Ensuring atomicity with distributive share markers
Résumé
Abstract This paper tackles the question of the granularity of distributivity — that is, the nature and size of the entities over which distribution takes place, a parameter of variation in the meaning of distributive operators. We focus on two classes of distributive markers: Distributive-Key markers such as determiner each in English and svaki ‘every’ in Serbian vs. Distributive-Share markers such as Serbian po and binominal each. We present experimental evidence suggesting that the core of Safir & Stowell’s (1998) seminal analysis of binominal each can be extended in a unified way to distributive operators such as po that distribute over atomic, as well as non-atomic entities, be it count entities bigger than atoms (plural individuals), or entities from noncount domains (time/space).