Nouns and Noun Phrases - University of Macau Library

996 Syntax of Dutch: nouns and noun phrases
The data in (154) therefore suggest that allemaal can be generated either as part of
the noun phrase or independently to the left of the base position of the PP; in the
latter case the PP must be moved into some position to the left of the quantifier.
Given this we may expect that °R-pronominalization will give rise to an acceptable
result as well, provided that the R-pronoun is moved into a position to the left of the
independent quantifier. Although the examples are marked, the results in (155)
seem indeed acceptable.
(155) a. (?) de mensen waar hij gisteren allemaal een uitnodiging aan stuurde
the people where he yesterday altogether an invitation to sent
‘the people to whom he sent an invitation yesterday’
b. ? de voorstellen waar hij gisteren allemaal zijn fiat aan gaf
the proposal where he yesterday altogether his okay to gave
‘the proposals to which he gave his okay yesterday’
Given that (155a) with an indirect object sounds relatively marked, we provide two
more natural examples in (156) involving PP-complements, which seem to be
impeccable.
(156) a. de dingen waar een manager allemaal aan moet denken
the things where a manager altogether of must think
‘all the things that a manager has to think of’
b. de instrumenten waar hij allemaal op kan spelen
the instruments where he altogether on can play
‘the instruments that he can play (on)’
III. Predicate
In examples like (157a), taken from Perridon (1997: 185), it is not immediately
clear whether allemaal is a floating quantifier belonging to the subject wat je over
mij vertelt or a modifier belonging to the predicate nominal leugens.
(157) Wat je over mij vertelt zijn allemaal leugens.
what you about me tell are altogether lies
Semantically, (157) is not on a par with (158a), in which the quantifier clearly
modifies the noun phrase, and in which allemaal can best be rendered as “all sorts
of”. It instead patterns with (158b), in which allemaal has a very high degree
reading; it is nothing but lies that you have been telling about me.
(158) a. Je vertelt allemaal leugens over mij.
you tell altogether lies about me
b. Het/Dit zijn allemaal leugens die je over mij vertelt.
it/this are altogether lies that you about me tell
However, as was discussed in Section 7.1.5.1, sub IIC, it is not clear that the very
high degree quantifier is part of the noun phrase. Evidence that allemaal in (157)
and (158b) can be construed as a floating quantifier with the pronominal subject as
its associate is given in (159), in which the nominal predicate is replaced by an