Dynamic presupposition of want and polarity sensitivity

In this paper, I argue that content of some presuppositions is determined dynamically. In particular, it is shown that the presupposition of want in control constructions depends on the interpretation of an action in the complement clause. Different presuppositional content of sentences with want is argued for using new and known observations about licensing of Polarity Sensitive Items. I propose to capture the dynamic nature of the presupposition of want using the AGM paradigm for belief revision (Alchourrán, Gärdenfors & Makinson 1985). Finally, I show that sensitivity to the interpretation of an action as intentional versus accidental is not specific to polarity system, but can be found across different domains of the grammar in many unrelated languages

Deriving polarity from granularity

In this paper, we present a way to unify Positive Polarity Items formed with some NP and minimizers, such as lift a finger. The connection is made via granularity properties of the two classes of polarity sensitive expressions. We begin with an observation in Strawson 1974 that the use of some NP involves an inference about the availability of a more precise identification of NP. Then, we show that the meaning of minimizers can be captured as the mirror image of the same granularity inference. To model our account, we use the granularity system in van Rooij 2011. We propose pragmatic requirements on the use of some NP and minimizers that explain both their granularity inferences and their polarity properties. Finally, we discuss how our proposal can be viewed as reconciliation of referential and alternative-based approaches to polarity

Nešto opazaka uz objektni iskustvenik i DOM u rumunjskom

This paper focuses on object experiencer (OE) causatives in Romanian, identifying a less discussed pattern of variation. The results of a pilot study indicate that for a class of speakers such predicates are not grammatical with an indefinite object, if the latter is not differentially marked. A second class of speakers can accept unmarked objects but only if access to direct evidence of the event is available. As these restrictions set aside OE causatives from physical causatives, a non-trivial question refers to the nature of this difference. An analysis is proposed that revolves around a pragmatic distinction between OE verbs and physical causatives. More precisely, insights put forward by pragmatic investigations of OE verbs have consolidated the observation, which we follow here, that these types of predicates presuppose a perception event in which the object of the asserted event is a perceiver. We further propose that the perception presupposition can be established in the context either by differential object marking (DOM), which has an independently motivated sentience feature, or by direct evidence. Subsequently, we also show that an analysis along these lines gives better results when addressing these types of splits against more general interactions between causatives, inanimate subjects and DOM; under previous accounts, the facts under discussion are either unpredicted or not straightforward to derive.Tema su ovoga rada kauzativni glagoli s objektnim iskustvenikom u rumunjskom jeziku, kod čega se identificira jedan varijacijski obrazac koji je dosada bio manje pretresan. Rezultati pilot-istraživanja upućuju na to da su za jednu skupinu govornika ovakvi predikati s neodređenim objektom agramatični ako on nije diferencijalno obilježen. Druga pak skupina govornika može prihvatiti neobilježene objekte, ali samo ako je dostupna izravna bjelodanost događaja. Kako ova ograničenja razdvajaju kauzativne glagole s objektnim iskustvenikom od fizičkih kauzativa, netrivijalno pitanje se odnosi na narav te razlike. Predlažemo analizu koje je stožer pragmatička razlika među glagolom s objektnim iskustvenikom i fizičkim kauzativima. Preciznije, uvidi dobiveni pragmatičkim ispitivanjem glagolā s objektnim iskustvenikom utvrđuju opažaj, koji ovdje slijedimo, da ova vrsta predikata pretpostavlja perceptivni događaj u kojem je perceptor objekt događaja za koji se veli da se je dogodio. Nadalje, predlažemo da se pretpostavka percepcije može ustanoviti u kontekstu bilo s pomoću diferencijalnoga obilježivanja objekta (DOM), koji ima nezavisno motivirano obilježje ćutivosti ili izravnu bjelodanost. Zatim također pokazujemo da analiza u tom pravcu daje bolje rezultate kada se tematiziraju rascijepi ovoga tipa nasuprot općenitijim interakcijama među kauzativima, neživim subjektima i DOM-om; po prijašnjim tumačenjima činjenice koje se ovdje pretresaju ili su nepredvidive ili se ne mogu izravno izvesti

