This paper concerns the formal semantic analysis of imperative sentences. It is argued that such an analysis cannot be deferred
to the semantics of propositions, under any of the three commonly adopted strategies: the performative analysis, the sentence
radical approach to propositions, and the (nondeclarative) mood-as-operator approach. Whereas the first two are conceptually
problematic, the third faces empirical problems: various complex imperatives should be analysed in terms of semantic operators
over simple imperatives. One particularly striking case is the Dutch pluperfect imperative. It is argued that this construction
should be analysed as a genuine counterfactual imperative. On the constructive side, in the last part of the paper a formal
semantic analysis of imperatives is presented, in the framework of Update Semantics. On this analysis, imperatives are sui generis semantic entities, on a par with propositions. The analysis also includes an account of the counterfactual imperatives.
| Rank | Word | Count |
| 0 | analysis | 6 |
| Excerpts:
... this paper concerns the formal semantic analysis of imperative sentences it is argued ...
... it is argued that such an analysis cannot be deferred to the semantics ...
...three commonly adopted strategies the performative analysis the sentence radical approach to ...
...of the paper a formal semantic analysis of imperatives is presented in the ...
...framework of update semantics on this analysis imperatives are sui generis semantic entities ...
...on a par with propositions the analysis also includes an account of the counterfactual ...
|
| 1 | imperatives | 5 |
| Excerpts:
...third faces empirical problems various complex imperatives should be analysed in terms of semantic ...
...terms of semantic operators over simple imperatives one particularly striking case is the ...
...paper a formal semantic analysis of imperatives is presented in the framework of ...
...update semantics on this analysis imperatives are sui generis semantic entities on ...
...also includes an account of the counterfactual imperatives ...
|
| 2 | semantic | 4 |
| Excerpts:
... this paper concerns the formal semantic analysis of imperative sentences it is ...
...imperatives should be analysed in terms of semantic operators over simple imperatives one ...
...part of the paper a formal semantic analysis of imperatives is presented in ...
...this analysis imperatives are sui generis semantic entities on a par with propositions ...
|
| 3 | imperative | 3 |
| Excerpts:
...paper concerns the formal semantic analysis of imperative sentences it is argued that such ...
...particularly striking case is the dutch pluperfect imperative it is argued that this construction ...
...should be analysed as a genuine counterfactual imperative on the constructive side in ...
|
| 4 | propositions | 3 |
| Excerpts:
...be deferred to the semantics of propositions under any of the three commonly ...
... the sentence radical approach to propositions and the nondeclarative mood ...
...semantic entities on a par with propositions the analysis also includes an account ...
|
| 5 | formal | 2 |
| Excerpts:
... this paper concerns the formal semantic analysis of imperative sentences it ...
...the last part of the paper a formal semantic analysis of imperatives is presented ...
|
| 6 | should | 2 |
| Excerpts:
...faces empirical problems various complex imperatives should be analysed in terms of semantic operators ...
...it is argued that this construction should be analysed as a genuine counterfactual imperative ...
|
| 7 | approach | 2 |
| Excerpts:
...performative analysis the sentence radical approach to propositions and the nondeclarative ...
...the nondeclarative mood as operator approach whereas the first two are conceptually ...
|
| 8 | semantics | 2 |
| Excerpts:
...analysis cannot be deferred to the semantics of propositions under any of the ...
...presented in the framework of update semantics on this analysis imperatives are ...
|
| 9 | argued | 2 |
| Excerpts:
...analysis of imperative sentences it is argued that such an analysis cannot be deferred ...
...the dutch pluperfect imperative it is argued that this construction should be analysed ...
|
There are two main approaches to the problem of donkey anaphora (e.g. If John owns
a donkey, he beats
it). Proponents of dynamic approaches take the pronoun to be a logical variable, but they revise the semantics of quantifiers
so as to allow them to bind variables that are not within their syntactic scope. Older dynamic approaches took this measure to apply solely to existential quantifiers; recent dynamic approaches have extended it to all quantifiers. By contrast, proponents of E-type analyses take the pronoun to have the semantics of a definite description (with it ‰ˆ the donkey, or the donkey that John owns). While competing accounts make very different claims about the patterns of coindexation that are found in the syntax, these
are not morphologically realized in spoken languages. But they are in sign language, namely through locus assignment and pointing. We make two main claims on the basis of ASL and LSF data.
