Seminaire SynSem

Luka Crnic - On the grammar of alternatives
Disjunction sometimes gives rise to conjunctive inferences. This remarkable behavior, including its restricted distribution, has been captured on the grammatical theory of exhaustification and alternatives, on which conjunctive strengthening is modulated by what alternatives grammar generates for disjunctive sentences. We examine a series of predictions of the theory based on one aspect of the grammar of disjunction – its ability to undergo exceptional scope shift, which sets it apart from conjunction. As structures with exceptional scope disjunction, accordingly, lack parallel conjunctive alternatives, this may enfranchise exhaustification to generate conjunctive inferences. We show that this indeed occurs, expanding on earlier observations of Santorio 2018, 2020 and Bar-Lev and Fox 2020. Analogous patterns are predicted for universal strengthening of indefinites, including of NPI indefinites, and they are shown to obtain as well.