Two indefinite pronouns in Catalan Sign Language (LSC)

Abstract

This paper analyses two pronouns in Catalan Sign Language (LSC) that refer to unidentified human referents: WHOˆSOMEup and ONEup. We first show that in contexts that discriminate between indefinite pronouns and existential readings of human impersonal pronouns, both pronouns pattern with indefinite pronouns. We then examine the semantic properties of the two pronouns. WHOˆSOMEup and ONEup contrast with respect to their number, compatibility with collective predicates, scope with respect to event iteration and domain restriction requirements. In terms of specificity, both pronouns are epistemically non-specific, but ONEup is interpreted as scopally and partitively specific while WHOˆSOMEup is neutral with respect to scopal and partitive specificity.