Documentation

Linglib.Phenomena.Generics.Studies.Longobardi2001

Longobardi (2001): A Unified Parametric Theory of Bare Nouns and Proper Names #

@cite{longobardi-2001}

Natural Language Semantics 9: 335--369.

Core Thesis #

Crosslinguistic variation in bare noun (BN) semantics and proper name (PN) syntax reduces to two DP-internal parameters: whether D has 'strong' referential features (strongD), and whether N-raising crosses adjectives transparently (transparentAlpha). The paper establishes:

  1. Romance BNs are always indefinites — quantificational variables (existentially or generically bound), never kind-denoting constants.
  2. English BNs are ambiguous — they can be referential (kind names, in the spirit of @cite{carlson-1977}) OR quantificational (indefinite variables, like Romance BNs).
  3. Two types of genericity (supporting @cite{gerstner-krifka-1987}):
    • Indefinite/quantificational generics: variables bound by GEN
    • Definite/referential generics: kind-denoting constants (via D)
  4. Typological generalization: PN syntax (N-to-D raising) and BN semantics (kind reference) are parametrically linked — object-referring nouns may occur without phonetically filled D iff kind-referring nouns can.

Connection to Existing Theory #

Longobardi's ArgumentType distinction (referential vs quantificational) cross-cuts @cite{chierchia-1998}'s Nominal Mapping Parameter:

The DPParameter structure unifies Chierchia's three-way typology into a 2×2 parametric space that also predicts PN syntax.

The semantic type of a nominal argument.

@cite{longobardi-2001} §2: All nominal arguments denote entities from Carlson's ontology (objects and kinds). They divide into two types:

  • Referential: constants — denote directly through the lexical referring potential of the head noun. Proper names and kind names. Rigid designators with widest scope (@cite{kripke-1980}).
  • Quantificational: variables — denote via a variable bound by a (possibly covert) operator, with the noun's kind-naming meaning serving as predicative restrictor. Overt indefinites and Romance BNs.
  • referential : ArgumentType

    Constants: denote directly via lexical reference (proper names, kind names). No variable, no operator binding.

  • quantificational : ArgumentType

    Variables: denote via a variable bound by Ex or Gen. The noun's kind-naming meaning provides the restrictor.

Instances For
    Equations
    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
    Instances For

      The DP-internal parametric system from @cite{longobardi-2001} table (61).

      Two binary parameters on the nominal projection:

      • strongD: Whether D has 'strong' referential features requiring visible association with referential items. In Romance, D is strong: referential nouns must be introduced by a phonetically filled D (either by N-to-D raising for PNs or by an expletive article). In English/Germanic, D is weak: referential readings are available without overt D.

      • transparentAlpha: Whether the α constituent (between D and N) is transparent to N-raising. In Romance, α is transparent: N can raise across adjectives to D. In English/Germanic, α is opaque: N cannot raise past adjectives. This is visible from adjective position: Romance has postnominal adjectives (N raises past them), English has prenominal adjectives (N stays in situ).

      Note: transparentAlpha affects only DP-internal syntax (adjective position, N-raising), not BN semantics directly. BN semantics is determined by strongD alone. The two parameters are independent but co-vary in the unmarked cases (Romance: both +; English: both −). Greek (§9.5) shows they can be set independently (+strong, −transparent).

      • strongD : Bool

        D has strong referential features (Romance +, English −)

      • transparentAlpha : Bool

        α is transparent to N-raising (Romance +, English −)

      Instances For
        Equations
        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
        Instances For
          Equations
          • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
          Instances For

            Romance (Italian, French, Spanish): strong D, transparent α.

            Equations
            Instances For

              English (Germanic): weak D, opaque α.

              Equations
              Instances For

                Greek: strong D, opaque α — the intermediate case. BNs pattern like Romance (quantificational only). PNs require overt definite article (cannot raise to D through opaque α, and D is strong so must be overtly filled).

