• Language and Information
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.53-76
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• 2004

Negative polarity items(NPIs), which function as quantifiers are licensed in a syntactically strict way by negatives, which function as qualifiers, resulting in universal negating interpretations as pairs. We present a proposal to explain the related phenomena, in which the syntax and the semantics are closely related to each other, with Combinatory Categorial Grammar. For this purpose, we first adopt the usual approach to scrambling, but control its overgeneration with the use of markers, taking into account the complex syntactic phenomena involving NPIs and scrambling in Korean. We also propose to utilize polarity intensity as a novel feature, in order to account for the universal negating interpretations when NPIs are combined with negatives. Our proposal also explains the difference in readings when other quantifiers or qualifiers intervene the NPI and the related negatives.

• Annual Conference on Human and Language Technology
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• 1995.10a
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• pp.297-299
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• 1995

• Annual Conference on Human and Language Technology
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.177-188
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• 1996

• Language and Information
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.42-78
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• 1998

This paper proposes a semantics of the Korean NPI te isang 'anymore', which occurs in negative contexts. The NPI te isang is characterized, in Zwarts's(1990) term, as a strong NPI which requires an anti-additive function as its licensor. It is also noted that te isang is licensed by 'implied negative predicates' such as shilheha-'hate' and phokiha-'give up' only when it occurs within a clausal argument of the implied negative predicates. This fact is accounted for in terms of the function-argument structure and the scope relation between the NPI te isang and the implied negative predicates involved.

• Korean Journal of English Language and Linguistics
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.495-518
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• 2002

This paper is to analyze various phenomena of NPIs based on Nonveridicality Theory. For this purpose, I present the previous studies concerning NPls and examine their problems: Ladusaw's(1980) Downward Entailment and Zwarts'(1993) Monotonicity Theory. To solve their problems I suggest Giannakidou's(1998, 1999, 2000) Nonveridicality Theory. To conclude, this paper clarifies the reason why NPls are licensed and resolves the problems of previous studies. I explain NPIs' phenomena in questions, modals, intentional verbs, before, perhaps and so on. I analyse the examples of NPls in BNC, S&S, P&P to prove my claim.

• Korean Journal of Logic
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.253-287
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• 2014

In First-Order Logic the English expressions, 'any', 'every', 'all', and 'each' are treated on a par but have different meanings in the natural language usages. Especially the expression 'any' is typically used only in the negative contexts, which linguists have paid attention to and attempted to provide an adequate explanation of. I shall show that the explanations so far mainly from linguists are not satisfactory and revive the philosophical insights concerning the logical features of 'any' provided by Zeno Vendler in 1962. I shall claim that the expression 'any' has what Vendler calls the 'freedom of choice' as its primary meaning and denotes what Kit Fine calls an 'arbitrary object'. It will be shown that the logical features of 'any' are manifested more evidently in the analysis of the Korean expression 'amwu'. I believe that this analysis has significant philosophical implications. As an instance I shall show that we can take a fresh perspective on the problem which involves the universal generalization rule and the preface paradox.