Ditransitive Asymmetries and a Theory of Idiom Formation

2010 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 519-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Bruening
Keyword(s):  
Formal Semantics ◽  
Complete Theory ◽  
Quantifier Scope ◽  
Complex Predicates ◽  
Double Object ◽  
Symmetric Theory

This article discusses three asymmetries in ditransitives—quantifier scope, nominalizations, and idioms—and argues that an asymmetric theory like that advocated by Marantz (1993) and Bruening (2001) is correct. A symmetric theory like that proposed by Harley (1997, 2002) cannot account for the asymmetries. The article also proposes a complete theory of idiom formation based on selection. It also proposes a formal semantics for double object constructions that includes a mechanism for composing complex predicates. This semantics can account for the different readings of again and other modifiers, and can also be extended to nonalternating verbs like deny, spare, envy, and cost, with correct predictions about their behavior.

scholarly journals QR Obeys Superiority: Frozen Scope and ACD

2001 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Bruening
Keyword(s):  
Quantifier Scope ◽  
Double Object ◽  
Object Shift ◽  
Hierarchical Order ◽  
Syntactic Movement ◽  
Relativized Minimality ◽  
Multiple Object

The phenomenon of “frozen scope” in double object and spray-load constructions is shown to hold robustly across contexts, constructions, and quantifier types. Nevertheless, frozen scope is not absolute, holding only between two objects but not between an object and a subject or an object and some other operator. The rigidity of two object quantifiers follows the pattern of multiple instances of movement cross linguistically (multiple wh-movement, multiple A-scrambling, multiple object shift): movement paths cross, recreating the hierarchical order of the moving elements (Richards 1997). Hypothesizing that quantifier scope is derived by quantifier-specific syntactic movement, movement that is constrained in the same way as other types of movement, permits these phenomena to be unified under accounts of Relativized Minimality effects generally.

The scope interpretation of complex predicates in Japanese: A unified lexicalist analysis

2007 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
YUSUKE KUBOTA
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Representation ◽  
Quantifier Scope ◽  
Complex Predicates ◽  
Syntactic Structures ◽  
Scope Ambiguity ◽  
Verbal Noun ◽  
Complex Predicate ◽  
Object Construction ◽  
Verb Constructions ◽  
Scope Interpretation

This paper proposes a unified analysis of adverb scope and quantifier scope phenomena in a lexicalist approach to complex predicates. I first observe that the availability of scope ambiguity for adverbs and for quantifiers always coincides for a given type of complex predicate, drawing on data from different kinds of compound verb constructions, the verbal noun-taking predicates and the nominative object construction. The challenge for a unified treatment in lexicalist frameworks comes from the fact that syntactic structures cannot be taken as the locus for representing the scope of adverbs and quantifiers, unlike in derivational frameworks where such an analysis is the most natural. Thus, a previous lexicalist analysis by Manning, Sag & Iida (1999) makes use of completely different mechanisms to account for adverb scope and quantifier scope, failing to capture the close parallel between them. I remedy this problem of Manning et al.'s analysis by proposing a unified account of adverb scope and quantifier scope that crucially makes use of a slightly enriched semantic representation explicitly encoding the property of mono-/biclausality with respect to scopal phenomena.

In Support of the PHAVE Analysis of the Double Object Construction

2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 703-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Harley ◽  
Hyun Kyoung Jung
Keyword(s):  
Small Clause ◽  
Quantifier Scope ◽  
Double Object ◽  
Double Object Construction ◽  
Object Construction

Pylkkänen ( 2002 , 2008 ) and Bruening (2010a) present several arguments against the ‘‘small clause’’ approach to the double object construction in English, building on the predictions that that proposal makes with respect to the transfer-of-possession entailment, Goal-oriented depictives, nominalizations, subextraction, quantifier scope, and idioms. We argue that the small clause analysis proposed by Harley ( 1995 , 2002 ) in fact makes correct predictions in all these cases. In addition, we point out the existence of previously overlooked parallels between double object structures and have-sentences with respect to depictives, eventive DP complements, and quantifier scope. This motivates an analysis that links these different behaviors to the properties of a single PHAVE element common to both.

Flexibility principles in Boolean semantics: The interpretation of coordination, plurality, and scope in natural language. Yoad Winter. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2001. Pp. 307.

2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-319
Author(s):  
Peter Lasersohn
Keyword(s):  
Natural Language ◽  
Formal Semantics ◽  
Good Deal ◽  
Quantifier Scope

Recent years have seen a whole series of book-length studies on the formal semantics of plurality and its relation to coordination, quantifier scope, and related phenomena (Landman, 2000; Lasersohn, 1995; Schein, 1993; Schwarzschild, 1996; etc.). Winter's book provides a very interesting and worthwhile addition to this list, and shows that despite the extensive attention this subject has received, there is a good deal more to be said.

Evidence for Competition During the Processing of Relative Quantifier Scope

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin B. Paterson ◽  
Simon P. Liversedge ◽  
Ruth Filik
Keyword(s):  
Quantifier Scope

On the Probabilistic Nature of Observable Phenomena

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ali
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Complete Theory ◽  
Interpretation Of Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Multiple Realities ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Complete Theories ◽  
Probabilistic Nature

This paper proposes a Gadenkan experiment named “Observer’s Dilemma”, to investigate the probabilistic nature of observable phenomena. It has been reasoned that probabilistic nature in, otherwise uniquely deterministic phenomena can be introduced due to lack of information of underlying governing laws. Through theoretical consequences of the experiment, concepts of ‘Absolute Complete’ and ‘Observably Complete” theories have been introduced. Furthermore, nature of reality being ‘absolute’ and ‘observable’ have been discussed along with the possibility of multiple realities being true for observer. In addition, certain aspects of quantum mechanics have been interpreted. It has been argued that quantum mechanics is an ‘observably complete’ theory and its nature is to give probabilistic predictions. Lastly, it has been argued that “Everettian - Many world” interpretation of quantum mechanics is very real and true in the framework of ‘observable nature of reality’, for humans.

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