Generalized subjects: traditional and formal descriptions [Обобщенноличность в традиционных и формальных описаниях]

This is the presentation of the joint talk given by Elena Ivanova and me at the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" 29.10.2019. We render the notion of обобщенноличность (generalized subjects) in traditional and formal descriptions of Modern Bulgarian and Modern Russian. "Traditional" and "formal" are merely conventional labels since there are different definitions and different approaches to generalized subjects in the descriptions of Russian and Bulgarian grammar. Moreover, the analysis requires a critical survey of competing formal and semi-formal descriptions applying to the notion 'generalized subject' in semantics and/or surface syntax. We argue that while the generalized (silent) subject argument of the обобщенноличные предложения always have generic definitions, non-subject (overt) arguments of the generic situation can have specific referential status, contrary to the claims raised by Bondarko (1991).