The purpose of this paper is to provide a convincing account of the behaviors of two types of question constructions (yes-no questions and wh-questions) with NPIs. Furthermore, some questions with NPIs are ambiguous between an information-seeking question reading and a rhetorical question reading. We assume that polarity items may induce potential alternative questions like rhetorical questions when they occur within a question, and that those alternative questions must be licensed by pragmatic conditions. Thus, we show that NPI licensing in information-seeking questions and rhetorical questions can be properly explained by semantic and pragmatic conditions. In this paper, I argue that questions with strong NPIs, irrespective of whether they are positive questions or negative ones, can only be used rhetorically, while questions with weak NPIs can function more as information-seeking questions. This is not to say that questions with weak NPIs cannot have a rhetorical question reading at all. It is expected that this line of explanation of negative polarity items (NPIs) in questions can capture a generalization of NPI licensing in questions.
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. The previous accounts
3. NPI licensing in questions
4. Summary
5. Conclusion
References
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