Presupposed free choice and the theory of scalar implicatures

Abstract A disjunctive sentence like Olivia took Logic or Algebra conveys that didn’t take both classes ( exclusivity ) and the speaker doesn’t know which of two she ignorance ). The corresponding with a possibility modal, can , instead free choice These inferences are argued by many to be scalar implicatures. Recent work has looked at cases in appear computed presupposition level, independently from assertion. On basis those data, Spector Sudo (Linguist Philos 40(5):473–517, 2017) have for hybrid account relying on pragmatic principle deriving implicatures presupposition. In this paper, we observe Noah is unaware reading appears presupposition, but not assertion, show challenging Sudo’s (2017) account. Following dialectic Fox (Presupposition implicature compositional semantics, Palgrave, London, pp 71–120, 2007), argue against approach presupposition-based ground it able presupposed choice. addition, raise novel challenge coming conflicting triggered sentences #Noah I son daughter infelicitous even if it’s common knowledge whether daughter. More generally, our data reveals systematic parallelism between assertion levels terms . We such parallels call unified analysis sketch how grammatical theory where meaning strengthening operates similar way (Gajewski Sharvit Nat Lang Semant 20(1):31–57, 2012; Magri individual-level predicates based blind mandatory implicatures, MIT dissertation, 2009; Marty Implicatures DP domain, parallels.