Delimiting the class of free choice items in a comparative perspective: Evidence from the database of French and Greek free choice items

Abstract

This study argues that free choice items (FCIs) form a distinct class of lexical items. Just like other lexical items, they are associated with alternatives. Their core semantic property is that they have descriptive contents that bring information on these alternatives. In doing so, they form three interpretational categories: (1) full set FCIs, or else FCIs that express widening, require that all alternatives of the relevant type, without exception, are considered, (2) subset FCIs that express ignorance require that unknown alternatives are considered and (3) subset FCIs that express absence of preference require that non-preferred alternatives are considered. FCIs meaning components are encoded in the form of semantic features in the individual items and give rise to three grammaticality conditions for the class of FCIs. FCI grammaticality is analyzed in terms of a two-way feature satisfaction of the FCI's feature requirement vis à vis the alternatives under consideration.