Quantification into Quotations: Evidence from Japanese 'wh'-doublets

Abstract

Contrary to what has been widely assumed, this paper argues that quantification into quotations is possible. In particular, it is shown that quantification over expressions, or metalinguistic quantification, is attested in natural language quotations. The empirical evidence comes from Japanese wh-doublets, which only appear in quotations and which are interpreted as indefinites ranging over expressions.