Search

Longobardi proposes a syntactic-semantic theory to explain the distribution of the definite article with proper names. In this article I examine and modify this theory with regard to the semantic component. Concerning thesemantics of DPs with common nouns Longobardi adopts Russell's theory of definite descriptions (existence and uniqueness are elements of the article meaning). Concerning the semantics of proper names, however, Longobardi follows Kripke's idea that proper names are rigid designators. Longobardi assumes - in connection with the DP hypothesis - that the syntactical difference between proper names and common nouns consists in the fact that, in contrast to a common noun, a chain is established between the proper name and the D-position. In this article I will show that - in accordance with von Heusinger's theory of salience - DPs with proper names are context dependent expressions like other definite DPs. The data show clear differences between DPs with proper names and DPs with common nouns: this can be explained if proper names are regarded as inherent definite expressions. It means that proper names contain the syntactic-semantic feature [+D].