npi-quiz-npi-quiz
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NPI quiz - NPI quiz
Language and Mind: The Chomskyan Program (Concordia University)
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NPI quiz - NPI quiz
Language and Mind: The Chomskyan Program (Concordia University)
Scan to open on Studocu
Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university
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NPI quiz: Attempt review
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Question 1
Complete
Mark 8.00 out of 10.00
Negative Polarity and Downward Entailment
We have said that Negative Polarity Items (NPIs) like ever
and any
are licensed by negation and other Downward Entailing
Operators (DEOs). We have explored the syntactic conditions under which NPIs can occur in English.
Consider these examples:
i. Mary hasn't eaten any pie that Bill made
.
ii. *
Mary has eaten any pie that Bill didn't make
.
iii. John doesn't know that Mary hasn't eaten any pie
.
iv. John doesn't know that Jane believes that Luigi claims that Fred intuits that Mary hasn't eaten any pie
.
v. John knows that Jane does not believe that Luigi claims that Fred intuits that Mary hasn't eaten any pie
.
vi. I can't believe that Mary hurt anybody on purpose.
vii. John ate apple pie.
viii. John ate pie
.
ix. John didn't eat (any) apple pie
.
x. John didn't eat (any) pie
.
These examples suggest which of the following? Which of the following are true? NPIs like any
must be c-commanded by a DEO like negation (
n't
or not
)
True
False
NPIs like any
must be locally c-commanded by a DEO like negation (
n't
or not
)
True
False
Negation creates a downward entailing environment---compare sentences vii-x. Two instances of negation undo this effect because
two negatives make a positive.
True
False
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NPI quiz: Attempt review
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Sentences that have the logical structure of if
... then
... statements are called conditionals, and we said that conditionals are DEOs. Let's figure out which part of a condition is a DEO, the if
part or the then
part.
Suppose we accept that sentence (1) is true:
1. If John eats a cookie, then Mary will eat a pie
.
Can we then conclude that (2) is true as well? 2. If John eats a chocolate cookie, then Mary will eat a pie.
Does (1) entail (2)?
Yes
No
Does (1) entail (3)?
3.
If John eats a cookie, then Mary will eat an apple pie
.
Does (1) entail (3)?
Yes
No
Which part of a conditional is a DEO?
The if
part.
The then
part.
Neither part.
Both parts.
Consider the following:
4a.
If John eats any cookie, then Mary will eat a pie
.
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NPI quiz: Attempt review
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4b.
If John ever eats a cookie, then Mary will eat a pie.
5a.*
If John eats a cookie, then Mary will eat any pie
.
5b. *If John eats a cookie, then Mary will ever eat a pie.
Are the grammaticality judgments (shown by presence or absence of "*") for 4ab and 5ab consistent with our expectations?
Yes, because if
is a DEO and that's what allows the NPI any/ever
to appear in (4ab).
Yes, because then
is a DEO and that's what allows the NPI any/ever
to appear in (4ab).
No, because if
is not a DEO and so it can't license the NPI any/ever
in (5ab).
No, because then
is not a DEO and so it can't license the NPI any/ever
in (5ab).
For the next question, it may be useful to think about sentences like i-x above, especially the licensed occurrence of any in examples
like (vi):
vi. I can't believe that Mary hurt anybody on purpose.
Suppose you believe everything else we have learned about syntax. Which of the following can you conclude?
That in (4ab) if
c-commands the whole clause then Mary will eat a pie
.
That in (4ab) if
does not c-command the whole clause then Mary will eat a pie
.
That in (4ab) if
locally c-commands each part of the clause then Mary will eat a pie
.
That in (4ab) if
c-commands each part of the clause then Mary will eat a pie
, but not locally.
Let's say we know that this is true:
6. If you give a mouse a cookie, then he will ask for a glass of milk.
Then we know for sure that If you give a mouse a cookie, then he will ask for a glass of skim milk.
If you give a mouse a cookie, then he will ask for a drink.
This is consistent with the then
part of a conditional being upward entailing
downward entailing
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