Pronouns: Feature n

The feature n (number) applies to demonstrative, possessive indefinite, personal and reflexive pronouns and to the impersonal pronoun. Nevertheless, the feature number does not apply to the weak personal pronouns `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 relative, interrogative and exclamative pronouns either, except to those which present a morphologically marked number opposition (`lequel', `lesquels'; `quel', `quels'). Concerning the cardinal pronouns, the feature n does not apply to any of them. Concerning the indefinite pronouns, we can consider the following cases:

  1. The number opposition is morphologically marked:

    Examples:

    • Quelqu'un /n=s est venu; Je devinais quelqu'une /n=s de ces occupations.
    • Quelques-uns /n=p sont venus; J'en prends quelques-unes /n=p.

  2. The singular form is defective:

    Examples:

    • Certains /n=p sont venus; certaines /n=p sont venus.

  3. The plural form is defective:

    Examples:

    • Aucun /n=s n'est venu; aucune /n=s n'est venue.

  4. Semantically neuter morphological units with the gender value masculine have the number value singular:

    Examples:

    • Rien /n=s ne s'est passé.

  5. Concerning those indefinite pronouns that are morphologically not marked but that present number and/or gender variations, we consider that the feature number does not apply:

    Examples:

    • Beaucoup /n=* dépend des Etats-Unis.
    • Beaucoup /n=* sont venus/venues.
    • On /n=* est venu.
    • Nous, les femmes, on /n=* n'est pas venues.
    • Plusieurs /n=* sont venus/venues.