Speaker: Amir Anvari (MIT)
Title: Revisiting E-Type Theory
Time: Thursday, February 15th, 12:30pm – 2pm
Location: 32-D461
Abstract: A implementation of E-Type Theory faces two serious problems, the problem of uniqueness and the problem of formal link. In this talk, I will discuss a simple implementation of E-Type Theory that addresses the problem of uniqueness with minimal auxiliary assumptions. The predictions of the resulting theory for a number of cases, including anaphora to wh-indefinites, will be examined in detail. To address the problem of formal link, I will flesh out a rule that I will refer to as Antecedent Conversion based on the proposals in Parsons 1978 and Heim 1990. AC prevents the theory from over-generation. It also makes a prediction regarding the underlying form of pronouns that are anaphoric to nested indefinites which in turn leads to interesting predictions involving crossover phenomena and i-within-i effects which I will discuss as well.