Open AccessFocus constraints on ellipsis - an unalternatives account
Author(s) -
Muriel Assmann,
Daniel Büring,
Izabela Jordanoska,
Max Prüller
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
zas papers in linguistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1435-9588
DOI - 10.21248/zaspil.60.2018.457
Subject(s) - ellipsis (linguistics) , focus (optics) , generalization , semantics (computer science) , computer science , linguistics , natural language processing , artificial intelligence , programming language , mathematics , philosophy , physics , optics , mathematical analysis
This paper presents a new account of the generalization that focused elements cannotbe elided, framed within Unalternative Semantics, a framework that does away with syntacticF-marking. We propose the mirror image of the generalization: what is elided cannot introducealternatives. We implement this as a focus restriction in UAS and then go on to show howto account for MAXELIDE effects using the same technique, without making reference to anytransderivational constraints.Keywords: focus, ellipsis, alternative semantics, unalternative semantics, MaxElide, secondaryfocus.