This study investigates the phenomenon of polarity sensitivity, proposing a new perspective which focuses on the behavior and properties sensitive items and the phrases they form. It rests on the observation that the complexity of the phenomenon requires a more articulated analysis than the standard one based on licensing conditions. The study adopts a broader notion of sensitivity, which extends beyond the traditional one restricted to polarity. It includes other factors which are defined in relation to the semantics of the sensitive items. As a result, the attention is centered on the web...

The papers in this volume investigate the semantics of French determiners both from a theoretical and descriptive point of view, covering a time interval that goes from contemporary French back in time to the early centuries of the second millennium and up to Latin. the papers are all informed by the belief that a thorough examination of the evolution of determiners is crucial for understanding the semantic functioning of the systems of determination in human languages. The issues discussed in this volume are central to our understanding of both determiners and, more generally, the...