Abstract
AbstractThe present paper deals with the (morpho)syntax and the interpretation of the Latin particlequidem. At the morphosyntactic level, it is argued thatquidemcan be characterized as a weak adverb, and that it is the middle member of a tripartite paradigm with strongequidemand clitic ‐quidemas the two other members. As to the syntax ofquidem, it is contended that the particle always takes scope over an entire proposition, and that it never induces constituent focus. It is shown that the element to the left ofquidemcan be a focus, a topic or a discourse‐neutral constituent, and that the pragmatic status of this element is never affected by the presence ofquidem. Finally, two claims are made about the interpretation ofquidem. First, it is proposed thatquidemis a marker of affirmative polarity, rather than a modal adverb. Second, in accordance with many previous accounts that considerquidemto be a focus particle,quidemis characterized as a marker of emphatic affirmative polarity, which emphasizes that the state of affairs expressed by a given proposition does indeed hold. Under this view,quidemcan be considered a marker ofverumfocus.
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