CAS LX 502CAS LX 502SemanticsSemantics

10a. Presupposition10a. Presupposition10.210.2

PresuppositionPresupposition Frege 1892:Frege 1892:

Referring expressions (names, Referring expressions (names, definite descriptions) carry the definite descriptions) carry the presupposition that they do in fact presupposition that they do in fact refer.refer.

For a sentence to have a truth For a sentence to have a truth value, its presupposition must hold.value, its presupposition must hold.

A presupposition of a sentence is A presupposition of a sentence is also a presupposition of its also a presupposition of its negation.negation.

Presupposition triggersPresupposition triggers Lexical triggers:Lexical triggers:

Definite noun phrases:Definite noun phrases: The student fell asleep.The student fell asleep. The student didn’t fall asleep.The student didn’t fall asleep.

FactiveFactive verbs: verbs: Pat wanted to eat a sandwich.Pat wanted to eat a sandwich. Tracy thought Pat ate a sandwich.Tracy thought Pat ate a sandwich. Tracy Tracy realizedrealized Pat ate a sandwich. Pat ate a sandwich. Pat Pat regrettedregretted eating a sandwich. eating a sandwich. Pat liked eating a sandwich.Pat liked eating a sandwich. Pat ate a sandwich.Pat ate a sandwich.

Presupposition triggersPresupposition triggers Lexical triggers:Lexical triggers:

Change of state verbs:Change of state verbs: Pat stopped eating a sandwich (at 2pm).Pat stopped eating a sandwich (at 2pm). Pat started eating a sandwich (at 2pm).Pat started eating a sandwich (at 2pm).

Verbs of judgment:Verbs of judgment: Tracy blamed Pat for eating the sandwich.Tracy blamed Pat for eating the sandwich. Tracy faults Pat for eating the sandwich.Tracy faults Pat for eating the sandwich.

Presupposition triggersPresupposition triggers Structural triggers:Structural triggers:

Cleft constructions and focus:Cleft constructions and focus: It was Tracy that ate the sandwich.It was Tracy that ate the sandwich. Tracy Tracy ate the sandwich.ate the sandwich. The sandwich was eaten.The sandwich was eaten. It was the sandwich that Tracy ate.It was the sandwich that Tracy ate. What Tracy ate was the sandwich.What Tracy ate was the sandwich. Tracy ate Tracy ate the sandwichthe sandwich.. Tracy ate something.Tracy ate something.

Too, even:Too, even: Even Tracy ate a sandwich.Even Tracy ate a sandwich. Tracy ate a sandwich too.Tracy ate a sandwich too.

Presupposition survivalPresupposition survival Families of sentences.Families of sentences.

The Queen of America is bald.The Queen of America is bald. The Queen of America isn’t bald.The Queen of America isn’t bald. Is the Queen of America bald?Is the Queen of America bald? Perhaps the Queen of America is bald.Perhaps the Queen of America is bald. If the Queen of America is bald, I will not wear a If the Queen of America is bald, I will not wear a wig.wig.

Joan has stopped drinking wine for breakfast.Joan has stopped drinking wine for breakfast. Joan hasn’t stopped drinking wine for breakfast.Joan hasn’t stopped drinking wine for breakfast. Has Joan stopped drinking wine for breakfast?Has Joan stopped drinking wine for breakfast? Perhaps Joan has stopped drinking wine for Perhaps Joan has stopped drinking wine for breakfast.breakfast.

If Joan has stopped drinking wine for breakfast, I If Joan has stopped drinking wine for breakfast, I will celebrate.will celebrate.

Non-presupposition non-Non-presupposition non-survivalsurvival

Families of sentences.Families of sentences. It’s cold in here.It’s cold in here. It’s not cold in here.It’s not cold in here. Is it cold in here?Is it cold in here? Perhaps it’s cold in here.Perhaps it’s cold in here. If it’s cold in here, John loses the bet.If it’s cold in here, John loses the bet.

Rocky is a squirrel.Rocky is a squirrel. Rocky is not a squirrel.Rocky is not a squirrel. Is Rocky a squirrel?Is Rocky a squirrel? Perhaps Rocky is a squirrel.Perhaps Rocky is a squirrel. If Rocky is a squirrel, I will celebrate.If Rocky is a squirrel, I will celebrate.

Non-presupposition Non-presupposition survivalsurvival

Families of sentences.Families of sentences. Pat, who bought something here, ate lunch.Pat, who bought something here, ate lunch. Pat, who bought something here, didn’t eat lunch.Pat, who bought something here, didn’t eat lunch. Did Pat, who bought something here, eat lunch?Did Pat, who bought something here, eat lunch? Perhaps Pat, who bought something here, ate lunch.Perhaps Pat, who bought something here, ate lunch. If Pat, who bought something here, ate lunch, I If Pat, who bought something here, ate lunch, I will not cook the spinach.will not cook the spinach.

What Pat bought here was a fork.What Pat bought here was a fork. What Pat bought here wasn’t a fork.What Pat bought here wasn’t a fork. Was what Pat bought here a fork?Was what Pat bought here a fork? Perhaps what Pat bought here was a fork.Perhaps what Pat bought here was a fork. If what Pat bought here was a fork, I will If what Pat bought here was a fork, I will celebrate.celebrate.

