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Scope: Difference between revisions

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A phrase's '''scope''' is the part of the sentence that that phrase's semantics apply to.
A phrase's '''scope''' is the region of the sentence in which that phrase's meaning applies.
 
== Quantifier scope ==
 


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For example, the scope of a [[determiner]] that introduces a logical quantifier is the ''smallest'' [[clause]] it's in. This means that the interpretation of the quantification happens in that smallest clause, and not at the level of the entire sentence:
A [[determiner]] introduces a logical quantifier whose scope is the ''smallest'' [[clause]] it's in. This means that the interpretation of the quantification happens in that smallest clause, and not at the level of the entire sentence:


<blockquote>
<blockquote>
{{t|Shoe jí {{vy}}ä kuq súq <u>sía</u> raı da.}}<br>
{{t|Shoe jí ꝡä kuq súq <u>sía</u> raı da.}}<br>
'''means:''' “I allow you to say <u>nothing</u>.” (i.e. I allow you to shut up)<br>
'''means:''' “I allow you to say <u>nothing</u>.” (i.e. I allow you to shut up)<br>
'''not:''' ❌ “There is nothing that I allow you to say.”
'''not:''' ❌ “There is nothing that I allow you to say.”
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Here, the scope of {{t|sía}} is the clause “{{t|{{vy}}ä kuq súq sía raı}}”.
Here, the scope of {{t|sía}} is the clause “{{t|{{vy}}ä kuq súq sía raı}}”.
=== What creates scope boundaries? ===
Scope boundaries are created by complementizers like {{t|ꝡä}} and {{t|mä}}, but also by certain other words.
[[Object incorporation]] creates a small scope boundary for just the verb and the incorporated object.
<blockquote>
{{Scope|red|<b>Ꝡa</b> he pua báq poq {{Scope|#ea0|joe <b>tû</b> raı}} <b>sía</b> raı da.}}<br>
“People <u>who are good at everything</u> don't enjoy anything.”<br>
('''not:''' “For all ''x'', people who are good at ''x'' don't enjoy anything.”)
</blockquote>
Similarly, any [[predicatizer]] ({{t|po, jeı, mea}}) creates a small scope boundary for itself and its incorporated object.
<blockquote>
{{Scope|red|<b>Ma</b> mala kaqgaı súq fóto {{Scope|#ea0|<b>po</b> <b>tú</b> poq}} móq?}}<br>
“Have you seen the picture <u>of everyone</u>?”<br>
('''not:''' “Have you, for all ''x'', seen ''x''’s picture?”)
</blockquote>


== Clefting and scope ==
== Clefting and scope ==
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See [https://toaq.net/refgram/syntax/#the_cleft_verb The cleft verb] in the [[refgram]].
See [https://toaq.net/refgram/syntax/#the_cleft_verb The cleft verb] in the [[refgram]].


<!--
== "Scoping over" ==
== "Scoping over" ==
For two phrases X and Y, if the scope of X fully includes the scope of Y, then we say “X '''scopes over''' Y”.
For two phrases X and Y, if the scope of X fully includes the scope of Y, then we say “X '''scopes over''' Y”.
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This amounts to a claim about the ''order'' to apply their respective semantics in.
This amounts to a claim about the ''order'' to apply their respective semantics in.


<!-- For example: [[adverbial|high adverbials]] "scope over" the verb of the clause they're in. Thus, the sentence {{t|Dảı ní bũ da}} is interpreted as <math>\neg \text{possible}(\text{this})</math> “this isn't possible” rather than <math>\text{possible}(\neg \text{this})</math> “this is possibly false”. -->
For example: [[adverbial|high adverbials]] "scope over" the verb of the clause they're in. Thus, the sentence {{t|Dảı ní bũ da}} is interpreted as <math>\neg \text{possible}(\text{this})</math> “this isn't possible” rather than <math>\text{possible}(\neg \text{this})</math> “this is possibly false”. -->


== Scope creep ==
== Scope creep ==
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However, the {{t|{{vy}}ä}} clause that was limiting the scope of {{t|sía}} is now gone, which means that {{t|sía}} scopes over the whole sentence. The meaning of the sentence is thereby changed to ''“There is nothing that I allow you to say”''.
However, the {{t|{{vy}}ä}} clause that was limiting the scope of {{t|sía}} is now gone, which means that {{t|sía}} scopes over the whole sentence. The meaning of the sentence is thereby changed to ''“There is nothing that I allow you to say”''.
== See also ==
* [[Negation]]