메아리 질문에서 의문어구의 해석 범위

Abstract

In both formal and functional perspectives, we explain the interpretation of wh-words in echo questions, in terms of the quantificational force and focus scope between the previous speaker and the echoing speaker. Referring to the distribution that the wh-words such as `nwuRwu` and `m.wues` are articulated into two distinct interpretations of wh-pronoun (e.g. `wh x`) and indeterminate pronoun (e.g. `some x`), we seek for a unified explanation of the scope interpretation from an item into different meanings. In evaluating the status of wh-words in a universe of previous utterance and echo question, the distribution of wh-words in echo questions is arguably taken to be another aspect of redeeming the quantificational force and focus realization. On the other, the echoing speaker`s reference to designate the occurrence of wh-words is arguably shown to depend upon to the extent that the `taken for granted` information by the previous speaker is accepted or suspended by the echoing speaker, so that the representation of specificity in echo questions is derived by the `given/new` articulation. The short-form echo questions are also illustrative of adhering to the predictions in this line. We show that the focus newly introduced by the echoing speaker is a good sort of underlying factor to trigger the renewal of the mood ending in echo questions. We also show that the occurrence of wh-words in rhetorical-echo question does underly non-trivial interpretation in representing the echoing speaker`s assertion of his or her own unwillingness to the expectation of the previous speaker.