Impossible Presuppositions. On factivity, focus, and triviality

This paper analyzes certain restrictions on polarity focus marking in clauses embedded under emotive factive predicates. It argues that these arise because this configuration leads to a systematic presupposition failure virtue of its value, which I call impossible presupposition. The main argument offered here supporting approach involves some novel asymmetries with predicate doubling construction Spanish. From theoretical perspective, the larger agenda article is provide new evidence types ungrammaticality are due semantic-pragmatic factors, namely, logical triviality.