Exploring Unitary Distributives in Classical Nahuatl: Key or Share Markers?

This paper investigates the reduplicated unitary numeral seːsem in Classical Nahuatl. In the literature, reduplicated numerals in Classical Nahuatl have been claimed to be distributive numerals. However, in some cases, reduplicated unitary numerals display two behaviors that one would not expect from a distributive numeral: 1) they seem to mark the distribution key rather than the share, and 2) they seem to induce referential covariation of a simple indefinite. Despite these two observed behaviors, we argue that the reduplicated unitary numeral in Classical Nahuatl is a standard distributive numeral, since –unlike key markers– it does not multiply distributive relations. We propose that reduplicated unitary numerals in Classical Nahuatl are always under the scope of a null distributive operator that quantifies universally over a plurality of events. Furthermore, we claim that in all cases, unitary reduplicated numerals in Classical Nahuatl covary with respect to the events quantified by the null distributive operator. This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of distributive numerals, particularly to the debate of whether in some languages, such as Nahuatl, the distributive unitary numeral marks the key rather than the share of distribution.