Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2025
09:27
Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language
Published on: October 13, 2018
9.9K
Even in presupposition denials
1Department of Linguistics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
Linguistics and Philosophy
|November 18, 2024
Summary
This study explains the surprising asymmetry in using the word "even" when denying presuppositions. It reveals how "even" interacts with context and alternatives, offering crosslinguistic insights into presupposition denial.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Semantics
- Pragmatics
Background:
- The use of the scalar additive particle 'even' presents a complex semantic and pragmatic puzzle.
- Polarity-based asymmetries in linguistic constructions often reveal underlying grammatical principles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the polarity-based asymmetry in the usage of 'even' within sentences that deny presuppositions.
- To propose a novel account for this asymmetry based on the interaction of 'even's presupposition with contextual alternatives.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of presupposition denial contexts.
- Exploration of the interaction between 'even's additive presupposition and salient alternatives.
- Crosslinguistic comparison of 'even' behavior.
Main Results:
- A polarity-based asymmetry in the use of 'even' when denying presuppositions was identified.
- The study demonstrates that this asymmetry arises from the interplay of 'even's presupposition and contextually salient alternatives.
- The proposed account shows predictive power across different languages.
Conclusions:
- Presupposition denials serve as a valuable diagnostic environment for understanding the behavior of 'even'.
- The interaction between presuppositions and focus alternatives is crucial for explaining complex scalar phenomena.
- The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of scalar particles and presupposition theory.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Language and Cognition
325
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
325
01:17Hypothesis: Accept or Fail to Reject?
27.6K
The outcome of any hypothesis testing leads to rejecting or not rejecting the null hypothesis. This decision is taken based on the analysis of the data, an appropriate test statistic, an appropriate confidence level, the critical values, and P-values. However, when the evidence suggests that the null hypothesis cannot be rejected, is it right to say, 'Accept' the null hypothesis?
There are two ways to indicate that the null hypothesis is not rejected. 'Accept' the null...
There are two ways to indicate that the null hypothesis is not rejected. 'Accept' the null...
27.6K
01:16Deductive Reasoning
55.0K
Deductive reasoning, or deduction, is the type of logic used in hypothesis-based science. In deductive reasoning, the pattern of thinking moves in the opposite direction as compared to inductive reasoning, which means that it uses a general principle or law to predict specific results. From those general principles, a scientist can deduce and predict the specific results that would be valid as long as the general principles are valid.
For example, a researcher can deduce specific predictions...
For example, a researcher can deduce specific predictions...
55.0K
00:59Inductive Reasoning
60.1K
Inductive reasoning is a form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion. It is uncertain and operates in degrees to which the conclusions are credible. As such, inductive arguments can be weak or strong, rather than valid or invalid, and conclusions can be used to formulate testable, falsifiable hypotheses.
Inductive reasoning is common in descriptive science. A life scientist makes observations and records them. This data can be qualitative or...
Inductive reasoning is common in descriptive science. A life scientist makes observations and records them. This data can be qualitative or...
60.1K
01:22Language Development
318
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
318
01:24Components of Language
248
Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs.
248