Complex Numeral Expressions: A Plea for Grafts. (30th March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meinunger, André
• Is Part Of: Syntax. Volume 18:Number 2(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 103
• Page End: 123
• Publication Date: 2015-03-30
• Subjects: Grammar, Comparative and general -- Syntax -- Periodicals; 415
• DOI: 10.1111/synt.12029
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-0005

Abstract

Abstract: Grafting is a syntactic device developed and defended by van Riemsdijk (2000 and subsequent work) by which two independent input trees are connected via external remerger of internal elements, thus sharing a constituent. Grafting clearly violates standard assumptions about phrase structure. Still, several structures found in natural language are best analyzed in terms of grafting. The present paper discusses one such construction: complex numerals. It shows that the characteristic multidominance of grafting explains the word order, case assignment, plural, paucal, and singular distribution associated with complex numeral combinations better than a coordination approach and is more compatible with more number (or counting) systems found in the world's languages.