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Linglib.Theories.Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998

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An individual is a non-empty set of atoms. Atoms are singletons {a}, pluralities are larger sets. The part-of relation (⊆) and join (∪) are inherited from Mathlib's Set instances, giving us Link's complete atomic join semilattice.

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    Construct a singular individual from an atom.

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      A property (intension): function from worlds to sets of individuals. This is Core.Intension World (Set (Individual Atom)).

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        An individual concept: function from worlds to individuals. This is Core.Intension World (Individual Atom).

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          Kinds are a special subset of individual concepts.

          A kind is an individual concept that maps each world to the totality of instances (a set of atoms) and represents a "natural" class with regular behavior.

          Not every individual concept is a kind. Only those corresponding to natural properties qualify.

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            def Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.down (World Atom : Type) (P : Property World Atom) :
            Kind World Atom

            The "down" operator ∩ (cap): nominalize a property to a kind.

            ∩P = λs. ιPₛ

            That is, at each world s, take the largest individual in the extension of P. For plural/mass properties, this is the fusion of all instances.

            Note: ∩ is only semantically defined for plural/mass nouns (see downDefinedFor). This function computes the nominalization for any property; the partiality constraint is enforced externally.

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              def Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.up (World Atom : Type) (k : Kind World Atom) :
              Property World Atom

              The "up" operator ∪ (cup): predicativize a kind to a property.

              ∪k = λx[x ⊆ kₛ]

              The extension is the ideal generated by the kind's instances: all individuals that are "part of" the totality of instances.

              Property: ∪ applied to a kind yields a MASS denotation. This is because the extension includes both atoms and pluralities.

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                A property is mass iff its extension at every world is determined by atomic content: x ∈ P w ↔ ∀ a ∈ x, {a} ∈ P w (@cite{chierchia-1998} §2.2).

                This implies both cumulative reference (CUM) and divisive reference (DIV): mass extensions are closed under union and subset.

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                  theorem Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.isMass_div {World Atom : Type} (P : Property World Atom) (hMass : IsMass World Atom P) (w : World) :

                  Mass properties have divisive reference: if x ∈ P w and y ⊆ x, then y ∈ P w. Every part of a mass-noun instance is also an instance.

                  theorem Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.isMass_cum {World Atom : Type} (P : Property World Atom) (hMass : IsMass World Atom P) (w : World) :

                  Mass properties have cumulative reference: if x ∈ P w and y ∈ P w, then x ∪ y ∈ P w. Combining mass-noun instances yields an instance.

                  def Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.pluralClosure (World Atom : Type) (P : Property World Atom) :
                  Property World Atom

                  Plural closure of a property: close extensions under join (⊔) at each world.

                  This is @cite{link-1983}'s *P operator, Krifka's ⊔ superscript: the smallest superset of P(w) closed under set union. Singular count nouns like spider are not cumulative, so pluralClosure(⟦spider⟧) adds pluralities — the denotation of the bare plural spiders.

                  Mass nouns like mold are already cumulative, so plural closure is a no-op: pluralClosure(⟦mold⟧) = ⟦mold⟧ (see pluralClosure_mass).

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                    theorem Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.pluralClosure_mass {World Atom : Type} (P : Property World Atom) (hMass : IsMass World Atom P) :
                    pluralClosure World Atom P = P

                    Plural closure is idempotent for mass nouns: ⊔P = P when P is cumulative. This is Krifka's absorption rule ⊔⊔S = ⊔S from @cite{krifka-2026} (16).

                    theorem Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.subset_pluralClosure {World Atom : Type} (P : Property World Atom) (w : World) :
                    P w pluralClosure World Atom P w

                    A property is contained in its plural closure.

                    theorem Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.pluralClosure_cum {World Atom : Type} (P : Property World Atom) (w : World) :
                    Mereology.CUM (pluralClosure World Atom P w)

                    Plural closure is always cumulative.

                    def Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.kindAnaphorMass (World Atom : Type) (P : Property World Atom) :
                    Kind World Atom

                    Kind anaphor for [MASS] concepts: ⟦it⟧ = λP[MASS]. λi. ∩P(i).

