Monday, March 17, 2014

Detail #81: Indefinites

We all recognize the normal indefinite pronouns, c.f. Ye Merrye Conlangre's treatment.

What if we'd take some of these and switch the information content to some less usual word class, i.e. verbs?

I can't find the solution -> I can not find solution.acc

I can't find any solution -> I any.1sg not able to find solution.(some other case)

I have ideas -> I have ideas.acc

I have some ideas -> I do have ideas

A hammer would do -> hammer is sufficient
Any hammer would do -> hammer does suffice

Some car drove past -> car did drive past
The/a car drove past -> car drove past

This way, it may be difficult to know which particular noun is affected by the meaning change. Probably either a hierarchy (certain nouns are more likely to be definite than others) determines which noun is intended to be understood as the definite one, or there's specific auxiliaries for indefinite objects and specific ones for indefinite subjects. I would prefer just stacking them when both are indefinite, or leaving it unmarked.

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