Nouns and Noun Phrases - University of Macau Library

1042 Syntax of Dutch: nouns and noun phrases
III. Complement of preposition
For the complement of a preposition, grammatical examples can again readily be
constructed for all the various uses of heel. The negative polarity reading in (282e)
is less felicitous than those in (280e) and (281e), but this might be a more general
property of (some) Dutch negative polarity items. Example (282a), given earlier as
(166b), again ties in with the discussion of the role of distributivity in Section 7.2.1.1;
see also the discussion of the contrast between the examples in (167b) and (188b).
(282) a. We kijken naar heel de mens. [Q reading]
we look at all the person
‘I took a view of the entire person.’
b. Ik geef aan een hele appel de voorkeur. [adjectival reading]
I give to a whole apple the preference
‘I prefer a whole apple.’
c. Holistische geneeskunde kijkt naar de hele mens. [totality reading]
holistic healing looks at the whole person
d. Ik heb met hele horden mensen staan praten. [degree reading]
I have with whole hordes [of] people stand talk
‘I stood talking to whole hordes of people.’
e. ? Ik zou met die hele/heel die vent nog geen seconde willen praten. [NPI]
I would with that whole/all that guy PRT no second want talk
‘I wouldn’t even want to talk to that guy for a second.’
7.2.3.2. Distribution as predicates
The examples in (283) show that all heel phrases can be used as nominal predicates
except for those involving heel used as a negative polarity item contributing
condescension.
(283) a. Wij zijn samen heel de vakgroep. [Q reading]
we are together all the department
b. Deze appel is een hele appel. [adjectival reading]
this apple is a whole apple
c. Wij zijn samen de hele vakgroep. [totality reading]
we are together the whole department
d. Wij zijn samen een hele horde mensen. [degree reading]
we are together a whole horde [of] people
e. *Hij is toch niet heel die/die hele vent van hiernaast, hè? [NPI]
he is PRT not all that/that whole guy of next.door TAG
The ungrammaticality of (283e) is entirely due to the presence of heel/hele; without
it, the sentence is perfect. Since the problem with this example is clearly not due to
the lack of a c-commanding licenser (which was the case with the subject cases in
279a&b), we must find some other reason for the unacceptability of (283e). One
option that comes to mind is that this is due to the fact that predicates normally
provide new information, so the heel-phrase does not satisfy the D-linking
requirement imposed on the negative polarity reading, which was discussed in
Section 7.2.1.2.2, sub III.