some problems with the empirical generalizations presented in Jenks’s description of Mandarin and then sketch an alternative approach to the distinction between Mandarin demonstratives and bare nouns. We end with some comments about the kind of further empirical work that needs to be done before definitive claims can be made about the competition between demonstratives and other types of definites.