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<H3><A NAME="SECTION00054100000000000000">Core semantics of value <EM>indefinite adjective</EM></A></H3>
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<H4><A NAME="SECTION00054110000000000000">Indefinite adjectives: Semantic criterion</A></H4>
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If the <EM>adjective</EM> specifies neither a property for an object,
nor a countable or precisely measurable quantity, it may have the <B>type</B> value <EM>indefinite</EM>.
This criterion is neither sufficient nor necessary. Indeed, we do not consider an <EM>adjective</EM> such as
`nombreux' to be an <EM>indefinite adjective</EM>.
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<EM>Test</EM>:
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Given <EM>N</EM> a noun, <EM>X</EM> an adjective: If <EM>X</EM> + <EM>N</EM> or
<EM>N</EM> + <EM>X</EM> in a non-specified context raises
questions such as `lequel?', `lesquels?', etc., `combien?', ``quoi
comme...?'', then <EM>X</EM> may be an indefinite adjective.
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<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> un <B>autre</B><A NAME="11201"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>type=indf</FONT></SMALL> livre / quoi comme livre?
<LI> la <B>même</B><A NAME="11214"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>type=indf</FONT></SMALL> voiture / quoi comme voiture?
<LI> une <B>telle</B><A NAME="11219"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>type=indf</FONT></SMALL> histoire / quoi comme histoire?
<LI> les <B>quelques</B><A NAME="11227"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>type=indf</FONT></SMALL> avantages / lesquels?
<LI> un <B>certain</B><A NAME="11235"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>type=indf</FONT></SMALL> livre / quoi comme livre?
</UL></P></DIV><P>
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<H4><A NAME="SECTION00054120000000000000">Indefinite adjectives: Morphosyntactic criterion</A></H4>
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Morphosyntactic restrictions apply to indefinite adjectives:
some do not realise the singular and plural forms, and/or there are
restrictions concerning the compatibility with <EM>determiner</EM> in a noun phrase.
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<EM>Test</EM>:
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Given <EM>X</EM> an adjective, <EM>Det</EM> a determiner, <EM>N</EM> a noun and <EM>
NP</EM> a noun phrase;
If, for <EM>NP</EM> (<EM>Det</EM> + <EM>X</EM> + <EM>N</EM>) there are restrictions concerning the <B>number</B> value of <EM>X</EM> and/or the selection of <EM>
Det</EM>, then <EM>X</EM> may be an indefinite adjective.
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<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> les <B>quelques</B><A NAME="11279"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>type=indf</FONT></SMALL> avantages.
<LI> *de <B>quelques</B><A NAME="11287"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>type=indf</FONT></SMALL> avantages.
<LI> *la *<B>quelque</B><A NAME="11295"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>type=indf</FONT></SMALL> avantage.
<LI> *une *<B>quelque</B><A NAME="11303"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>type=indf</FONT></SMALL> avantage.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
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<H4><A NAME="SECTION00054130000000000000">Indefinite adjectives: Syntactic criteria</A></H4>
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<H5><A NAME="SECTION00054131000000000000">Indefinite adjectives: Syntactic criterion 1</A></H5>
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Certain indefinite adjectives are in complementary distribution or in relationship with <EM>indefinite
determiners</EM>. This criterion is sufficient but not necessary.
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<EM>Test</EM>:
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Given <EM>Det</EM> a determiner, <EM>Adj</EM> an adjective, <EM>N</EM> a noun and <EM>NP</EM> a noun phrase:
If it is possible to transform <EM>NP</EM> (<EM>Det</EM> + <EM>X</EM>/<EM>
Adj</EM> + <EM>N</EM>) into <EM>NP</EM> (<EM>X</EM>/<EM>Det</EM> + <EM>N</EM>), then <EM>X</EM> has the <B>type</B> value <EM>indefinite</EM>.
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<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> les <B>quelques</B><A NAME="11334"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & type=indf</FONT></SMALL> avantages;<BR>
<B>quelques</B><A NAME="11342"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=d & type=indf</FONT></SMALL> avantages.
<LI> un <B>certain</B><A NAME="11350"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & type=indf</FONT></SMALL> livre;<BR>
<B>certains</B><A NAME="11358"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=d & type=indf</FONT></SMALL> livres.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
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<H4><A NAME="SECTION00054140000000000000">Indefinite adjectives: Syntactic criterion 2</A></H4>
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Indefinite adjectives occupy the position before the noun (anteposition). Some adjectives can also occupy the
position after the noun (<EM>les diverses personnes vs. les personnes diverses</EM>). If this is the case, the meaning
of the adjective changes. We consider that the adjective which occupies the position before the noun has the
<B>type</B> value <EM>indefinite</EM> and the adjective which occupies the position after the noun has the
<B>type</B> value <EM>qualitative</EM>.
<P>
<EM>Test</EM>:
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Given <EM>Det</EM> a determiner, <EM>Adj</EM> an adjective, <EM>N</EM> a noun and <EM>NP</EM> a noun phrase:
If only <EM>NP</EM> (<EM>Det</EM> + <EM>Adj</EM> + <EM>N</EM>)
(and <EM>NP</EM> (<EM>Det</EM> + <EM>N</EM> +<EM>Adj</EM>) with another meaning), then
<EM>X</EM> has the <B>type</B> value <EM>indefinite</EM>.
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> les <B>différentes</B><A NAME="11392"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & type=indf</FONT></SMALL> personnes;<BR>
les personnes différentes.
<LI> un <B>quelconque</B><A NAME="11397"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & type=indf</FONT></SMALL> livre;<BR>
un livre quelconque.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
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