                Equations
                Instances For

                  Celtic (speculative): weak D, transparent α — the other intermediate. @cite{longobardi-2001} fn. 35: "The other intermediate pair of values ('weak' D and transparent α) is likely to be instantiated by Celtic languages and is irrelevant to the present reasoning." Included for completeness of the 2×2 table; not empirically developed in the paper.

                  Equations
                  Instances For

                    Whether bare nouns can be referential (kind-denoting constants) in a given language's parametric setting.

                    @cite{longobardi-2001} (44): English BNs can be referential (kind names) because D is weak — referential status doesn't require overt D. Romance BNs are always quantificational because D is strong — referential status requires overt D (only definite plurals achieve it).

                    The derivation: BN referentiality requires that a kind-naming meaning can reach D without overt material. With weak D, no overt association needed. With strong D, the noun would need to raise to D (N-to-D) or an expletive article is needed — but BNs by definition lack both.

                    Note: this depends only on strongD, not transparentAlpha. The α parameter affects whether N can raise to D (relevant for PNs), but BN referentiality is about whether D requires overt filling at all.

                    Equations
                    Instances For

                      Available argument types for BNs in a language.

                      Equations
                      • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                      Instances For

                        Generic reading type, following @cite{gerstner-krifka-1987} as adopted by @cite{longobardi-2001}.

                        The paper shows that 'genericity' is an epiphenomenon covering two structurally distinct interpretive strategies.

                        • indefiniteGeneric : GenericType

                          Quantificational generalization over objects of a kind. The nominal is an indefinite (variable) bound by GEN. Available in characterizing environments only. Romance BNs, overt indefinites (both Romance and English).

                        • definiteGeneric : GenericType

                          Kind denotation — the nominal is a referential expression (a kind name, like a proper name). Available in all environments. Only through overtly definite DPs in Romance (definite generics), or through bare plurals in English (which can be kind names).

                        Instances For
                          Equations
                          • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                          Instances For

                            Which generic types are available for bare nouns in a language.

                            Equations
                            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                            Instances For

                              Whether proper names require overt D (an article or N-to-D raising).

                              @cite{longobardi-2001} (52): In some languages (Romance), argument PNs must undergo N-to-D raising or appear with an expletive article. In others (English), they need neither.

                              This is derived from strongD: if D must be overtly associated with referential items, PNs (prototypical referential items) need overt D. If D is weak, PNs can occur bare.

                              Equations
                              Instances For

                                Whether proper names require an overt article specifically (as opposed to satisfying strong D by N-to-D raising).

                                @cite{longobardi-2001} §9.5: In Romance (strong D, transparent α), PNs can satisfy strong D by N-raising across the transparent α constituent. In Greek (strong D, opaque α), N cannot raise past α, so PNs MUST appear with an overt definite article. This is the paper's key prediction confirmed by (65): all Greek object-referring arguments require an overt determiner.

                                This is the only prediction that uses transparentAlpha directly, making the 2×2 parametric table genuinely non-redundant.

                                Equations
                                Instances For

                                  Romance PNs can N-raise to D (transparent α), so they don't need an article. Greek PNs cannot raise (opaque α), so they do.

                                  Typological generalization (56) from @cite{longobardi-2001}: Object-referring nouns may occur without a phonetically filled D iff kind-referring nouns may.

                                  Both PN syntax (bare PNs allowed?) and BN semantics (kind reference without overt D?) are controlled by the same parameter: strongD. When D is weak, both bare PNs and referential BNs are licensed. When D is strong, neither is.

                                  The four nominal types considered by @cite{longobardi-2001}.

                                  The paper's key empirical observation (p.355, table) is that three of these four pattern identically (as quantificational indefinites), while English BNs are the outlier — they can also be referential.

                                  | Romance overt indef | Romance BN | ← same (quantificational) | English overt indef | English BN | ← English BN is different

                                  Instances For
                                    Equations
                                    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                    Instances For

                                      Italian BN reading datum.

