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A phrase's '''scope''' is the region of the sentence in which that phrase's meaning applies.


== Quantifier scope ==


A phrase's '''scope''' is the part of the sentence that that phrase's semantics apply to.


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:
<div class="figure" style="text-align:center;margin:0em 1em">
{{Scope|red|<b>Ꝡa</b> chı sá poq, {{Scope|#09f|<b>ꝡä</b> faq tú huı kûı sá raı.}}}}
<p style="margin:2px 2px 2em;font-size:12px">[[Complementizer]]s create scopes.</p>
{{Scope|red|Ꝡa chı <b>sá</b> poq, {{Scope|#09f|ꝡä faq <b>tú</b> huı kûı <b>sá</b> raı.}}}}
<p style="margin:2px 2px 2em;font-size:12px">[[Determiner]]s are limited by scopes.</p>
{{Scope|red|<small>∃ poq:</small> Ꝡa chı <b>póq</b>, {{Scope|#09f|<small>∀ huı: ∃ raı:</small> ꝡä faq <b>húı</b> kûı <b>ráı</b>.}}}}
<p style="margin:2px;font-size:12px">Determiners imply [[quantifier]]s at the start of the scope.</p>
</div>
 
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>.”<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.”
</blockquote>
</blockquote>


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>
The [[cleft verb]] {{t|nä}} creates a scope boundary to its right.
<blockquote>
{{Scope|red|2=<b>Ꝡa</b> êa, {{Scope|#09f|<b>ꝡä</b> jıq báq majı,}} {{Scope|#0a0|<b>nä</b> geq há <b>sá shıtuaq</b>}} da.}}<br>
“If magic were real, there would be unicorns one could meet.”<br>
('''not:''' “There are some unicorns ''x'', that if magic were real, one could meet ''x''.”)
</blockquote>
The [[event accessor]] verb {{t|ë}} creates a scope boundary for its clause.
<blockquote>
{{Scope|red|2=<b>Ꝡa</b> luı ca ní zuetue {{Scope|#0a0|<b>é</b> jaı <b>sía</b> choaq}} da.}}
<br>
“This emergency has caused <u>that no guest is happy</u>.”<br>
('''not:''' “This emergency hasn't caused any guest's happiness.”)
</blockquote>


== Clefting and scope ==
== Clefting and scope ==
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<blockquote>
<blockquote>
{{t|<u>Sía raı nä</u> shoe jí {{vy}}ä kuq súq ráı da.}}<br>
{{t|<u>Sía raı nä</u> shoe jí {{vy}}ä kuq súq ráı da.}}<br>
<u>There is nothing that</u> I allow you to say.
<u>There is nothing that</u> I allow you to say. (i.e. I ban you from talking)
</blockquote>
</blockquote>


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”.
Line 28: Line 75:
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 ==
One common beginner mistake is to rephrase sentences involving {{t|{{vy}}ä}} using a [[serial verb]], under the impression that the meaning stays the same:
<div class="figure" style="text-align:center">
{{Scope|red|<b>Ꝡa</b> shoe jí, {{Scope|#09f|<b>ꝡä</b> kuq súq <b>sía</b> raı.}}}}
<p style="margin:2px 2px 2em;font-size:12px">{{t|Sía}} has its scope limited by {{t|ꝡä}}.</p>
{{Scope|red|<b>Ꝡa</b> shoe kuq jí súq <b>sía</b> raı.}}
<p style="margin:2px;font-size:12px">Removing {{t|ꝡä}} changes the scope.</p>
</div>
 
One common mistake is to rephrase sentences involving {{t|{{vy}}ä}} using a [[serial verb]], under the impression that the meaning stays the same:


<blockquote>
<blockquote>
{{t|Shoe jí {{vy}}ä kuq súq sía raı da.}}<br>
{{t|Shoe jí {{vy}}ä kuq súq sía raı da.}}<br>
“I allow you to say nothing.”<br>
“I allow you to say nothing.” (I allow you to shut up)<br>
→ 🤔 {{t|<u>Shoe kuq</u> jí súq sía raı da.}}<br>
→ 🤔 {{t|<u>Shoe kuq</u> jí súq sía raı da.}}<br>
“I allow-to-say you nothing(?)
“I allow-to-say you nothing.” (I ban you from talking)
</blockquote>
</blockquote>


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]]