“Exclusivity” and quantifier float in bakari

This paper presents a descriptive study that analyzes the semantic meaning of  toritate focus particle bakari . It has been pointed out that while bakari expresses exclusivity , it seemingly possesses the characteristic of allowing non-applicable cases. This phenomenon may be examined when one argues against the position that bakari expresses exclusivity . Contrary to this view, the current study shows that when bakari co-occurs with floating quantifiers, non-applicable cases cannot be included in the quantity of the item indicated by the quantifier in question, thereby arguing that the meaning of bakari should be taken as exclusivity . Based on the previous studies, we clarify the following two points. First, when bakari is used, apart from a pre-established objective set reflecting the world, a subjective set rooted in the speaker's experience is established, and when a floating quantifier co-occurs with bakari , the quantifier in question expresses the quantity of the subjective set. Second, toritate focus particle bakari represents exclusivity, and the non-applicable cases can exist only outside of the set that bakari is concerned with.