                                      @cite{longobardi-2001} §3--7: Italian BNs distribute their readings identically to overt indefinites (generalization (5a)).

                                      • sentence : String
                                      • gloss : String
                                      • exOK : Bool

                                        Available readings: Ex, Gen, or both

                                      • genOK : Bool
                                      • kLevelPred : Bool

                                        Kind-level predicate (K-level)?

                                      • notes : String
                                      Instances For
                                        Equations
                                        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                        Instances For
                                          Equations
                                          • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                          Instances For
                                            Equations
                                            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                            Instances For
                                              Equations
                                              • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                              Instances For
                                                Equations
                                                • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                Instances For
                                                  Equations
                                                  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                  Instances For
                                                    Equations
                                                    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                    Instances For
                                                      Equations
                                                      • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                      Instances For
                                                        Equations
                                                        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                        Instances For
                                                          Equations
                                                          • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                          Instances For
                                                            Equations
                                                            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                            Instances For
                                                              Equations
                                                              • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                              Instances For

                                                                Italian definite generics can appear in ALL environments where Italian BNs cannot — including with K-level predicates and in episodic contexts with generic readings. @cite{longobardi-2001} examples (34)--(37).

                                                                Instances For
                                                                  Equations
                                                                  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                  Instances For
                                                                    Equations
                                                                    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                    Instances For
                                                                      Equations
                                                                      • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                      Instances For
                                                                        Equations
                                                                        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                        Instances For
                                                                          Equations
                                                                          • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                          Instances For
                                                                            Equations
                                                                            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                            Instances For

                                                                              @cite{longobardi-2001} §5: The anaphoric binding test distinguishes referential from quantificational BNs.

                                                                              English (22): "Cats think very highly of themselves." → Ambiguous: 'themselves' refers to the species (kind anaphora, non-distributive) OR to each individual cat (distributive).

                                                                              Italian (24): "Gatti di grandi dimensioni hanno un'alta opinione di se stessi." → Distributive only: each big cat thinks highly of itself. The species reading is unavailable because Italian BNs cannot denote kinds (quantificational variables lack kind reference).

                                                                              The kind-anaphora reading requires referential (kind-denoting) status. Only English BNs, which can be referential, provide it.

                                                                              • sentence : String
                                                                              • gloss : String
                                                                              • language : String
                                                                              • speciesReadingOK : Bool

                                                                                Species (kind anaphora, non-distributive) reading available?

                                                                              • distributiveReadingOK : Bool

                                                                                Distributive (each individual) reading available?

                                                                              • notes : String
                                                                              Instances For
                                                                                Equations
                                                                                • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                Instances For
                                                                                  Equations
                                                                                  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                  Instances For
                                                                                    Equations
                                                                                    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                    Instances For

                                                                                      @cite{longobardi-2001} §§4,9.1: English BNs can be generic with predicates where Italian BNs cannot — episodic S-level, K-level, and stative I-level predicates. The contrast arises because English BNs can be referential (kind names), while Italian BNs cannot. The six contrast environments are summarized in §9.3.

                                                                                      Instances For
                                                                                        Equations
                                                                                        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                        Instances For
                                                                                          Equations
                                                                                          Instances For
                                                                                            Equations
                                                                                            Instances For
                                                                                              Equations
                                                                                              • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                              Instances For
                                                                                                Equations
                                                                                                • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                                Instances For
                                                                                                  Equations
                                                                                                  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                                  Instances For

                                                                                                    @cite{longobardi-2001} §9.5: Greek has strong D + opaque α. This predicts:

                                                                                                    • BNs are quantificational only (like Romance) → no K-level predicates
                                                                                                    • PNs require overt definite article (strong D + opaque α blocks both N-raising and bare referential D)

                                                                                                    Greek examples (62)-(65) confirm both predictions.

