A New Kind of Perspective Sensitivity Cross-linguistically: Primary Predication with -gaa

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University of Pennsylvania Working Papers in Linguistics
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Balusu, Rahul
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We argue for a new type of judge-dependence encoding based on Telugu adjectival data (with cross-linguistic parallels in Spanish ser/estar, Finnish Essive case, and, Russian Instrumental case). Uniquely, this kind of predicate gives rise to a transient reading in certain contexts without an overt PP. With other experiencer and tense combinations, it gives rise to subjective, dispositional and evaluative interpretations, similar to PPTs. The general theoretical import comes down to the difference between an experiencer argument in an event mediated predication vs. a non-event-mediated predication. We analyse the transient reading as event mediatedpredication, brought about by the eventive predicator -gaa, with a first-person based generic quantification over the experiencer variable (introduced by -gaa) and judge index. When the experiencer is overt or pro, the interpretation is subjective, and when there is generic quantification over the event variable (interaction of tense) the meaning is evaluative or dispositional. In non- event-mediated predication, without -gaa, the transient reading is absent, and subjectivity is based on the kind of gradable adjective–dimensional, and evaluative adjectives; PPTs.

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2018-03-30
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