Categories and meanings of Korean floating quantifiers - With some reference to Japanese

Abstract

This paper aims to give an explicit categorial syntax and formal semantics of various forms of floating quantifiers (FQs) in Korean. Non-case-marked FQs are assigned the category of NP modifier, i.e., NP\NP and this categorization, together with the combinatorial operation of functional composition, can handle the basic cases of subject/object asymmetry. An FQ in front of a transitive verb can compose with the verb, making itself related only to the object, but not to the subject. Case-marked FQs show no such asymmetry and they can be handled when they are assigned categories of VP or TV modifiers. Discourse factors are also relevant for FQs particularly because FQs with discourse markers, which signify some discourse-relevant prominence, enjoy the full freedom of word order as usual adverbs. Non-case-marked FQs can also be used as adverbials in a strong discourse context such as a strong discourse context such as a 'contrastive' one or nonconstituent coordination construction, but discourse effects are not as strong in Korean as in Japanese, as shown by still-awkward sentence with topicalized FQs. The absence of discourse restriction of contrastiveness with respect to dative NP hosts is another indication that Korean FQs are less affect by discourse factors that Japanese ones. Discourse factors are more grammaticalized in Korean than in Japanese.