The semantics of common nouns in Ga (Kwa, Niger-Congo) and their interaction with exclusive particles

Abstract

This paper discusses the semantics of exclusive particles in Ga and their interaction with different types of common nouns. I argue that there are three, not two, types of common nouns in Ga: count nouns, mass nouns, and intermediate nouns with mixed properties. Crucially, the main evidence for the existence of the third, intermediate type of noun is its interaction with exclusive particles: kome pe and kome too.