N-words and sentential negation: evidence from polarity particles and VP-ellipsis

Open Access
Authors
Publication date 2013
Journal Semantics and Pragmatics
Article number 7
Volume | Issue number 6
Number of pages 33
Organisations
  • Interfacultary Research - Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (ILLC)
  • Faculty of Science (FNWI)
Abstract A prominent treatment of n-words such as nobody and never is as indefinite expressions occurring in the scope of a covert sentential negation operator. This paper presents three experiments using two novel strategies based on polarity particles and VP ellipsis to test the predictions of this treatment of n-words. The first experiment tests a particular prediction of recent accounts of polarity particles with respect to agreeing responses to negative assertions. The other two extend the inquiry to cases involving n-words.
Document type Article
Language English
Published at https://doi.org/10.3765/sp.6.7
Downloads
2792-6039-1-PB (Final published version)
Permalink to this page
Back