Semantics of Questions

Maribel Romero

 

Course Description

This seminar is concerned with aspects in the semantics (and, to a lesser extent, in the LF-representation and in the pragmatics) of questions. Topics include (list is not exhaustive nor entirely chronological):

  1. Background in intensional semantics.
  2. Extension and intension of interrogative sentences. Compositional semantics.
  3. Exhaustivity.
  4. De re and de dicto readings. The so-called "extensionality" of wh-phrases: presupposition projection, choice functions.
  5. Functional readings, wh/Quantifier interactions, multiple wh- questions.
  6. Quantificational Variability Effects (QVE) and Plurality.
  7. The relation between questions and answers:
    • Focus
    • Total vs partial answers.
  8. Weak islands, Beck effects.

Requirements

  • Homework assignments (not very many)
  • Two presentations: one of somebody else’ paper and one - towards the end of the semester - of your own paper.
  • Your paper:
    First draft due on April 3.
    Final draft deadline TBA.

Tentative scedule:

Jan 13: Review of Intensional Semantics.
Jan 20: Compositionality in Questions:
Reading: Karttunen 1997.
Optional: Hamblin 1973.

Jan 27: Exhaustivity I:
Reading:
  • Groenendijk-Stokhof 1982 (=1984 ch2)
  • Heim 1994a

Optional:

  • TBA


Feb 3: Exhaustivity II:
Reading:
  • Beck-Rullmann 1996 (or Beck 1996: 4.5)
  • Izvorsky 1998

Optional:

  • TBA


Feb 10: The scope and interpretation of which phrases I (their so-called "extensionality", functional readings, de re/de dicto readings): choice functions and skolem functions.
Reading:
  • Engdahl 1986, chapter TBA.
  • Reinhart 1993

Optional:

  • Engdahl 1980
  • Reinhart 1997
  • von Stechow 1996b


Feb 17: The scope and interpretation of which phrases II: presupposition projection.
Reading:
  • Romero 1997b
  • Rullmann-Beck 1998

Optional (background in presupposition projection):

  • Beaver 1994
  • Heim 1983
  • Heim 1992


Feb 24: More on functional readings; multiple questions; wh-/Qu interactions:
[POSSIBLY EXPANDED INTO TWO SESSIONS]
Reading:
  • Dayal 1996, chapter 4.
  • Hagstrom 1998, chapter 6.

Optional:

  • Munn 1998.
  • Chierchia 1993


March 3: Yes/no questions and alternative questions.
Reading:
  • Larson 1985
  • Han 199?

Optional:

  • Romero 1999, chapter 1
  • Schwarz 1998


SPRING BREAK
March 17: Pragmatics of questions I: the relation between Questions and Answers; Focus/Background.
Reading:
  • Rooth 1992
  • Schwarzschild 1997

Optional (background on Focus marking and projection):

  • Selkirk 1995, chapter TBA.
  • Truckenbrodt 1995, chapter TBA.


March 24: Pragmatics of Questions II: total and partial answers.
Reading:
  • Büring 1997, chapter TBA.
  • Groenendijk-Stokhof 1984, chapter 4.

Optional:

  • Higginbotham ??


March 31: Quantificational Variability Effects and Plurality.
Reading:
  • Berman 1991
  • Lahiri 1991

Optional:

  • TBA


April 7: Weak Islands; intervention effects.
Reading:
  • Beck 1996, chapter 2 and 3
  • Szabolcsi-Zwarts 1993

Optional:

  • McDaniel 1989
  • Rullmann 1995


April 14: STUDENTS' PROJECTS PRESENTATION

April 21: Surprise topic, or override session.

Other topics that I would like to include:
  1. How many questions: functional and intensional readings for "For what n:?"
  2. Strong islands, LF pied-piping, scope marking.

 

Selected References

Contact Information
610 Williams Hall
romero@ling.upenn.edu
573-5192
Office hours TBA.

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