平均句中的分数名词短语及其指称

Fractional number phrases in average sentences and their denotations

"平均句"是一类表示数量关系的句子,具有独一无二的语义特征,例如允许出现"1.43个孩子"这样的分数名词短语。本文论证平均句中的分数名词短语既不指称个体又不指称数量。根据木桶原则,我们进一步得出结论,平均句中,即使是整数名词短语也既不指称个体又不指称数量。然后本文介绍Kennedy和Stanley(2009)对average的研究工作,他们为我们解决这种无指称现象提出了非常好的思路,同时我们指出他们的理论也面临着一些困难,存在待修改完善的地方。最后在他们的基础上,我们提出"平均"是一个语义复杂的词项,包括三个意义:全称量化、算术除法和一一对应。

One striking property of average sentences is the occurrence of fractional number phrases like 1.43 children.This paper argues that the fractional number phrases in average sentences cannot refer to individuals or quantities.According to the principle of generalization to the worst case,even integer number phrases in average sentences cannot refer to individuals and quantities either.