User:Brett/sandbox

Marking definiteness, number, and countability on determiners

the (definite)

1. grammatical article for a presupposed referent, typically one that is specific and unique; compatible with countable, uncountable, singular, and plural NPs.

this (mostly definite)

1. The (thing) here (used in indicating something or someone nearby); only compatible with singular NPs.
2. (informal) A known (thing) (used in first mentioning a person or thing that the speaker does not think is known to the audience); (indefinite); only compatible with singular NPs.

a (indefinite)

1. One; any indefinite example of; used to denote a singular item of a group; only compatible with singular countable NPs.

much (indefinite)

1. A large amount of. only compatible with singular uncountable NPs.

many (indefinite)

1. A large number of. only compatible with plural NPs.

all (mostly definite)

1. Every individual or anything of the given class, with no exceptions; incompatible with countable singular NPs.

both (mostly definite)

1. Each of the two; one and the other; referring to two individuals or items; only compatible with plural countable NPs.