Determiners and Quantifiers - Differences

Dossier / Travail de Séminaire , 2008 , 21 Pages , Note: 2,3

Philologie Anglaise - Linguistique

1. Introduction

Determiner and quantifier – two technical terms for two distinct word classes, or does the latter denote a subset of the former? Paying attention to the linguistic discourse does not solve these questions at once. There are numerous differing and even contradictory notions of classification possibilities concerning the entities in question. The outcome of multiple approaches is that quantifiers denote a sort of subtype of the syntactic category determiner (Crystal 1995:222, Huddleston et al. 2002:356ff, Longbardi 2001:581f, Stowell 1991:47f, Quirk et al. 1972:138f). In addition, the concept was put forward that determiner and quantifier act as functional categories within the class of pronouns (Long 1961:46ff, Radford 2004:45). Yet another opinion is held by Lyons (1999:298ff), who suggests that determiner phrases do not represent a word class, but the grammatical category of definiteness.
This brief summary of possible classifications only foreshadows the numerous similarities, but at the same time the differences, of the variety to be classified. Nevertheless, the purpose of this term paper is to name and describe these differences. In order to do so, a feature-based-analysis with respect to syntactic and semantic properties of the relevant members, bearing the label determiners and quantifiers will be presented. On the basis of this outcome, a conclusion will be drawn. However, the overall expectation to classify one, or possibly two, unitary categories cannot possibly be met within the framework of this work.
Before turning to the core of this term paper, some abbreviated remarks have to be made in order to set a frame for the subsequent paper.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• Preconditions
• Determiners
  • General Remarks
  • Number
  • Definiteness - Indefiniteness
  • Quantification
  • Pronouns as Determiners
• Quantifiers
  • Q as a category?!
  • Features of Q
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This term paper aims to explore the differences between determiners and quantifiers, two distinct word classes in English grammar. While some linguists consider quantifiers as a subset of determiners, others propose different classifications. The paper will analyze the syntactic and semantic properties of these categories, drawing on various theoretical frameworks, including the DP-analysis.

• Syntactic and semantic properties of determiners and quantifiers
• The DP-analysis and its implications for the classification of determiners and quantifiers
• The role of features in distinguishing between determiners and quantifiers
• The relationship between determiners, quantifiers, and pronouns
• The potential for a unified category encompassing both determiners and quantifiers

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The introduction provides a brief overview of the ongoing debate regarding the classification of determiners and quantifiers. It highlights the diverse perspectives on these categories and sets the stage for the paper's analysis.

The preconditions section lays the groundwork for the subsequent analysis by introducing the DP-analysis, a theoretical framework that views the determiner as the head of a noun phrase. This section examines the arguments for and against the DP-analysis, drawing on the work of linguists such as Abney, Jackendoff, and Tappe.

The chapter on determiners delves into the various properties of this word class, including number, definiteness, indefiniteness, and quantification. It explores the role of pronouns as determiners and examines the interplay between these categories.

The chapter on quantifiers investigates the nature of this category, exploring whether it constitutes a distinct word class or a subset of determiners. It examines the features that characterize quantifiers and their relationship to other grammatical categories.

Schlüsselwörter

The key terms and focus themes of this text include determiners, quantifiers, DP-analysis, syntactic categories, semantic features, number, definiteness, indefiniteness, quantification, pronouns, and word classes. The paper explores the distinctions and relationships between these categories, analyzing their syntactic and semantic properties within the framework of English grammar.

• Université: University of Wuppertal
• Cours: Hauptseminar "Nouns and Noun Phrases"
• Note: 2,3
• Auteur: Bianca Müller (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2008
• Pages: 21
• N° de catalogue: V149347
• ISBN (ebook): 9783640603206
• ISBN (Livre): 9783640603282
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Determiners, Quantifiers, Differences