A Note on Kripke’s Observation

Abstract

In an unpublished manuscript [1], Kripke argues against the usual view on the presupposition of too, according to which too induces a presupposition that there is an object different from the referent of the focus which satisfies the unfocused part of the sentence to which too applies. Rather, too has a presupposition that has to be anaphoric to particular objects which are parallel with the referent of the focus. Van der Sandt and Geurts try to formulate this observation in their binding theory of presupposition, which, though, fails to capture the full range of Kripke’s original observation. This paper proposes a simple formulation of the observation by using Rooth’s Alternative Semantics for focus and Stalnaker’s ideas concerning presuppositions and context.

I’m very grateful to Chris Tancredi for his comments. I also appreciate the members of semantics reading group at Komaba and the audience of LENLS 2005. All errors are, of course, mine.