4.4.1 The position of the quantifier
In LSC, the order between the quantifier and the head noun varies depending on the quantifier. Quantifiers such as none, few, each, enough, several or nothing can only appear after the noun they quantify.
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a) book each++ price 20 euros.
‘Each book costs 20 euros.’
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b) exam pass student few.
‘Few students passed the exam.’
By contrast, other quantifiers such as all, a-lot, most or some/any may either precede or follow the noun they quantify.
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a) book some ix1 want.
‘I want some books.’
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c) a-lot people work like-not.
‘A lot of people do not like working.’
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d) people a-lot work like-not.
‘A lot of people do not like working.’
The same flexibility regarding the position of quantifiers such as all or most is found when the nominal expression contains a possessive. The quantifier may either precede or follow the noun and the possessive, whose position is flexible with respect to one another. Therefore, four different word orders are possible in such cases:
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a) poss1 friend all deaf. (Possessive-Noun-Quantifier)
‘All my friends are deaf.’
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b) friend poss1 all deaf. (Noun-Possessive-Quantifier)
‘All my friends are deaf.’
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c) all friend poss1 deaf. (Quantifier-Noun-Possessive)
‘All my friends are deaf.’
d) all poss1 friend deaf. (Quantifier-Possessive-Noun)
‘All my friends are deaf.’
In the case of quantifiers such as none the order is less flexible, as the quantifier always needs to appear after the noun it modifies:
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e) poss1 friend woman feminist none.
‘None of my friends is a feminist.’