Type-shifting and Scrambled Definites
Jaap van der Does, Helen de Hoop

Abstract:
In this article we argue that the difference between indefinites
and definites with respect to their syntactic behaviour, in particular
scrambling, follows from a difference in their semantics. In general,
definites can be viewed as a special type of indefinites: they are
restricted indefinites in all semantic types. This inherent restriction
of definites makes them insensitive to processes of semantic incorporation.
That is, merging an incorporating verb and a predicative definite is
equivalent to merging an ordinary type of transitive verb and an ordinary
type of definite. This will explain the phenomenon of optional scrambling
for definites. Predicative indefinites are dependent on the verb for their
interpretation, of which the adjacency requirement between the incorporating
verb and the predicative indefinite is only a syntactic reflex