German Indefinite Pronouns #
@cite{aloni-port-2015} @cite{bubnov-2026} @cite{wals-2013}
German uses multiple morphological bases for indefinites: the dedicated
prefix irgend- (special), and the generic-noun-derived jemand 'someone'
and etwas 'something'. Per @cite{wals-2013} F46A, German is classified
.mixed on this basis.
irgend- is an epistemic indefinite (D&A type iv, var(∅,x)):
its semantics requires variation across epistemic alternatives, allowing
both specific-unknown and non-specific contexts. Diachronically, irgend-
extended from non-specific to epistemic (@cite{aloni-port-2015}),
instantiating the semantic weakening path var(v,x) → var(∅,x)
(@cite{bubnov-2026} §6, Figure 3).
See also Fragments.German.ModalIndefinites for the modal-indefinite
perspective on irgendein (domain widening per
@cite{kratzer-shimoyama-2002}).
German irgend-: dedicated indefinite prefix (special basis), epistemic indefinite (D&A type iv). @cite{aloni-port-2015}; @cite{bubnov-2026} §6, Table 3.
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German jemand 'someone' / etwas 'something': generic-noun-derived (etymologically je-man[d] 'ever-person'); used for SK + SU.
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The German indefinite paradigm: special prefix + generic-noun forms,
yielding WALS F46A .mixed.
Equations
- Fragments.German.Indefinites.paradigm = { language := "German", isoCode := "deu", forms := [Fragments.German.Indefinites.irgendEntry, Fragments.German.Indefinites.jemandEntry] }
Instances For
German's WALS F46A classification: paradigm uses two distinct bases
(.special and .genericNoun) → derives .mixed.