Free choice, plurality, and variation

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What mechanisms are involved in the licensing of NPIs? The so-called free choice occurrences of NPIs have provided a fertile ground for comparing different theories of NPI licensing, where the required assumptions of the theories come into a sharp relief. Focusing on some new data involving plurality, we argue for a two-layered approach (which we call "the direct approach" in the talk) that assumes both a condition on NPI licensing (which can be derived from specific assumptions about NPIs) and a strengthening mechanism (exhaustification). Unfortunately, though by necessity, many issues and further points of comparison between the different theories cannot be attended to in the talk.

Structure of the talk:

The stage
The argument
Variation and outlook

Related recent work:

Number in NPI Licensing
(the paper introduces and develops the main argument of the talk in greater detail)
Any: Logic, Likelihood, and Context, in Language and Linguistics Compass
(the paper reviews, and further supports, the two-layered "direct" approach)
Any, alternatives, and pruning
(a discussion of how the theory of NPIs gels with the more general theory of pruning)
A course on NPIs
(a discussion of further issues in the theory of NPIs)
Free choice and divisiveness, with Andreas Haida
(the paper discusses missing free choice construals of mass NPIs, and presents an alternative take on variation)

Selected further references:

Bar-Lev, Moshe & Danny Fox. Free choice, simplification, and Innocent Inclusion.

Chierchia, Gennaro. 2004. Scalar implicatures, polarity phenomena and the syntax/pragmatics interface.

Chierchia, Gennaro. 2013. Logic in Grammar.

Crnic, Luka. 2014. Non-monotonicity in NPI Licensing.

Crnic, Luka. 2017. Free choice under ellipsis.

Dayal, Veneeta. 1998. ANY as Inherently Modal.

Dayal, Veneeta. 2013. A Viability Constraint on Alternatives for Free Choice.

Kadmon, Nirit & Fred Landman. 1992. Any.

Lahiri, Utpal. 1998. Focus and Negative Polarity in Hindi.

Compare

Current version to

**Q&A zoom session:** [Tuesday, Sep 8, 10:30AM London time (GMT+1).](https://huji.zoom.us/j/97256938462?pwd=L0J5aWxqNUkzNit0aUV6LzdVWEFSZz09) What mechanisms are involved in the licensing of NPIs? The so-called free choice occurrences of NPIs have provided a fertile ground for comparing different theories of NPI licensing, where the required assumptions of the theories come into a sharp relief. Focusing on some new data involving plurality, we argue for a two-layered approach (which we call "the direct approach" in the talk) that assumes both a condition on NPI licensing (which can be derived from specific assumptions about NPIs) and a strengthening mechanism (exhaustification). Unfortunately, though by necessity, many issues and further points of comparison between the different theories cannot be attended to in the talk. **Structure of the talk:** 1. The stage 2. The argument 3. Variation and outlook **Related recent work:** * [Number in NPI Licensing](https://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/004954) (the paper introduces and develops the main argument of the talk in greater detail) * [Any: Logic, Likelihood, and Context](https://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/004552), in *Language and Linguistics Compass* (the paper reviews, and further supports, the two-layered "direct" approach) * [Any, alternatives, and pruning](http://lukacrnic.com/pdfs/anyalt.pdf) (a discussion of how the theory of NPIs gels with the more general theory of pruning) * [A course on NPIs](https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/linguistics-and-philosophy/24-979-topics-in-semantics-negative-polarity-items-fall-2018/) (a discussion of further issues in the theory of NPIs) * [Free choice and divisiveness](https://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/005217), with Andreas Haida (the paper discusses missing free choice construals of mass NPIs, and presents an alternative take on variation) **Selected further references:** Bar-Lev, Moshe & Danny Fox. [Free choice, simplification, and Innocent Inclusion.](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11050-020-09162-y) Chierchia, Gennaro. 2004. [Scalar implicatures, polarity phenomena and the syntax/pragmatics interface.](https://scholar.harvard.edu/chierchia/publications/scalar-implicatures-polarity-phenomena-and-syntaxpragmatics-interface) Chierchia, Gennaro. 2013. [Logic in Grammar.](https://global.oup.com/academic/product/logic-in-grammar-9780199697977?cc=si&lang=en&) Crnic, Luka. 2014. [Non-monotonicity in NPI Licensing.](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11050-014-9104-6) Crnic, Luka. 2017. [Free choice under ellipsis.](https://www.degruyter.com/view/journals/tlir/34/2/article-p249.xml) Dayal, Veneeta. 1998. [ANY as Inherently Modal.](https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/campuspress.yale.edu/dist/6/2964/files/2019/05/Any-98.pdf) Dayal, Veneeta. 2013. [A Viability Constraint on Alternatives for Free Choice.](https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/campuspress.yale.edu/dist/6/2964/files/2019/05/viability-2012.pdf) Kadmon, Nirit & Fred Landman. 1992. [Any.](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00985272) Lahiri, Utpal. 1998. [Focus and Negative Polarity in Hindi.](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1008211808250)

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