A superlative argument for a minimal theory of definiteness

On such readings, the definite article is sometimes analyzed as underlyingly indefinite. According to ‘DP-external’ analyses of relative readings (Szabolcsi, 1986; Heim, 1999; Hackl, 2009), the superlative takes scope outside the object DP and the must be interpreted as a because its uniqueness presupposition is not satisfied by its complement. While such DPs do display indefinite-like behaviors, we argue that the definite article is not meaningless in such constructions, and reconcile this tension in terms of weak uniqueness. Interpreting the as a falsely predicts that (1b) should be acceptable and synonymous with (1a). (1b) cannot be ruled out on the basis of a syntactic requirement for a definite article before a superlative because there is no such requirement (Herdan & Sharvit 2006; e.g. Is there a best student in your class?). This view also fails to distinguish between (2a) and (2b), as Krasikova (2012) points out.