Mid-scalar quantifiers in Latin

We define as ‘mid-scalar’ those quantifiers which express a quantity and which, on a scale from a minimal to a maximal quantity, appear near the middle. In Latin, quantifiers such as multi, aliquot, nonnulli, complures, and plerique can be called mid-scalar. Since they do not refer to a precise quantity, they are vague; the quantity they involve, however, must count as large in the given context: they are in fact context-dependent. Mid-scalar quantifiers are also ambiguous. A first kind of ambiguity is between a cardinal and a proportional reading. Another kind of ambiguity is between strong and weak readings: mid-scalars can share the features of both. The main aspects we investigate here are the properties which determine whether mid-scalar quantifiers can enter into existential sentences, whether they share the properties of floating quantifiers and whether they are always to be considered quantifiers or else numerical determiners.