Page content

Linguistic Research Seminar Series
Explaining the 3/4 Signature
Dr Hans van de Koot, University College London 

Bobajik and Wurmbrand(2012) identify a recurrent pattern of (im)possible LF-PF pairings: given a binary choice at LF (A scopes over B, or B scopes over A) and a corresponding binary choice at PF (A precedes B or B precedes A) only three of the four logical pairings are acceptable. In this talk i argue that these so called 3/4 signature patterns are best understood in terms of an inviolable condition on scope shift (the CSS)

I present two case studies concerned with head scope and phrasal scope respectively. I first show that the CSS allows an account of Epistemic Containment (von FIntel and latridou 2003) and can also capture scope freezing effects observed with epistemic adverbs. I then turn to CSS effects in structures with contrastive topics and foci, and to CSS effects that involve interactions between QP's and contrasive categories.

Event info

This event has ended

Friday 20 February

2pm to 3pm

17E26