Discussing Definiteness Across Languages in Mexico City

Four current or past UMass linguists gave papers at the international conference on Definiteness across Languages at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma and the Colegio de México last June. Florian Schwarz  (UPenn, 2009 UMass PhD) was an invited speaker and talked about weak vs. strong definite articles across languages. Rudmila-Rodica Ivan and Deniz Özy?ld?z presented a joint paper on the temporal presuppositions of Somali definite determiners and a poster on Somali determiners, pronouns, and possession. Amy Rose Deal (UC Berkeley, 2010 UMass PhD) contributed joint work with Berkeley graduate student Julia Nee on number marking and the definite interpretation of bare nouns in Teotitlán del Valle Zapotec.

Florian talking, Amy Rose listening

Florian talking, Amy Rose listening

Rodica talking, Florian & Deniz (and everyone else) listening

Rodica talking, Florian & Deniz (and everyone else) listening