Re: `at least one ' vrs `one or more'

[Jim Carter <jimc@MATH.UCLA.EDU>]

On Fri, 14 Nov 1997, Bob Chassell <bob@MEGALITH.RATTLESNAKE.COM> writes:

>    > This is fine, but does not help answer the question, which English
>    > translation of
>    >
>    >     mi na nelci lo mlatu
>    >
>    > is better?
>    >
>    >     I don't like any cats.
>    > or
>    >     I don't like some cats.
>
>    I have to agree with Jorge--I got it wrong the first time, and
>    that sentence means the former.
>
> But why?  Why does `one or more' imply all?

Sorry if this has been answered already, but I'm plowing through a bunch of
 messages
after a vacation and yours will get lost if I review the whole future thread.

I see this as a scope issue:

    Original:  I like some cat(s) =
               there exists (at least one) cat such that I like it
    Global or bridi negation:  Not (I like some cat(s)) =
               not (there exists (at least one) cat such that I like it) =
               For all cats, I (don't like) it =
               I dislike all cats.

I believe that {na} is required to have this global meaning, and it's merely an
accomodation to "normal" speech patterns that it's allowed in the middle of the
phrase rather than in the prenex position.  Whereas in English
we much more often use a local negation like one of these:

    Local polar negation: I (dis-like) some cat(s).  mi to'e nelci lo mlatu
    Scalar:  Some cats leave me cold.  mi no'e nelci lo mlatu
    Contrary: My relation to some cats is not one of liking.  mi na'e nelci lo
 mlatu
        (I'm not being ironic here; I'm purely denying what the relation is.)

James F. Carter        Voice 310 825 2897       FAX 310 206 6673
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