So…So… The “families of sentences” test The “families of sentences” test can tell us when something is can tell us when something is notnot a presupposition (a a presupposition (a presupposition will always presupposition will always survive).survive).

Or will it?Or will it? The Queen of America isn’t bald—The Queen of America isn’t bald—there is no Queen of America.there is no Queen of America.

Metalinguistic Metalinguistic negation, etc.negation, etc.

Matt [groaning] isn’t standing over Matt [groaning] isn’t standing over there, Matt [grayning] is.there, Matt [grayning] is.

He isn’t He isn’t adequateadequate at painting eggs— at painting eggs—he’s he’s fantasticfantastic at it. at it. Objecting to the sentence, on various Objecting to the sentence, on various grounds (pronunciation, implicature, grounds (pronunciation, implicature, connotation, register, …).connotation, register, …).

Usually comes with a special intonation.Usually comes with a special intonation.

If the Queen of America just opened If the Queen of America just opened the window, America must the window, America must havehave a Queen. a Queen.

ps projection: holes ps projection: holes and plugsand plugs

Joan has stopped drinking wine for breakfast.Joan has stopped drinking wine for breakfast. Joan previously drank wine for breakfast.Joan previously drank wine for breakfast.

Pat knows that Joan has stopped drinking wine Pat knows that Joan has stopped drinking wine for breakfast.for breakfast.

Joan previously drank wine for breakfast.Joan previously drank wine for breakfast. Pat believes that Joan has stopped drinking Pat believes that Joan has stopped drinking wine for breakfast.wine for breakfast.

(No presupposition)(No presupposition) PlugsPlugs::Do not let presuppositions through Do not let presuppositions through ((believebelieve))

HolesHoles::Let presuppositions through (Let presuppositions through (knowknow))

ps projection: filtersps projection: filters JOHN drinks too.JOHN drinks too. JOHN drinks too and Mary doesn’t like it.JOHN drinks too and Mary doesn’t like it. Bill is not present and JOHN drinks too.Bill is not present and JOHN drinks too.

Somebody else drinks besides John.Somebody else drinks besides John. Bill drinks and JOHN drinks too.Bill drinks and JOHN drinks too.

No constraint on the context?No constraint on the context? If JOHN drinks too, then the bottle will not last long.If JOHN drinks too, then the bottle will not last long. If the bottle is already empty, then JOHN drinks too.If the bottle is already empty, then JOHN drinks too.

Somebody else drinks besides John.Somebody else drinks besides John. If Bill drinks, then JOHN drinks too.If Bill drinks, then JOHN drinks too.

No constraint on the context?No constraint on the context? Generalization so far: Generalization so far: ppqq and and ppqq inherit the inherit the presuppositions of both presuppositions of both pp and and qq exceptexcept any pss any pss of of qq entailed by entailed by pp. Conjunctions and . Conjunctions and conditionals are conditionals are filtersfilters (letting some pss (letting some pss through and others not).through and others not).

ps projection: filters ps projection: filters refinedrefined

If there is a depression, the president of GM If there is a depression, the president of GM will lose his job too.will lose his job too.

Someone besides the president of GM will lose his/her Someone besides the president of GM will lose his/her job?job?

Well, no, not really. But why? There Well, no, not really. But why? There being a depression doesn’t logically being a depression doesn’t logically entail that someone loses his/her job.entail that someone loses his/her job. But the normal context is one in which it is But the normal context is one in which it is assumed that when there is a depression, many assumed that when there is a depression, many people lose their jobs. In people lose their jobs. In thatthat context, context, pp entails the presupposition of entails the presupposition of qq—and so it is —and so it is filtered out.filtered out.

If there is a thunderstorm, the president of If there is a thunderstorm, the president of GM will lose his job too.GM will lose his job too.

Filter out any ps of Filter out any ps of qq which is entailed by which is entailed by the the context+context+pp..

ps projection: local ps projection: local contextscontexts

If there is a depression, the president of GM If there is a depression, the president of GM will lose his job too.will lose his job too.

Someone besides the president of GM will lose Someone besides the president of GM will lose his/her job?his/her job?

A way to look at this: A way to look at this: local contextslocal contexts Suppose Suppose cc is the context, is the context, ppqq is our sentence. is our sentence. To be felicitous, To be felicitous, cc must entail ps( must entail ps(pp).). Add Add pp to to cc, and , and c+pc+p is now the context against is now the context against which which qq is evaluated. is evaluated.

To be felicitous, To be felicitous, c+pc+p must entail ps( must entail ps(qq).). So: in a normal context where when there’s a So: in a normal context where when there’s a depression all sorts of people lose their jobs, depression all sorts of people lose their jobs, c+p c+p will be a context in which all sorts of will be a context in which all sorts of people lose their jobs, and this entails ps(people lose their jobs, and this entails ps(qq). ). So, the overall So, the overall cc is fine so long as is fine so long as c+pc+p entails ps(entails ps(qq).).

ps projection: filters ps projection: filters refinedrefined

Bill is absent and JOHN drinks tooBill is absent and JOHN drinks too Someone besides John drinks?Someone besides John drinks?