                    Mass nouns are already cumulative, so ∩ applies directly without plural closure. The singular pronoun it picks up a mass concept dref and derives the corresponding kind individual.

                    Example: John noticed mold. He is allergic against it. ⟦it⟧(⟦mold⟧) = ∩⟦mold⟧ = the mold-kind

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                      def Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.kindAnaphorCount (World Atom : Type) (P : Property World Atom) :
                      Kind World Atom

                      Kind anaphor for [COUNT] concepts: ⟦they⟧ = λP[COUNT]. λi. ∩(⊔P)(i).

                      Count nouns need plural closure (⊔) before nominalization (∩). The plural pronoun they picks up a count concept dref, applies plural closure to get a cumulative predicate, then derives the kind individual via ∩.

                      Example: John noticed a spider. He has a phobia against them. ⟦they⟧(⟦spider⟧) = ∩(⊔⟦spider⟧) = ∩⟦spiders⟧ = the spider-kind

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                        theorem Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.kindAnaphorCount_mass (World Atom : Type) (P : Property World Atom) (hMass : IsMass World Atom P) :
                        kindAnaphorCount World Atom P = kindAnaphorMass World Atom P

                        For mass nouns, the two anaphors yield the same kind (up to absorption). This is why it and they are interchangeable for mass concepts — except that the morphosyntactic [MASS] feature blocks they.

                        theorem Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.up_down_id (World Atom : Type) (P : Property World Atom) (hMass : IsMass World Atom P) :
                        up World Atom (down World Atom P) = P

                        Key theorem: ∪(∩P) = P for mass properties.

                        Going down and then up returns the original property (for suitable P). The mass-noun condition IsMass ensures that the extension at each world is determined by its atomic content, which is exactly what down extracts and up reconstructs.

                        theorem Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.down_up_id (World Atom : Type) (k : Kind World Atom) :
                        down World Atom (up World Atom k) = k

                        Key theorem: ∩(∪k) = k for any kind k.

                        Going up and then down returns the original kind.

                        def Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.DKP (World Atom : Type) (P : Individual AtomBool) (k : Kind World Atom) (w : World) :

                        Derived Kind Predication: coerce object-level predicates to accept kinds.

                        When an object-level predicate P applies to a kind k, introduce existential quantification over instances:

                        P(k) = ∃x[∪k(x) ∧ P(x)]

                        This is a type-coercion triggered by sort mismatch.

                        Example: "Lions are roaring in the zoo"

                        • "lions" denotes a kind
                        • "roaring in the zoo" is an object-level predicate
                        • DKP yields: ∃x[lion(x) ∧ roaring-in-the-zoo(x)]
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                          def Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.liftToKind (World Atom : Type) (P : Individual AtomBool) :
                          Kind World AtomWorldProp

                          DKP as a type-shifting operation on predicates.

                          Takes an object-level predicate and returns a kind-level predicate.

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                            def Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.DPP (Atom : Type) (property predicate : Individual AtomBool) :

                            Derived Property Predication: coerce a property to yield an existential.

                            When a property P (rather than a kind) composes with a predicate Q, introduce low-scoped existential quantification:

                            DPP(Q)(P) = ∃x[P(x) ∧ Q(x)]

                            This is the mirror image of DKP. Where DKP applies to kinds (via ∪), DPP applies to properties directly. @cite{guerrini-2026} §5.3: the existential reading of bare plurals in episodic sentences arises from property-level LFs via DPP, not from kind-level DKP.

                            Example: "Bears are destroying my garden" (existential reading)

                            • "bears" denotes a property (λx.bear(x))
                            • "destroying my garden" is a predicate
                            • DPP yields: ∃x[bear(x) ∧ destroying-my-garden(x)]

                            DPP applies locally (like DKP), so it yields obligatory low scope.

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                              The Nominal Mapping Parameter.

                              Languages vary in what they let their NPs denote:

                              • [+arg]: NPs can be argumental (type e, denoting kinds)
                              • [+pred]: NPs can be predicative (type ⟨e,t⟩)

                              The combination determines the language's nominal system.

