A Scope Theory of Non-presuppositional Noun Phrases

Abstract

Musan (1995) observed that the temporal interpretation of a non-presuppositional noun phrase is obligatorily dependent on that of the main predicate. To account for this generalization, this paper proposes that the temporal interpretation of a non-presuppositional noun phrase is determined by virtue of being in the scope of an operator. Upon an investigation of the interpretation of non-presuppositional noun phrases in the plural form, the paper argues under this scope approach that the numeral part of a non-presuppositional noun phrase splits from the rest of the noun phrase and undergoes LF raising.