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Linglib.Fragments.German.Indefinites

German Indefinite Pronouns #

[AP15] [Bub26] [DH13b]

German uses multiple morphological bases for indefinites: the dedicated prefix irgend- (special), and the generic-noun-derived jemand 'someone' and etwas 'something'. Per [DH13b] 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 ([AP15]), instantiating the semantic weakening path var(v,x) → var(∅,x) ([Bub26] §6, Figure 3).

See also German.ModalIndefinites for the modal-indefinite perspective on irgendein (domain widening per [KS17]).

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def German.Indefinites.irgendEntry :
Indefinite.IndefinitePronoun

German irgend-: dedicated indefinite prefix (special basis), epistemic indefinite (D&A type iv). [AP15]; [Bub26] §6, Table 3.

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    def German.Indefinites.jemandEntry :
    Indefinite.IndefinitePronoun

    German jemand 'someone' / etwas 'something': generic-noun-derived (etymologically je-man[d] 'ever-person'); used for SK + SU.

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      def German.Indefinites.paradigm :
      Indefinite.IndefiniteParadigm

      The German indefinite paradigm: special prefix + generic-noun forms, yielding WALS F46A .mixed.

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        theorem German.Indefinites.german_paradigm_is_mixed :
        paradigm.toWALS46A = some Data.WALS.F46A.IndefinitePronouns.mixed

        German's WALS F46A classification: paradigm uses two distinct bases (.special and .genericNoun) → derives .mixed.