Actually, that one was a bit misleading.Actually, that one was a bit misleading. A: I need a non-drinker to support me in avoiding A: I need a non-drinker to support me in avoiding alcohol. It is known that Bill does not drink, and alcohol. It is known that Bill does not drink, and you’ve just mentioned the known fact that Mary drinks.you’ve just mentioned the known fact that Mary drinks.

A kind of normal context, compatible. Because ps(A kind of normal context, compatible. Because ps(qq).). B: I need a non-drinker to support me in avoiding B: I need a non-drinker to support me in avoiding alcohol. The only possible reason for anybody to not alcohol. The only possible reason for anybody to not be present (in this room) is to drink vodka in the be present (in this room) is to drink vodka in the other room.other room.

But here, ps(But here, ps(qq) seems ) seems not not to be presupposed. Why?to be presupposed. Why? The difference is that in this context The difference is that in this context pp entails ps( entails ps(qq).).

So, really, it didn’t presuppose ps(So, really, it didn’t presuppose ps(qq) after ) after all, but rather that all, but rather that c+pc+p entails ps( entails ps(qq). If ). If pp is is deemed irrelevant, then the context by itself deemed irrelevant, then the context by itself has to entail ps(has to entail ps(qq).).

Some difficulties with Some difficulties with filtersfilters

I haven’t told the truth.I haven’t told the truth. I realize that I haven’t told the truth.I realize that I haven’t told the truth. I didn’t realize that I haven’t told the I didn’t realize that I haven’t told the truth.truth.

I regret that I haven’t told the truth.I regret that I haven’t told the truth. If JOHN sings too then I will celebrate.If JOHN sings too then I will celebrate. If I regret that I haven’t told the If I regret that I haven’t told the truth, I will confess it to everyone.truth, I will confess it to everyone.

If I realize that I haven’t told the If I realize that I haven’t told the truth, I will confess it to everyone.truth, I will confess it to everyone.

If Frank realizes that he hasn’t told the If Frank realizes that he hasn’t told the truth, he will confess it to everyone.truth, he will confess it to everyone.

A cancellation viewA cancellation view Triggers yield Triggers yield potential potential presuppositions. presuppositions. A potential ps may or may not become an A potential ps may or may not become an actual ps. In particular, not if it is actual ps. In particular, not if it is canceledcanceled. This happens when:. This happens when: The ps is inconsistent with assumptions in the The ps is inconsistent with assumptions in the context.context.

The ps is inconsistent with one of the The ps is inconsistent with one of the conversational implicatures of the matrix conversational implicatures of the matrix sentence containing the trigger.sentence containing the trigger.

If the problem has been solved, then it is Lauri who If the problem has been solved, then it is Lauri who solved it.solved it.

Implicature: truth value of Implicature: truth value of the problem has been the problem has been solvedsolved ( (somebody has solved the problemsomebody has solved the problem) not ) not assumed.assumed.

A cancellation viewA cancellation view Triggers yield Triggers yield potential potential presuppositions. A presuppositions. A potential ps may or may not become an actual potential ps may or may not become an actual ps. In particular, not if it is ps. In particular, not if it is canceledcanceled. . This happens when:This happens when: The ps is inconsistent with assumptions in the The ps is inconsistent with assumptions in the context.context.

The ps is inconsistent with one of the The ps is inconsistent with one of the conversational implicatures of the matrix sentence conversational implicatures of the matrix sentence containing the trigger.containing the trigger.

I don’t have a dog.I don’t have a dog. So at least you don’t have to walk your dog.So at least you don’t have to walk your dog.

Problems here too.Problems here too. If John has twins, Mary will not like his children.If John has twins, Mary will not like his children.

Projection into one’s Projection into one’s beliefs?beliefs?

The unicorn is waiting in the garden.The unicorn is waiting in the garden. #Yet there are no unicorns.#Yet there are no unicorns.

Pat knows that the unicorn is waiting in the Pat knows that the unicorn is waiting in the garden.garden. #Yet there are no unicorns.#Yet there are no unicorns.

Pat thinks that the unicorn is waiting in the Pat thinks that the unicorn is waiting in the garden.garden. Yet there are no unicorns (silly Pat).Yet there are no unicorns (silly Pat). #Yet, Pat believes there are no unicorns.#Yet, Pat believes there are no unicorns.

Pat wants the unicorn to sleep in the garden.Pat wants the unicorn to sleep in the garden. If the unicorn is in the garden, Pat will be If the unicorn is in the garden, Pat will be happy.happy.

Attitude verbsAttitude verbs Patrick wants to sell his Patrick wants to sell his cello.cello.

Patrick is under the mistaken Patrick is under the mistaken belief that he owns a cello, belief that he owns a cello, and he wants to sell his cello.and he wants to sell his cello. Embed Embed qq under an attitude verb under an attitude verb (SV(SVqq) requires that ps() requires that ps(qq) be ) be entailed by S’s beliefs.entailed by S’s beliefs.