The syntax and semantics of elliptical constructions: A direct interpretation perspective

Ellipsis refers to a phenomenon that involves the omission from a clause of one or more words that are nevertheless understood in the context of the remaining elements. The key question for its analysis is then how to license such correspondences between incomplete syntax and complete semantics. There have been two main strands: deletion-based and direct interpretation-based. The former derives elliptical structures from clausal sources such that there is no mismatch between the syntax and the semantics of ellipsis. Meanwhile, the latter countenances non-correspondences at syntax but derives sentential semantics from structured discourse information. This position paper discusses a direct interpretation perspective on ellipitcal constructions as represented by HPSG.