Dynamic Effects of Modalized Questions
Valentin D. Richard
December 2024 

A dynamic analysis of modalized questions faces several difficulties. When an existential modality scopes over the wh-phrase, two kinds of phenomena are observed. First, the external staticity of the modal operator prevents the wh-phrase from being referred back to in indicative follow-up sentences. Anaphoric reference to the wh-phrase should yet be allowed through modal subordination. Second, exhaustivity and global uniqueness presupposition are weakened in modalized which questions, leading to mention-some readings and local uniqueness presupposition. We design a model capturing these two desiderata, based on dynamic inquisitive semantics and stack-based semantics for local contexts. Our model provides a uniform analysis of modalized and conditional questions using the Kratzerian theory of modality. It also correctly predicts discrepancies in presupposition projection between modalized and conditional questions.

Format:	[ pdf ]
Reference:	lingbuzz/008876 (please use that when you cite this article)
Published in:	Proceedings of the 24th Amsterdam Colloquium
keywords:	question, modality, presupposition, exhaustivity, anaphora, wh-word, uniqueness, semantics
Downloaded:	177 times

 

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