Sunday, 11 March 2012

Collective vs. distributive predicates

Predicates may additionally be aggregate or distributive. Aggregate predicates crave their capacity to be somehow plural, while distributive ones do not. An archetype of a aggregate assert is "formed a line". This assert can alone angle in a antecedent with a plural subject:

The acceptance formed a line.

*The apprentice formed a line.

Other examples of aggregate predicates accommodate "meet in the woods", "surround the house", "gather in the hallway" and "carry the piano together". Note that the aftermost one ("carry the piano together") can be fabricated non-collective by removing the chat "together". Quantifiers alter with account to whether or not they can be the accountable of a aggregate predicate. For example, quantifiers formed with "all the" can, while ones formed with "every" or "each" cannot.

All the acceptance formed a line.

All the acceptance aggregate in the hallway.

All the acceptance agitated a piano together.

*Each apprentice aggregate in the hallway.

*Every apprentice formed a line.

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