Abstract

GARCIA FAJARDO, Josefina. Spanish Plural Indefinite Determiners with Collective Readings. Anu. let. lingüíst. filol. [online]. 2025, vol.13, n.1, pp.5-26.  Epub June 13, 2025. ISSN 2448-8224.  https://doi.org/10.19130/iifl.adel.2025.13.1.00x328sw31.

This study presents an analysis of unos, algunos, varios, muchos, pocos, and num­erals in constructions like the following:

(1) a.Unas estudiantes trajeron una mascota.

A few students brought a pet.

b.Unos compañeros entregaron su artículo.

A few colleagues handed in their paper.

(2) a.Cuatro cocineros hicieron un enorme pastel de durazno.

Four cooks made a huge peach cake.

b.Dos jovencitos perdieron su bicicleta.

Two little boys lost their bicycle.

(3) a.Pocos jugadores colaboraron con cien pesos.

Few players pitched in a hundred pesos.

b.Pocas senadoras entregaron su informe.

Few senators delivered their report.

The objective is to ascertain which of these determiners has a collective reading in Mexican Spanish, which grammatical factors are compatible with the possibility of that reading, and which determiners allow for a reciprocal reading of the sentences.

Keywords : Indefinite determiners; plurality; distributive and collective readings; conditional; opaque contexts..

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