                              • argOnly : NominalMapping

                                [+arg, -pred]: All nouns are kinds (Chinese-like)

                                • All nouns are mass-like
                                • No plural morphology
                                • Generalized classifier system
                                • Bare arguments everywhere
                              • argAndPred : NominalMapping

                                [+arg, +pred]: Nouns can be kinds or predicates (Germanic-like)

                                • Mass/count distinction
                                • Bare plurals and mass nouns as arguments
                                • Singular count nouns require D
                              • predOnly : NominalMapping

                                [-arg, +pred]: All nouns are predicates (Romance-like)

                                • Mass/count distinction
                                • Bare arguments restricted (need licensing)
                                • D must be projected for argumenthood
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                                  Whether a nominal can denote a kind, given the language's mapping parameter and whether an overt determiner (D) is present.

                                  • [+arg] languages: nouns can denote kinds without D (covert ∩ available)
                                  • [-arg, +pred] languages: D is required to map predicates to arguments; without D, nouns remain predicates (properties)
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                                    Pluralization / mass extension: the set of non-empty sub-individuals.

                                    For count nouns, PL(F) = { s | s.Nonempty ∧ s ⊆ F } — the set of pluralities whose atomic parts are all in the original extension.

                                    Mass nouns come out of the lexicon "already pluralized": a mass noun like "furniture" is true of individual pieces AND pluralities of pieces, without distinction. Its extension has the same form: { s | s.Nonempty ∧ s ⊆ atoms }.

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                                      The Blocking Principle: covert type shifting is blocked when an overt determiner has the same meaning.

                                      For any type shifting operation τ and any X: *τ(X) if there is a determiner D such that D(X) = τ(X)

                                      In English:

                                      • ι (iota) is blocked by "the" → can't use ι covertly
                                      • ∃ is blocked by "a/some" for singulars → can't use ∃ covertly for singulars
                                      • ∩ is NOT blocked → can use ∩ freely for bare plurals/mass

                                      This explains why English allows bare plurals but not bare singulars.

                                      • determiners : List String

                                        Available overt determiners

                                      • iotaBlocked : Bool

                                        Whether ι (definite) is blocked

                                      • existsBlocked : Bool

                                        Whether ∃ (indefinite singular) is blocked

                                      • downBlocked : Bool

                                        Whether ∩ (kind formation) is blocked

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                                        The key insight: ∩ is undefined for singular count nouns.

                                        ∩ applied to a singular property would need to yield a kind. But kinds necessarily have plurality of instances (across worlds). A property that is necessarily instantiated by just one individual does not qualify as a kind.

                                        Therefore:

                                        • ∩(dogs) = the dog-kind ✓
                                        • ∩(dog) = undefined ✗

                                        This, combined with blocking of ι and ∃ by articles, explains why bare singular count nouns cannot occur as arguments in English.

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                                          Why bare plurals are OK but bare singulars are not (in languages with articles).

                                          Given a language where:

                                          • ι is blocked (has "the")
                                          • ∃ is blocked for singulars (has "a")
                                          • ∩ is not blocked

                                          Then:

                                          • Bare plurals OK: ∩ is defined and not blocked
                                          • Bare singulars OUT: ∩ is undefined, and ι/∃ are blocked

                                          Language-specific configurations live in Fragments/{Language}/Nouns.lean.

                                          Bare plurals are scopeless because DKP introduces a LOCAL existential.

                                          The existential reading from DKP cannot scope out because the coercion applies inside the predicate abstract.

                                          See Phenomena/Generics/KindReference.lean for empirical scope data.

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                                            When ∩ is undefined (NP doesn't denote a kind), we fall back to ∃.

                                            For non-kind-denoting NPs like "parts of that machine":

                                            • ∩ is undefined (no corresponding natural kind)
                                            • ∃ is available (not blocked for plurals)
                                            • Result: these NPs behave like regular existential GQs
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                                              Computational DKP #

                                              @cite{krifka-2004} @cite{chierchia-1998}

                                              Simplified, decidable formalization of Chierchia's DKP for concrete scrambling comparisons with @cite{krifka-2004}. Uses List Entity and Bool (rather than Set Atom and Prop) so that examples reduce by rfl.