Anchoring in grammar: puzzles with epistemic comparatives

This paper discusses two puzzles with epistemic comparatives (ECs) that provide new insights into the interaction between modals, tense, and aspect. We show that, cross- linguistically, ECs pose restrictions on the featural specifications in T(ense). Additionally, we observe that interactions of ECs with modals seem to be non-uniform; while epistemic modals can co-occur with ECs, some modal interpretations of the Romance imperfect ap- pear to be deviant. The analysis we propose sheds light on how anchoring to the Speaker’s Deictic Center in the highest left periphery is manipulated by T and modals (Speas and Tenny 2003, Giorgi 2010, Wiltschko 2014). We argue that interactions between ECs and modals are in fact uniform, as predicted by our analysis. The deviance of the modal imper- fect with ECs is due to an independent reaso

Advances in formal Slavic linguistics 2017

Advances in Formal Slavic Linguistics 2017 is a collection of fifteen articles that were prepared on the basis of talks given at the conference Formal Description of Slavic Languages 12.5, which was held on December 7-9, 2017, at the University of Nova Gorica. The volume covers a wide array of topics, such as control verbs, instrumental arguments, and perduratives in Russian, comparatives, negation, n-words, negative polarity items, and complementizer ellipsis in Czech, impersonal se-constructions and complementizer doubling in Slovenian, prosody and the morphology of multi-purpose suffixes in Serbo-Croatian, and indefinite numerals and the binding properties of dative arguments in Polish. Importantly, by exploring these phenomena in individual Slavic languages, the collection of articles in this volume makes a significant contribution to both Slavic linguistics and to linguistics in general

Advances in formal Slavic linguistics 2017

Advances in Formal Slavic Linguistics 2017 is a collection of fifteen articles that were prepared on the basis of talks given at the conference Formal Description of Slavic Languages 12.5, which was held on December 7-9, 2017, at the University of Nova Gorica. The volume covers a wide array of topics, such as control verbs, instrumental arguments, and perduratives in Russian, comparatives, negation, n-words, negative polarity items, and complementizer ellipsis in Czech, impersonal se-constructions and complementizer doubling in Slovenian, prosody and the morphology of multi-purpose suffixes in Serbo-Croatian, and indefinite numerals and the binding properties of dative arguments in Polish. Importantly, by exploring these phenomena in individual Slavic languages, the collection of articles in this volume makes a significant contribution to both Slavic linguistics and to linguistics in general

Advances in formal Slavic linguistics 2017

Advances in Formal Slavic Linguistics 2017 is a collection of fifteen articles that were prepared on the basis of talks given at the conference Formal Description of Slavic Languages 12.5, which was held on December 7-9, 2017, at the University of Nova Gorica. The volume covers a wide array of topics, such as control verbs, instrumental arguments, and perduratives in Russian, comparatives, negation, n-words, negative polarity items, and complementizer ellipsis in Czech, impersonal se-constructions and complementizer doubling in Slovenian, prosody and the morphology of multi-purpose suffixes in Serbo-Croatian, and indefinite numerals and the binding properties of dative arguments in Polish. Importantly, by exploring these phenomena in individual Slavic languages, the collection of articles in this volume makes a significant contribution to both Slavic linguistics and to linguistics in general

Advances in formal Slavic linguistics 2017

Advances in Formal Slavic Linguistics 2017 is a collection of fifteen articles that were prepared on the basis of talks given at the conference Formal Description of Slavic Languages 12.5, which was held on December 7-9, 2017, at the University of Nova Gorica. The volume covers a wide array of topics, such as control verbs, instrumental arguments, and perduratives in Russian, comparatives, negation, n-words, negative polarity items, and complementizer ellipsis in Czech, impersonal se-constructions and complementizer doubling in Slovenian, prosody and the morphology of multi-purpose suffixes in Serbo-Croatian, and indefinite numerals and the binding properties of dative arguments in Polish. Importantly, by exploring these phenomena in individual Slavic languages, the collection of articles in this volume makes a significant contribution to both Slavic linguistics and to linguistics in general

Advances in formal Slavic linguistics 2017

Advances in Formal Slavic Linguistics 2017 is a collection of fifteen articles that were prepared on the basis of talks given at the conference Formal Description of Slavic Languages 12.5, which was held on December 7-9, 2017, at the University of Nova Gorica. The volume covers a wide array of topics, such as control verbs, instrumental arguments, and perduratives in Russian, comparatives, negation, n-words, negative polarity items, and complementizer ellipsis in Czech, impersonal se-constructions and complementizer doubling in Slovenian, prosody and the morphology of multi-purpose suffixes in Serbo-Croatian, and indefinite numerals and the binding properties of dative arguments in Polish. Importantly, by exploring these phenomena in individual Slavic languages, the collection of articles in this volume makes a significant contribution to both Slavic linguistics and to linguistics in general