An Implicational Map for Indefinite Pronoun Functions

Abstract This chapter describes a two-dimensional implicational map for representing nine functions of indefinite pronouns. It first considers indefiniteness markers as grammatical categories, the use/function-based approach, and a geometric representation of implicational universals. It then discusses the implicational map for the uses/functions of indefiniteness markers and shows how it works with three languages: English, Russian, and Nanay (Manchu-Tungusic). The distribution of indefinite pronoun series over the functions on the map in each language is illustrated. These three examples demonstrate how the semantic map captures cross-linguistic generalizations about indefinite pronoun systems and makes universal predictions. The chapter proceeds by explaining the distributional schemas of forty languages that include French, Swedish, Italian, Romanian, Bulgarian, modern Greek, Lithuanian, Irish, Korean, and Persian. Finally, it looks at further restrictions on combinations of functions and earlier formulations of typological implications.