Distributivity across domains : a study of the distributive numerals in Bangla

Abstract

In this thesis, studying the numeral indefinites in Bangla, I argue that distributive numerals are not distributivity operators themselves. The distributive numerals introduce a plurality of discourse referents, and they require that this plurality of discourse referents must enter into a formal relationship with the plurality of individuals introduced by another discourse referent. This formal requirement is known as dependency. Conventionally the phenomenon is called covariation. A distributivity operator is such that it allows this formal relationship to hold in its scope. I argue that examples involving ditransitives provide clear evidence for such an analysis. Apart from this, I discuss that the different forms of numerals have an additional restriction about encoding specificity effects. I show that the requirement of specificity and the requirement of covariation interact with each other in the scope of a distributivity operator. This interaction is encoded morphologically by differentiating between simple and complex forms of distributive numerals. The proposal is implemented by using Dynamic Plural Logic. Finally I show that the particular formalization can be extended to account for the difference between adnominal distributive numerals and adverbial (which I call 'pluractional') distributive numerals. To analyze the adnominal and adverbial distributive numerals I propose to differentiate between distributivity in the domain of individuals and distributivity in the domain of events.