Fourteen Tests for Breton Collectives, an Inquiry on Number an Numerotisity

Mélanie Jouitteau (1) , Milan Rezac (1)

1 IKER - Centre de recherche sur la langue et les textes basques

We report on an inquiry into the mapping between the syntax and semantics of number in so-called collective nouns in Breton. First, the collective system of Breton is described. Next, we lay out the theory of numerosity (semantic) and number (syntactic) in terms of which we formulate particular diagnostics. We compare collectives to better or worse understood classes of nouns in the numerosity-number system, including group, count, and different varieties of mass nouns, focusing on those with anomalous number behavior recalling those of collectives. Each diagnostic is accompanied by the results of a pilot study. We review the methodological, comparative, and theoretical results we have and their current limits.

Keywords: yezhadur; yezhoniezh; anv-stroll; unanderenn

Keywords: collective nouns; singulatives; Breton grammar; Breton linguistics; Celtic; Numerosity; plural nouns; distributivity

Keywords: distributivité; singulatifs; noms collectifs; breton; grammaire bretonne; Linguistique -- France -- 21e siècle

Domains: Humanities and Social Sciences; Linguistics

Mélanie Jouitteau, Milan Rezac. Fourteen Tests for Breton Collectives, an Inquiry on Number an Numerotisity. Lapurdum, 2016, Mélanges En l'honneur de Xarles Videgain, 19, pp.357-389. ⟨hal-02553882⟩