Readings of pronouns across connectives are sensitive to monotonicity

Abstract

Kanazawa (1994) proposed a generalization connecting the monotonicity properties of quantifiers and the preferred reading (existential or universal) of donkey sentences. We show through two experimental studies that his generalization extends to cross-conjunction anaphora.In a nutshell, we find that simple cross-conjunction anaphora like there is a circle and it is blue are read existentially (there is a blue circle) but adding negation to the second conjunct (there is a circle and it is not blue) makes an additional universal reading accessible (there is a circle and no circle is blue). These results provide a challenge to Egli’s principle, a principle validated by most existing dynamic theories, according to which only an existential reading should be found in these constructions, regardless of the presence of negation.