Nouns and Noun Phrases - University of Macau Library

1070 Syntax of Dutch: nouns and noun phrases
referring to several separate events of inviting a student or subgroup of students,
whereas (43b) strongly favors the latter interpretation. This meaning difference is
probably related to the scope of the modal adverb waarschijnlijk ‘probably’. In
(43b) the universally quantified phrase is outside the scope of the modal adverb,
and, as a result, it is claimed for each individual student that he will probably be
invited. In (43a), on the other hand, the universally quantified phrase is within the
scope of the modal adverb, and, as a result, it is claimed that it is probably the case
that all students will be invited, where it is immaterial whether they are invited
individually or as a group. The universal quantifiers iedereen ‘everyone’ and alles
‘everything’ also seem to prefer the position to the right of the modal adverb, but
again both orders seem to be acceptable.
(44) a. dat Jan waarschijnlijk iedereen/alles meeneemt.
that Jan probably everyone/everything prt.-takes
‘that Jan probably takes everyone/everything with him.’
b. ? dat Jan iedereen/alles waarschijnlijk meeneemt.
Universally quantified nominal objects can readily occur on both sides of the
adverbs of frequency. This gives rise to a difference in interpretation, which can
again be expressed in terms of scope: in (45a′), the universally quantified noun
phrase is outside the scope of the adverb, and as a result it is claimed for each
individual book in the relevant domain of discourse that John often takes it with
him; in (45a), on the other hand, the universally quantified noun phrase is within the
scope of the frequency adverb, and as a result it is claimed that it is often the case
that John takes all books with him. Examples (45b&b′) show that the same thing
holds for universal quantifiers such as alles ‘everything’.
(45) a. dat Jan vaak alle boeken meeneemt.
that Jan often all books prt.-takes
‘that Jan often takes all books with him.’
a′. dat Jan alle boeken vaak meeneemt.
b. dat Jan vaak alles meeneemt.
that Jan often everything prt.-takes
‘that Jan often takes everything with him.’
b′. ? dat Jan alles vaak meeneemt.
C. Negative quantifiers
Given that the negative quantifiers niemand ‘nobody’ and niets ‘nothing’ do not
allow a specific interpretation, it does not come as a surprise that such noun phrases
must follow the modal adverbs, as is illustrated by (46a&b). Another factor that
may play a role here is that, in general, negative phrases tend to follow the modal
adverbs. This even holds for subjects, as is shown in (46c).
(46) a. dat Jan waarschijnlijk uitnodigt.
that Jan nobody probably invites
b. dat Jan waarschijnlijk aan Peter wil geven.
that Jan nothing probably to Peter wants give
c. dat < ?? niemand> waarschijnlijk dat boek gelezen heeft.
that nobody probably that book read has