<![CDATA[
<BODY LANG="EN" bgcolor="#ffffff"
text="#000000">
<P>
<A NAME="efprn"> </A><H2><A NAME="SECTION000618000000000000000">Pronouns: Feature <EM>n</EM></A></H2>
<P>
The feature <B>n</B> (number) applies to <EM>demonstrative</EM>, <EM>possessive</EM> <EM>indefinite</EM>,
<EM>personal</EM> and <EM>reflexive</EM> pronouns and to the <EM>impersonal</EM> pronoun.
Nevertheless, the feature <B>number</B> does not apply to the <EM>weak personal pronouns</EM> `y'
and `en' and to a range of indefinite pronouns (e.g. `beaucoup',
`suffisamment' and `plusieurs').
The feature number does not apply to most of the <EM>relative</EM>,
<EM>interrogative</EM> and <EM>exclamative</EM> pronouns either, except to those which present a morphologically
marked number opposition (`lequel', `lesquels'; `quel', `quels').
Concerning the <EM>cardinal pronouns</EM>, the feature <B>n</B> does not apply to any of them.
Concerning the <EM>indefinite pronouns</EM>, we can consider the following cases:
<P>
<OL>
<LI> The number opposition is morphologically marked:
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> <B>Quelqu'un</B><A NAME="26507"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=s</FONT></SMALL> est venu; Je devinais <B>quelqu'une</B><A NAME="26515"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=s</FONT></SMALL> de ces occupations.
<LI> <B>Quelques-uns</B><A NAME="26523"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=p</FONT></SMALL> sont venus; J'en prends <B>quelques-unes</B><A NAME="26531"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=p</FONT></SMALL>.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<LI> The singular form is defective:
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> <B>Certains</B><A NAME="26553"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=p</FONT></SMALL> sont venus; <B>certaines</B><A NAME="26561"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=p</FONT></SMALL> sont venus.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<LI> The plural form is defective:
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> <B>Aucun</B><A NAME="26583"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=s</FONT></SMALL> n'est venu; <B>aucune</B><A NAME="26591"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=s</FONT></SMALL> n'est venue.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<LI> Semantically neuter morphological units with the <B>gender</B>
value <EM>masculine</EM> have the
<B>number</B> value <EM>singular</EM>:
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> <B>Rien</B><A NAME="26612"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=s</FONT></SMALL> ne s'est passé.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<LI> Concerning those indefinite pronouns that are morphologically not marked but that
present <B>number</B> and/or <B>gender</B> variations, we consider that the feature <B>number</B> does not apply:
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> <B>Beaucoup</B><A NAME="26641"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=*</FONT></SMALL> dépend des Etats-Unis.
<LI> <B>Beaucoup</B><A NAME="26649"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=*</FONT></SMALL> sont venus/venues.
<LI> <B>On</B><A NAME="26657"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=*</FONT></SMALL> est venu.
<LI> Nous, les femmes, <B>on</B><A NAME="26665"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=*</FONT></SMALL> n'est pas venues.
<LI> <B>Plusieurs</B><A NAME="26673"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>n=*</FONT></SMALL> sont venus/venues.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
</OL><BR> <HR>
<UL><A NAME="CHILD_LINKS"> </A>
<LI> <A NAME="tex2html2343" HREF="node129.html#SECTION000618100000000000000" target="_top">Pronouns: Value <EM>s</EM></A>
<LI> <A NAME="tex2html2344" HREF="node130.html#SECTION000618200000000000000" target="_top">Pronouns: Value <EM>p</EM></A>
<LI> <A NAME="tex2html2345" HREF="node131.html#SECTION000618300000000000000" target="_top">Pronouns: Value <EM>*</EM></A>
</UL>
<HR>
<P><ADDRESS>
</ADDRESS>
</BODY>
]]>