The Presupposition-Denial Theory of Complement Set focus

Abstract

Words like "few" and "many" denote different quantities of things. Previous experiments have shown that different quantity expressions also lead us to think in very different ways about the quantity being conveyed. For example "few" and "a few" convey similar quantities yet "few people die after this medical intervention" may persuade a patient to agree to the procedure while "a few people die after this medical intervention" would not. Previous experiments have shown that quantity expressions have important effects on the inferences we make, and that this is modified by the introduction of a character with expectations about the quantity being described. This research will show whether: expectations which are held by readers themselves; the desirability of the quantity conveyed, can modify the inference patterns following quantity expressions. In addition we will use an eye tracker to monitor participants eye movements while reading quantity statements. This will allow us to assess where problems arise in understanding the text as it is read and to observe where participants seek solutions to those problems (by means of looking back in the text to words which have already been processed)