Re: Probability of Article Replacement?

Staving Doug Dee:
>In a message dated 3/1/2003 2:07:43 AM Eastern Standard Time,
>czhang23@AOL.COM writes:
>
>
>>     This is an interesting topic... I searched thru my ConLang "Syntax"
>> notes
>>and found this - written by David E. Bell:
>>
>>amman iar definite determiners distinguish four levels of definiteness.
>(snip description)
>
>Interesting.  My (still very sketchy) principal conlang has 4 kinds of
>article:
>
>1. Definite: "The dog bit me."
>2. Generic: "The dog was the first animal domesticated by humans."  "Dogs
>are mammals."
>3. Specific indefinite: "I'm looking for a dog. (It was here a minute ago;
>it must have run off.)"
>4. Nonspecific indefinite: "I'm looking for a dog.  (I haven't had one
>since I was a child; I'd like to get one again.)"
This has given me an idea for a four way definiteness distinction.

1. Definite to speaker.
2. Definite to hearer.
3. Definite to all.
4. Indefinite.

I may need to add a fifth category, for "definite to some members of a
group of hearers, but not others."

Pete Bleackley

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