                                              The parallel Krifka machinery is in Krifka2004.lean; both are instantiated side-by-side in Phenomena/Generics/Compare.lean.

                                              See Theories/Comparisons/KindReference.lean for the formal comparison.

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                                              A kind's extension at each world (the instances)

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                                                A VP meaning (intensional)

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                                                  A sentence meaning (proposition)

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                                                    def Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.dkpApply {Entity World : Type} (kind : KindExtension Entity World) (vp : ChierchiaVP Entity World) :

                                                    DKP (Derived Kind Predication): Coerce a kind to work with object-level predicates.

                                                    Given a kind (represented by its extension at each world) and an object-level VP, DKP introduces existential quantification:

                                                    DKP(VP)(k) = λw. ∃x ∈ k(w). VP(x)(w)

                                                    Property: The ∃ is introduced HERE, at the point of composition, not at a syntactic position. This makes DKP position-invariant.

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                                                      def Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.chierchiaDerivUnscrambled {Entity World : Type} (kind : KindExtension Entity World) (vp : ChierchiaVP Entity World) :

                                                      Chierchia's derivation for "[niet [BP V]]" (unscrambled).

                                                      1. BP = kind k
                                                      2. VP = λx.V(x)
                                                      3. DKP: ∃x[k(x) ∧ V(x)]
                                                      4. Negation: ¬∃x[k(x) ∧ V(x)]
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                                                        def Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.chierchiaDerivScrambled {Entity World : Type} (kind : KindExtension Entity World) (vp : ChierchiaVP Entity World) :

                                                        Chierchia's derivation for "[BP [niet V]]" (scrambled).

                                                        In Chierchia's system, scrambling doesn't change the derivation. DKP still applies when the kind meets the predicate, and the ∃ is introduced at that point (the trace position in LF).

                                                        Result: Same as unscrambled — ¬∃x[k(x) ∧ V(x)]

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                                                          Chierchia's DKP is position-invariant.

                                                          Scrambled and unscrambled derivations yield the same meaning. This is the source of Chierchia's incorrect prediction for Dutch scrambling.

                                                          Empirical Data #

                                                          For empirical patterns (cross-linguistic data, scope judgments, predicate class effects), see:

                                                          An equivalence relation on atoms partitions them into subkinds.

                                                          • rel : AtomAtomProp

                                                            The salient equivalence relation

                                                          • isEquiv : Equivalence self.rel

                                                            Must be an equivalence

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                                                            Subkind relation: k₁ is a subkind of k₂ iff every entity instantiating k₁ also instantiates k₂.

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                                                              theorem Semantics.Lexical.Noun.Kind.Chierchia1998.disjointness_condition {Atom : Type} [DecidableEq Atom] (kf : KindFormation Atom) (a b : Atom) (h : ¬kf.rel a b) :
                                                              Disjoint {x : Atom | kf.rel a x} {x : Atom | kf.rel b x}

                                                              @cite{carlson-1977}'s Disjointness Condition: subkinds induced by an equivalence relation are pairwise disjoint in any context.

                                                              Mathematical number system taxonomy: NUMBER has subkinds ℕ, ℤ, ℚ, ℝ, etc. TWO has subkinds 2_ℕ, 2_ℤ, 2_ℚ, 2_ℝ (Snyder §4.3).

                                                              Named MathSystem to avoid confusion with grammatical number (UD.Number, Word.Number).

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                                                                  Two twos from different systems are distinct subkinds of TWO.

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                                                                    The four mathematical number systems.

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                                                                      NUMBER has four subkinds (ℕ, ℤ, ℚ, ℝ). This is what makes taxonomic predication ("two comes in several varieties") felicitous: the kind TWO has genuinely distinct subkinds.

                                                                      All pairs of distinct number systems yield distinct subkinds.