Article published In:
Linguistic Variation Yearbook 2004Edited by Pierre Pica
[Linguistic Variation Yearbook 4] 2004
► pp. 5–40
Edited by Pierre Pica
[Linguistic Variation Yearbook 4] 2004
► pp. 5–40
The universal force of free choice any
This paper adds to the ongoing debate about the quantificational status of English FC any. It argues that any is a universal, though its universality is such that it can be conjoined with an existential statement. This is established by showing, first of all, that various properties that are amenable to a universal account of FC any remain elusive in recent accounts that treat it as an indefinite. Secondly, it presents a detailed description of supplementary/numeral any, cases in which any occurs with an indefinite. Such cases have been assumed to provide evidence for the indefinite-any view but an explicit semantics for the constructions is given, showing that any invariably contributes universal quantificational force. Existential force always comes from other elements. The paper also discusses alternative formulations that preserve the key insights of the universalist position and the role of cross-linguistic variation in the study of FC items.
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