Abstract

MARTINS, Ana Maria. Ordem de palavras e polaridade: inversão nominal negativa com algum / alguno e nenhum. Diacrítica [online]. 2015, vol.29, n.1, pp.400-427. ISSN 0807-8967.

This work deals with the interpretive contrast that results from placing the indefinite quantifier algum in prenominal or postnominal position (e.g. alguma coisa ‘something' vs. coisa alguma ‘nothing') and seeks to explain the observed relationship between word order and polarity (i.e. the opposition positive/negative) in a formal, diachronic and comparative perspective. The proposed analysis explores the hypothesis of structural parallelism between clauses and nominal expressions (specifically vis-à-vis NegP) and leads to the identification of a set of related syntactic changes taking place in Portuguese from the 18th century. These changes include the expansion of nominal negative inversion from algum to nenhum (‘none'), the loss of algum and nenhum as strong pronouns with a [+human] feature, and the generalization of the use of the definite article before possessives. Last but not least, the paper describes the differences and similarities between Portuguese and Spanish nominal negative inversion with algum/alguno and accounts for them in a theoretical and diachronic perspective.

Keywords : negative polarity itens; indefinite quantifiers; nominal negative inversion; linguistic change; Portuguese; Spanish.

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