Partial Variables and Specificity
Gerhard Jäger · Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks · 2007
In this chapter I propose a novel analysis of the semantics o fspecific indefinites. Following standard DRT, I assume that indefinites introduce a free variable into the logical representation, but I assume the the descriptive content of an indefinite DP is interpreted as a precondition for the corresponding variable to denote. Formally this is implemented as an extension of classical predicate logic with partial variables — variables that come with a restriction. This leads to a reconception of restricted quantification: the restriction is tied to the variable, not to the quantifier. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.