The pragmatics of ‘at least’: saltem, utique, dumtaxat, certe

Open Access
Authors
Publication date 2016
Journal Pallas
Volume | Issue number 102
Pages (from-to) 191-199
Organisations
  • Faculty of Humanities (FGw) - Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research (AIHR) - Amsterdam School of Historical Studies (ASH)
Abstract Dictionaries and translations create the impression that there is an overlap in the meaning of the Latin particles saltem, utique, dumtaxat, and certe, which all seem to express, in some of their uses, the equivalent of English ‘at least’. However, an analysis in terms of focus particles and scalarity reveals that this overlap is only superficial. Whereas saltem and certe (in some of its uses) can indeed be analysed as scalair particles expressing a medium value, utique and dumtaxat are non-scalar, expressing an inclusive maximal and a restrictive minimal value, respectively.
Document type Article
Note In special issue: Études de linguistique latine I.
Language English
Published at https://doi.org/10.4000/pallas.3680
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