Journal of English Language & Literature (영어영문학)
- Volume 57 Issue 3
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- Pages.429-455
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- 2011
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- 1016-2283(pISSN)
One-sided Readings of Numbers in Modal Sentences
- Kwak, Eun-Joo (Sejong University)
- Received : 2011.04.30
- Accepted : 2011.06.05
- Published : 2011.06.30
Abstract
Numbers have been regarded as one-sided, and their exactly readings have been understood as the results of scalar implicature. This Neo-Gricean view on numbers becomes less persuasive due to theoretical and experimental counterarguments. In spite of growing evidence for theirtwo-sided readings, numbers are still one-sided in modal sentences. Moreover, the occurrence of a negative operator may worsen the acceptability of modal sentences with numbers. In the framework of Vector Space Semantics, I have derived two-sided readings of numbers with the simple notions of monotonicity of modals and scopal relations between modals and numbers. I have also argued that the awkwardness incurred by negation is the result of a split set of vectors for a number. The incoherent set of vectors is understood as the lack of an ideal behavior, which is against the deontic modality of the sentence.