Existentially interpreted definites

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel syntactic as well as semantic analysis of the Basque definite determiner [-a] and argues, in opposition to other scholars (cf. Artiagoitia 2002 and references therein), that the Basque definite determiner (despite its various interpretations) is just that, a definite determiner. Moreover, the interpretations that the Basque definite determiner forces are argued to follow from the Neocarlsonian analysis (Chierchia 1998b, Dayal 2004). Finally, this proposal allows us to derive some intriguing pattern of cross-linguistic variation with regard to the morphosyntactic make-up of nominals in existential interpretation (Basque definites, English bare nouns, and French partitives des/du).