Possible Readings of 'Simplesmente (simply)' in Brazilian Portuguese

Abstract

This study investigates, for the first time from the perspective of formal semantics, the use of the item simplesmente in Brazilian Portuguese. The analysis shows that the term can function as a canonical exclusive—interchangeable with items like só and apenas—but it also takes on weak exclusive readings, as outlined by Warstadt (2020) in his analysis of the English item just, to which simplesmente bears similarity. Among these weak readings are the non-explanatory (inexplicable aspect), non-contrastive (intensifying use), and non-elaborative (undisputable claim) interpretations. These uses are connected to the concept of Potential Questions: by employing simplesmente, the speaker signals that they are unable to answer certain likely implicit questions, using the item strategically to manage discourse and restrict assertability. Furthermore, the syntactic position of simplesmente directly influences its possible interpretations, with a clear correlation between scope and reading, highlighting the importance of syntactic context in the semantic analysis of exclusives.