                                                                                                    • sentence : String
                                                                                                    • gloss : String
                                                                                                    • grammatical : Bool

                                                                                                      Is the sentence grammatical (under any reading)?

                                                                                                    • kindReadingOK : Bool

                                                                                                      Is a kind/generic reading available?

                                                                                                    • notes : String
                                                                                                    Instances For
                                                                                                      Equations
                                                                                                      • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                                      Instances For
                                                                                                        Equations
                                                                                                        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                                        Instances For
                                                                                                          Equations
                                                                                                          • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                                          Instances For
                                                                                                            Equations
                                                                                                            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                                            Instances For
                                                                                                              Equations
                                                                                                              • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                                              Instances For
                                                                                                                Equations
                                                                                                                • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                                                Instances For

                                                                                                                  Greek confirms the strongD prediction: BN kind reference is blocked, and PNs require overt D — same as Romance for both.

                                                                                                                  Map Longobardi's DPParameter to Chierchia's NominalMapping.

                                                                                                                  Only strongD determines the mapping; transparentAlpha is irrelevant because it controls DP-internal word order (adjective position), not the argument/predicate denotation types available to nouns.

                                                                                                                  • Strong D → nouns are predicates (need D for argumenthood) → predOnly
                                                                                                                  • Weak D → nouns can be arguments without D → argAndPred

                                                                                                                  argOnly (Chinese) is not addressed by Longobardi's parameters — it would require a separate parameter for classifier systems.

                                                                                                                  Equations
                                                                                                                  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                                                  Instances For

                                                                                                                    English BNs can denote kinds (without overt D). Derived: weak D → argAndPredcanDenoteKind = true without D.

                                                                                                                    Italian BNs cannot denote kinds (without overt D). Derived: strong D → predOnlycanDenoteKind = false without D.

                                                                                                                    Italian definite plurals can denote kinds (with overt D). Even in a predOnly language, overt D restores kind denotation.

                                                                                                                    Greek BNs cannot denote kinds. Same as Romance: strong D → predOnly → no kind without D.

                                                                                                                    @cite{longobardi-2001} (43) recovers @cite{carlson-1977}'s original insight: English generic BNs (outside characterizing environments) are kind-referential expressions — proper names of kinds.

                                                                                                                    Carlson analyzed ALL bare plural readings as kind-denoting. Longobardi refines this: English BNs are AMBIGUOUS between kind-referential (Carlson's analysis) and quantificational (like Romance BNs). The referential reading is the one that behaves like proper names — rigid, scopeless, opaque-only.

                                                                                                                    When a BN is referential, its semantics is @cite{carlson-1977}'s barePluralTranslation: λP.P{k}.

                                                                                                                    Romance BNs are never referential — contra Carlson's universal claim but consistent with his observations about English specifically.

                                                                                                                    Referential BNs denote kinds via @cite{carlson-1977}'s λP.P{k}.

                                                                                                                    The bare plural "dogs" denotes the kind d; applying any predicate P just evaluates P at d — no quantificational structure. This is what makes referential BNs scopeless and opaque-only: proper names don't take scope.

                                                                                                                    Kind-level predicates apply directly to a referential BN via @cite{carlson-1977}'s genericDerivation. This is why English BNs (which can be referential) appear with kind-level predicates ("Dogs are extinct") while Italian BNs (always quantificational) cannot.

                                                                                                                    Existential readings of referential BNs arise via @cite{carlson-1977}'s existentialDerivation: the predicate introduces ∃ over stages, not the NP.

                                                                                                                    "Dogs are in the yard" = ∃y[R(y,d) ∧ in-yard'(y)]

                                                                                                                    The existential is part of the predicate semantics, which is why it always takes narrowest scope.

                                                                                                                    Longobardi's romance parameters correctly predict the Italian fragment's independently-declared mapping parameter.

                                                                                                                    Longobardi's english parameters correctly predict the English fragment's independently-declared mapping parameter.

