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Universal 1206:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1206:

Original
Constraint on negating self-dual and monotone decreasing quantifiers:
If a language has a syntactic construction whose semantic function is to negate a quantifier, then this construction will not be used with NPs expressing monotone decreasing or self-dual quantifiers.
Standardized
Constraint on negating self-dual and monotone decreasing quantifiers:
IF there is a syntactic construction whose semantic function is to negate a quantifier, THEN this construction will not be used with NPs expressing monotone decreasing or self-dual quantifiers.
Keywords
quantification, monotonicity, negation, NP
Domain
semantics, syntax
Type
no genuine implication; rather: provided that
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
unspecified
Source
Barwise & Cooper 1981: 198, U9
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    1. For technical reasons, the following logical relations are abbreviated as follows: A is a subset of E = A $ E ; X is a member of set Q = X % Q; X is not a member of set Q = X ¬% Q . 2. The dual of a quantifier Q on E is the quantifier q defined by q = {X $ E | (E – X) ¬% Q}, i.e., q = ~ (Q~) = (~Q)~. If Q = q then Q is called ‘self-dual’. The dual of ||some man|| is ||every man|| and vice versa. On a finite set A $ E of odd cardinality, {X $ E | X contains more than half A} is self-dual. For any A % E, {X $ E | a % X} is self-dual.3. Cf. also with #1211.

    1. May 2020

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