Cantonese Particles and Affixal Quantification, 2012 Studies in Natural Language and Linguistic Theory Series, Vol. 87

Abstract .- Preface .- Abbreviations .- Chapter One: Introduction . The Problem  . Major Ideas to be Proposed  . Organization .- Chapter Two: Previous Analyses on Quantification   and Cantonese Verbal   Suffixes . Introduction: Quantification in Natural Language     . Generalized Quantifiers . D-quantification and A-quantification . D-quantification: Assimilating A-quantification with D-quantification  . A-quantification . Tripartite Structures . Distinguishing D-quantification from A-quantification: The Role of Focus in D-quantification and A-quantification . Where does Affixal Quantification Stand? A- or D-quantification? . Previous Literature of Affixal Quantification  . Verbal Suffixes in Cantonese: What is Special about Cantonese?  . An Overview: A Rich Inventory of Verbal Suffixes in Cantonese . Morpho-syntactic Properties of Cantonese Affixal Quantifiers  . Previous Analyses of Quantifying Verbal Suffixes in Cantonese ----hoi, -maai and –saai . Previous Analyses of -hoi and Their Limitations . -Hoi as a Progressive Marker . Hoi as a Continuative Marker . Hoi as a Habitual Marker . Previous Analyses of -maai and Their Limitations . Maai marks an “Extension” . Maai marks the Completion of an Event . Maai Marks an “Accumulation” . Maai and “lin…je” . Previous Analyses of -saai and Their Limitations . The Definiteness/Specificity of the Associated NPs . The Telicity Requirement of –saai . The Divisibility Requirement of -saai  . Two Derived Meanings of –saai . Quantification of -saai: -Saai as a nominal Quantifier or an Anti-quantifier . Saai as a Nominal Quantifier . Saai as an A-quantifier over Events or an Anti-quantifier . Saai is neither an Event Quantifier nor a Pure Nominal . Quantifier .- Chapter Three: The Quantification Accessibility Hierarchy for Affixal Quantifiers . Saai, -hoi and -maai as Quantifiers . A Selectional Restriction of Universal Quantifier -saai: The part structure requirement . A Selectional Restriction of Generic Quantifier -hoi: A plurality condition for affixal quantifiers . Does -hoi require an event or a situation variable? . A Plurality Condition for Affixal Quantifiers . A Plurality of Events or Situations . A Plurality of Events Given by the Subevent Property or [+part] Objects . Plurality Satisfied by a Set of Time Points . A Selectional Restriction of Additive Quantifier -maai: The definiteness requirement . Maai imposes no restriction on its co-occurring predicate . Maai requires a [+definite] argument . The Selection of Items for Association --- Syntactic selection by the Quantification .  Accessibility Hierarchy for Affixal Quantifiers . The Selection of Items for Association of –saai . Subject-object Asymmetry in Transitives . Selection over Subjects or Direct Objects . Selection over Other Verbal Arguments . The Selection of Predicates as the Last Option . The Quantification Accessibility Hierarchy for –Saai . The Selection of Items for Association of –hoi . Selection over Direct and Indirect Arguments . Selection over Other Verbal Arguments and the Predicate . The Failure of -hoi to Select the Subjects . The Quantification Accessibility Hierarchy for –Hoi . The Selection of Items for Association of -maai   . Selection over DOs, IOs, and Preverbal PPs . Does -maai select subjects? . The Quantification Accessibility Hierarchy for Affixal Quantifiers . An Attempt to Account for the Blocking Effect of Subject Quantification . Scope Orders of Logical Operators . Explaining the Blocking Effect of Subject Quantification .- Chapter Four: The Syntax-Semantics Mappings of Affixal Quantifiers and Tripartite Structures . Scopes of the Three Affixal Quantifiers . Structural Locality of Verbal Suffixes . Hoi and –maai attaching to v’ . Scope for -saai: vP or TP? . The Syntax-Semantics Mappings of Cantonese Affixal Quantifiers . The Syntax-Semantics Mapping of Universal Quantifier –saai when there is no focus . The Syntax-Semantics Mapping of Additive Quantifier –maai  when there is no focus . The Syntax-Semantics Mapping of Generic Quantifier –hoi  when there is no focus . A General Mapping Hypothesis for Affixal Quantifiers . Three Remaining Issues . The Incompatibility between Affixal Quantifiers and Aspectual Markers . Affixal Quantifiers Fail to Quantify over wh-indefinites . The Interaction of Affixal Quantifiers with Numeral NP Objects .- Chapter Five: The Role of Focus in Affixal Quantification --- does quantification in natural language involve one process or two? . An Overview: The Role of Focus in Quantification . The Role of Focus in Saai-quantification . Can Focus Alter the Selection of -saai Determined by the Quantification . Accessibility Hierarchy? . Can Focus Affect the Mapping of -saai if the Selected Item is in Focus? . Two Derived Meanings of –saai . An Emphatic Meaning . “Only” or Exclusive Meaning . The Role of Focus in Hoi-quantification . Can Focus Alter the Selection of -hoi Determined by the Quantification Accessibility Hierarchy? . Can Focus Affect the Mapping of -hoi if the Selected Item is in Focus? . The Role of Focus in Maai-quantification .    Can Focus Affect the Selection and the Mapping of -maai? . Focus Association in Affixal Quantification . Focus Sensitivity of Affixal Quantifiers . Identifying a New Role of Focus in Quantification --- A Two-Process Approach to Quantification in Natural Language . Separating the Selection Process from the Mapping Process . A Two-process Mechanism for All Quantifiers . Focus as the Important Factor in Distinguishing the Two Processes .- Chapter Six: Affixal Quantification and Its Relation with A- and D-quantifications . Affixal Quantification Falls in-between the Dichotomy of D- and Q-quantifications . Affixal Quantifiers Vs. A-quantifiers and D-quantifiers . Unselective Binder –saai . Saai is Not a Pure A-quantifier . Does -saai Behave like a Strong Determiner or a Weak Determiner? . Unselective Binder –hoi . A Comparison between Preverbal Q-adverbs and –hoi . Hoi Vs. Generic Operators and Q-adverbs . Further Contrasts among Covert Gen, Q-adverbs and –hoi . Unselective Binder –maai . Maai Vs. D-quantifiers . Maai Vs. A-quantifiers . Maai Vs. English “even” and English “also/too” . Affixal Quantifiers Behave Like neither Pure A-quantifiers nor Pure D-quantifiers .- Chapter Seven: Concluding Remarks . Summary of Major Findings . Theoretical Consequences and Implications  . Future Research .- References

The first book-length study on affixal quantification and Cantonese verbal affixes

Provides a detailed comparison between affixal quantification, determiner quantification, and adverbial quantification

Includes syntax-semantics mapping approach and a combination of theoretical and descriptive methods, which makes the book an indispensible resource