                                                                                                                    Longobardi's greek parameters correctly predict the Greek fragment's independently-declared mapping parameter.

                                                                                                                    All three fragment bridges together: DPParameter predicts the independently-stipulated NominalMapping in each fragment.

                                                                                                                    The derivation chain is:

                                                                                                                    DPParameter (Longobardi syntax) → toNominalMapping → NominalMapping
                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                    and each fragment independently declares the same NominalMapping, so the bridge theorems verify the prediction.

                                                                                                                    Longobardi's analysis explains WHY Italian bare plurals are not licensed: strong D means BNs are always quantificational variables, and these variables need licensing (characterizing environments for Gen, VP-internal position for Ex). General bare argument use is restricted because BNs cannot function as referential (kind) names.

                                                                                                                    Longobardi's theory predicts the Italian vs English BP denotation data in KindReference.lean.

                                                                                                                    English BPs: kind denotation available (weak D → referential OK) Italian bare plurals: kind denotation unavailable (strong D) Italian definite plurals: kind denotation available (overt D fills D)

                                                                                                                    Full parametric table (61) from @cite{longobardi-2001} with derived properties.

                                                                                                                    LanguageStrong DTransp. αBN ref.PN needs DPN needs art.
                                                                                                                    Romance++noyesno
                                                                                                                    Englishyesnono
                                                                                                                    Greek+noyesyes
                                                                                                                    Celtic+yesnono

                                                                                                                    The "PN needs article" column is the only prediction that uses transparentAlpha directly, making the 2×2 table non-redundant.

                                                                                                                    @cite{longobardi-2001} (45)-(46): The two mapping systems.

                                                                                                                    English BNs have two sources of Ex/Gen ambiguity:

                                                                                                                    1. Referential → Gen (in all environments, kind-level)
                                                                                                                    2. Quantificational → Gen (characterizing) / Ex (S-level)

                                                                                                                    Romance BNs have only one source:

                                                                                                                    1. Quantificational → Gen (characterizing) / Ex (S-level)
                                                                                                                    • characterizing : BNEnvironment

                                                                                                                      Characterizing: habitual aspect, Q-adverb, I-level pred

                                                                                                                    • episodic : BNEnvironment

                                                                                                                      Episodic: S-level predicate with non-habitual aspect

                                                                                                                    • kindLevel : BNEnvironment

                                                                                                                      Kind-level: predicate applies to kinds (extinct, widespread)

                                                                                                                    Instances For
                                                                                                                      Equations
                                                                                                                      • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                                                      Instances For

                                                                                                                        Whether a generic reading is available for a BN in a given environment.

                                                                                                                        Equations
                                                                                                                        Instances For

                                                                                                                          The environments where English and Italian BNs contrast are exactly those requiring referential (kind) denotation.

                                                                                                                          Maps @cite{carlson-1977}'s PredicateLevel to Longobardi's BNEnvironment for the purpose of determining whether referential (kind) denotation is needed.

                                                                                                                          • Individual-level predicates (properties) create characterizing environments where quantificational Gen suffices
                                                                                                                          • Stage-level predicates (states) in episodic aspect create environments where only referential BNs get generic readings
                                                                                                                          Equations
                                                                                                                          • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                                                                                          Instances For

                                                                                                                            The full chain: @cite{carlson-1977}'s PredicateLevel determines BNEnvironment, which together with @cite{longobardi-2001}'s DPParameter determines whether a generic reading is available.

                                                                                                                            PredicateLevelEnvironmentEnglish BN GenItalian BN Gen
                                                                                                                            individualLevelcharacterizingyesyes
                                                                                                                            stageLevelepisodicyesno
                                                                                                                            (kind-level pred)kindLevelyesno

                                                                                                                            The Italian/English contrast arises only in non-characterizing environments — exactly where @cite{carlson-1977}'s referential kind-denotation is needed.