[vdAVA16] — negative concord ↔ n-word status

The cross-linguistic bridge between a language's WALS 115A negative-indefinite strategy ([Has13b], typed in Syntax.Negation) and the item-level n-word status of its negation-sensitive indefinites ([Gia00], typed in Features.NegativeConcord): an n-word needs a negative-concord system, an inherently negative quantifier needs a non-concord (double-negation / neg-existential) one, and an NPI is admitted by either.

Anchored here (rather than left in Syntax.Negation substrate) because it is a paper-specific prediction with no other consumer; keeping it study-local lets Syntax.Negation stay free of the Features.NegativeConcord import.

Main definitions

• hasNegativeConcord — whether a WALS 115A strategy is a concord system.
• admits — whether an n-word status is consistent with a strategy.

def VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.hasNegativeConcord : Syntax.Negation.NegIndefiniteStrategy → Bool

Whether the negative-indefinite system shows negative concord ([vdAVA16]): WALS 115A cooccur (concord) and mixed (position-dependent) do; preclude (double negation) and negExistential do not. Broader than NegationProfile.hasNegConcord, which tests cooccur only.

Equations

• VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.hasNegativeConcord Syntax.Negation.NegIndefiniteStrategy.cooccur = true
• VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.hasNegativeConcord Syntax.Negation.NegIndefiniteStrategy.mixed = true
• VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.hasNegativeConcord Syntax.Negation.NegIndefiniteStrategy.preclude = false
• VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.hasNegativeConcord Syntax.Negation.NegIndefiniteStrategy.negExistential = false

def VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.admits : Syntax.Negation.NegIndefiniteStrategy → Features.NegativeConcord.NWordStatus → Bool

Whether an item-level n-word status is consistent with a language's WALS 115A negative-indefinite strategy: an n-word needs a concord system, an inherently negative quantifier a non-concord (double-negation / neg-existential) one, an NPI any ([vdAVA16]).

Equations

• VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.admits x✝ Features.NegativeConcord.NWordStatus.nWord = VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.hasNegativeConcord x✝
• VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.admits x✝ Features.NegativeConcord.NWordStatus.negQuantifier = !VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.hasNegativeConcord x✝
• VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.admits x✝ Features.NegativeConcord.NWordStatus.npi = true

theorem VanDerAuweraVanAlsenoy2016.nWord_vs_negQuantifier : admits Syntax.Negation.NegIndefiniteStrategy.cooccur Features.NegativeConcord.NWordStatus.nWord = true ∧ admits Syntax.Negation.NegIndefiniteStrategy.preclude Features.NegativeConcord.NWordStatus.nWord = false ∧ admits Syntax.Negation.NegIndefiniteStrategy.preclude Features.NegativeConcord.NWordStatus.negQuantifier = true

N-words live in negative-concord systems, inherently negative quantifiers in double-negation ones ([vdAVA16]).