THAT vs IF - On the semantics of complementizers

'THAT vs. IF - on the Semantics of Complementisers'
Peter Öhl, Universität Wuppertal ([email protected])
Lohnstein (2005) proposes a basic semantic form (SF) for clause connectors (CONN):
(1)
Basic-SF of CONN: λpλq [ [ OPw,t : H(w0) ∧ p(w,t) ] q(w,t) ]
(Lohnstein 2005: 124)
• H(w0) ∧ p(w,t) = restriction for quantification over proposition q
• OPw,t = quantifier over world- or time variables
• H = modal basis in the actual world w0 (epistemic, doxastic, boulethic, deontic, factual).
(2)
CONN: logical parameters
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
(ibd.)
the quantificational force of the operator OPw,t (universal vs. existential quantification)
the types of the variables: world vs. time
the specification of the background H(w)
intensionalisation vs. extensionalisation of the propositions involved
further lexical specifications of the connective
Example: German (Gm.) conditional complementiser (C) falls vs. temporal C nachdem:
(3)
a. Egon lacht, falls Paul arbeitet.
'Egon laughs, in case Paul is working.'
b. [∀w: H(w0) ∧ work'(w, Paul) ] laugh'(w, Egon')
ep
c. H epistemisch: H (w) = {p|p is known in w}
d. 'In all epistemically acessible worlds where Paul is working, Egon laughs.'
e. SF(/falls/): λpλq [ [ ∀w: H(w0) ∧ p(w) ] q(w) ]
(4)
a. Egon lacht, nachdem Paul gearbeitet hat.
'Egon laughs after Paul was working.'
b. [∃t1: H(w0) ∧ work'(t2, Paul') ∧ (t2 < t1) ] laugh'(t1, Egon')
Building on this system Öhl (2009: 399) proposes a SF for the Gm. C dass ('that'):
(5)
SF(/dass/): λpλq [ [ ∀w: w ∈ q = H(w0) ] p(w) = 1]
(6)
a. Homer weiß/glaubt/hofft/fordert/bedauert, dass null keine Primzahl ist.
'Homer knows/believes/hopes/demands/regrets that zero is not a prime number.'
b. p = prime-number'(w,zero')
c. H
EP/D OX/BOUL/DEON/FACT
(x,w0) = {p| know'/believe'/…'/…'/…' (x,p)}
(→ underspecification of H)
d. ⇒ q = λp. know'/believe'/hope'/demand'/regret' (Homer,p)
Defining the restriction for the quantification over proposition p by the superordinate proposition q is meant to
account for my basic conjecture that p is (potentially) true in the worlds contained in q.
Adding to further discussion of this admittedly somewhat fuzzy notion of H, this paper investigates potential
SFs for the C ob (if/whether). The formal background is the interrogative semantics proposed by
Groenendijk/Stokhof (1984), which is based on λ-quantification over pairs of worlds and times ("index
dependent propositions"; cf. Lohnstein 2013: 72-75; Groenendijk & Stokhof 1984: 48ff; 83ff.; 102ff.; 153ff.;
215).
(7)
a. i = <w,t>
a a
b. a = <w ,t >
(8)
(actual index resp. index of truth evaluation)
a. Is zero a prime number?
b. λiλa[prime-number'(i,zero') = prime-number'(a,zero')]
Index dependent propositions are mapped to syntactic objects that can be embedded (cf. Lohnstein 2013: 75):
(9)
a. Homer wonders if/whether zero is a prime number.
b. wonder'(Homer', λiλa[prime-number'(i,zero') = prime-number'(a,zero')])
(10)
a. It is not clear if/whether zero is a prime number.
b. ¬clear'(λiλa[prime-number'(i,zero') = prime-number'(a,zero')])
I elaborate on the hypothesis that the C ob expresses the relation between the indices of the connected clauses.
This relation is discussed with respect to the phenomenon of unselected embedded interrogatives, especially
regarding the veridical/nonveridical distinction (cf. Öhl 2007; to appear), and also prosodic and contextual
factors. Last not least, I compare the Gm. C ob to the Eng. clause connectors if and whether.
References: Lohnstein, Horst (2005). Sentence connection as quantificational structure. In: Claudia Maienborn & Angelika Wöllstein
(eds.). Event Arguments. Foundations and Applications. Tübingen: Niemeyer. 113-138. Lohnstein, Horst (2013): E- und WInterrogativsätze. In Meibauer, Jörg/ Altmann, Hans/ Steinbach, Markus (Hgg.) (2013): Satztypen des Deutschen. Berlin [u.a.]: de
Gruyter. 51-83. Öhl, Peter (2007). Unselected Embedded Interrogatives in German and English. S-Selection as Dependency Formation.
Linguistische Berichte 212, 403-437. Öhl, Peter (2009). Sprachwandel und kognitive Ökonomie: Zur Grammatikalisierung und Substitution
von Satzkonnektoren. Linguistische Berichte 220, 393-438. Öhl, Peter (to appear): Zur Akzeptanz der Einbettung von ob-Sätzen unter
veridischen Prädikaten. Eine Hypothese bezogen auf epistemische Weltenmodelle – mit einem Seitenblick auf das Persische. Sergej
Nefedov (Hg.), Tagungsband der 25. GeSuS-Linguistiktage 2015 in St. Petersburg. Hamburg: Kovač.

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