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Everything about Definiteness

Semantic feature of noun phrases in linguistics

In linguistics, definiteness is a semantic feature of noun phrases that distinguishes between referents or senses that are identifiable in a given context and those that are not. The prototypical definite noun phrase picks out a unique, familiar, specific referent such as the sun or Australia, as opposed to indefinite examples like an idea or some fish. Wikipedia →

🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path

  1. Read the overview: DefinitenessA 5-minute orientation
  2. Skim a recent paper: Improved Stability Criteria for Delayed Neural Networks Using a Quadratic Function Negative-Definiteness ApproachInfluential work since 2022
  3. Pick up a classic book: ΕὐθύφρωνThe most-reprinted book on the subject
  4. Read the landmark paper: Conditions for Positive and Nonnegative Definiteness in Terms of PseudoinversesCited 325 times
  5. Go sideways: Article (grammar)A closely related topic
  6. Go sideways: English determinersA closely related topic

📖 Definitions

Noun The state or quality of being definite.

🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)

🆕 Influential since 2022

📚 Books worth reading

Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.

🔗 Related topics