Multiple Event Readings with Dependent Indefinites

Abstract

This chapter surveys empirical and theoretical issues raised by dependent indefinites in three unrelated languages, Hungarian, Telugu, and Kaqchikel. Dependent indefinites are specially marked noun phrases that can only occur when interpreted within a predication that distributes over events or individuals. Their determiner can either be a simple indefinite or a cardinal numeral. The chapter lays out the theoretical challenges the data raise and discusses how these challenges are met in three approaches that differ with respect to what they take as the core property of these indefinites.