First, sign language data favor dynamic over E-type theories: in those cases in which the two approaches make conflicting predictions about possible patterns of coindexation, dynamic
analyses are at an advantage. Second, among dynamic theories, sign language data favor recent ones because the very same formal mechanism is used irrespective of the indefinite or non-indefinite nature of the antecedent.
Going beyond this debate, we argue that dynamic theories should allow pronouns to be bound across negative expressions, as
long as the pronoun is presupposed to have a non-empty denotation. Finally, an appendix displays and explains subtle differences
between overt sign language pronouns and all other pronouns in examples involving ˜disjunctive antecedents', and suggests
that counterparts of sign language loci might be found in spoken language.
| Rank | Word | Count |
| 0 | dynamic | 7 |
| Excerpts:
... it proponents of dynamic approaches take the pronoun to be a ...
...not within their syntactic scope older dynamic approaches took this measure to apply solely ...
...apply solely to existential quantifiers recent dynamic approaches have extended it to all quantifiers ...
... first sign language data favor dynamic over e type theories in those ...
...predictions about possible patterns of coindexation dynamic analyses are at an advantage ...
...at an advantage second among dynamic theories sign language data favor recent ...
...beyond this debate we argue that dynamic theories should allow pronouns to be bound ...
|
| 1 | language | 6 |
| Excerpts:
...languages but they are in sign language namely through locus assignment and pointing ...
...lsf data first sign language data favor dynamic over e type theories ...
...second among dynamic theories sign language data favor recent ones because the very ...
...explains subtle differences between overt sign language pronouns and all other pronouns in examples ...
...and suggests that counterparts of sign language loci might be found in spoken language ...
...language loci might be found in spoken language ...
|
| 2 | approaches | 5 |
| Excerpts:
... there are two main approaches to the problem of donkey anaphora ...
... it proponents of dynamic approaches take the pronoun to be a logical ...
...within their syntactic scope older dynamic approaches took this measure to apply solely to ...
...solely to existential quantifiers recent dynamic approaches have extended it to all quantifiers ...
...in those cases in which the two approaches make conflicting predictions about possible patterns of ...
|
| 3 | sign | 5 |
| Excerpts:
...spoken languages but they are in sign language namely through locus assignment and ...
...and lsf data first sign language data favor dynamic over e type ...
... second among dynamic theories sign language data favor recent ones because the ...
...and explains subtle differences between overt sign language pronouns and all other pronouns in ...
... and suggests that counterparts of sign language loci might be found in spoken ...
|
| 4 | donkey | 4 |
| Excerpts:
...two main approaches to the problem of donkey anaphora e g if john ...
... if john owns a donkey he beats it ...
... with it the donkey or the donkey that john owns ...
... the donkey or the donkey that john owns while competing ...
|
| 5 | pronouns | 3 |
| Excerpts:
...we argue that dynamic theories should allow pronouns to be bound across negative expressions ...
...subtle differences between overt sign language pronouns and all other pronouns in examples involving ...
...overt sign language pronouns and all other pronouns in examples involving disjunctive antecedents ...
|
| 6 | make | 3 |
| Excerpts:
...john owns while competing accounts make very different claims about the patterns of ...
...through locus assignment and pointing we make two main claims on the basis of ...
...those cases in which the two approaches make conflicting predictions about possible patterns of coindexation ...
|
| 7 | theories | 3 |
| Excerpts:
...language data favor dynamic over e type theories in those cases in which the ...
...an advantage second among dynamic theories sign language data favor recent ones ...
...this debate we argue that dynamic theories should allow pronouns to be bound across ...
|
| 8 | quantifiers | 3 |
| Excerpts:
... but they revise the semantics of quantifiers so as to allow them to ...
...this measure to apply solely to existential quantifiers recent dynamic approaches have extended it ...
...dynamic approaches have extended it to all quantifiers by contrast proponents of e ...
|
| 9 | e | 3 |
| Excerpts:
...to the problem of donkey anaphora e g if john owns ...
...quantifiers by contrast proponents of e type analyses take the pronoun to have ...
... sign language data favor dynamic over e type theories in those cases in ...
|