Phi-features and neuter pronouns: the case of isso in Brazilian Portuguese

Resumo

In this squib we propose a semantic analysis of anaphoric isso in Brazilian Portuguese in contrast with its deictic use, since isso has a different range of possible antecedents/referents for each use. Our analysis claims that isso lacks phi-feature and can have as antecedent only linguistic structures which also lack phi-features. We claim that this analysis also explains the fact that isso does not appear in descriptions, cannot be interpretated as a bound variable, and shows a “fact reading” in some contexts. Since most abstract entities reference are achieve via non-DP and non-NP structure, isso is a natural choice of anaphor in these cases, but as we show its uses are restricted by linguistic constraints.