SporadicSporadic aspect as a aspect as a pragmaticpragmatic enrichmentenrichment of of

rootroot modality modalityCécile BarbetCécile Barbet

University of Neuchâtel & University of Littoral – Côte University of Neuchâtel & University of Littoral – Côte d’Opaled’Opale

Louis de SaussureLouis de SaussureUniversity of NeuchâtelUniversity of Neuchâtel

Chronos Chronos 88University of Texas at Austin, Oct. 3-5, 2008University of Texas at Austin, Oct. 3-5, 2008

Can as a sporadic marker

Palmer (1965) and Boyd & Thorne (1969) – Cf. (1) – (5)– “existential uses” (Palmer)– Sporadic aspect

Antinucci & Parisi (1971)– not sporadic but epistemic, cf. (6) & (7)

Palmer (1986)– Cf. (1) & (8)– “It may be that… ”

PouvoirPouvoir as a sporadic as a sporadic markermarker

Kleiber (1983)Kleiber (1983)– pouvoirpouvoir as an existential quantifier as an existential quantifier

TemporalTemporal sporadicity, « X is sporadicity, « X is sometimessometimes Y », cf. (9) Y », cf. (9) With generic subjects: With generic subjects: referentialreferential sporadicity, «  sporadicity, « SomeSome

X are Y », cf. (10)X are Y », cf. (10)

Kronning (1996)Kronning (1996)– Sporadic use of Sporadic use of pouvoir pouvoir is alethicis alethic

externally scrutable externally scrutable (cf. Papafragou 2006), cf. (11) & (cf. Papafragou 2006), cf. (11) & (12)(12)

Vetters (2007)Vetters (2007)– Temporal sporadic use has conceptual link with Temporal sporadic use has conceptual link with

root meaning of capacity < agentivityroot meaning of capacity < agentivity

SporadicSporadic meaningmeaning may not be may not be a variant of epistemic a variant of epistemic

meaning…meaning… Complementary conversionComplementary conversion

– (14) (14) It is possible that p It is possible that p it is possible that it is possible that not-pnot-p (15) Some X are Y (15) Some X are Y some X are not-Y some X are not-Y (16) X are sometimes Y (16) X are sometimes Y X are sometimes not-Y X are sometimes not-Y

Externally scrutableExternally scrutable (cf. Papafragou (cf. Papafragou 2006) 2006) Factual Factual– R. Lakoff (1972) R. Lakoff (1972)

(17) Football players can be sex maniacs.(17) Football players can be sex maniacs. (18) Football players may be sex maniacs. (18) Football players may be sex maniacs.

……nornor of root meanings of root meanings

SimilaritiesSimilarities– Cf. Vetters (2007): Sometimes agentive Cf. Vetters (2007): Sometimes agentive

eventualitieseventualities cf. (19)cf. (19)

– Palmer (1965): subjet-orientedPalmer (1965): subjet-oriented DifferencesDifferences

– But sometimes not agentive eventualitiesBut sometimes not agentive eventualities cf. (22)cf. (22)

– Palmer (1965): sporadic Palmer (1965): sporadic cancan cannot be cannot be replaced by « be able to »replaced by « be able to » cf. (20) & (21)cf. (20) & (21)

Relevance Relevance TheoryTheory ( (Sperber & Sperber & Wilson 1986 / 1995)Wilson 1986 / 1995)

Speaker intentional meaning Speaker intentional meaning inferential procedureinferential procedure– Looks for an information that Looks for an information that

compensates the effort of understanding compensates the effort of understanding (relevance)(relevance)

The hearer looks for relevance, which The hearer looks for relevance, which entails that he/she looks for entails that he/she looks for informativeness.informativeness.

Sporadic interpretation as a Sporadic interpretation as a pragmatic enrichment pragmatic enrichment

Find informativeness from tautological or Find informativeness from tautological or underinformative sentencesunderinformative sentences– (4) Welshmen can be tall(4) Welshmen can be tall

Inherent property of humans: can (be (tall))Inherent property of humans: can (be (tall)) Welshmen are worth mentioning as having this propertyWelshmen are worth mentioning as having this property Then some Welshmen must indeed verify the property Then some Welshmen must indeed verify the property

(as opposed to other possible classes)(as opposed to other possible classes)

– (9) Luke can be odious(9) Luke can be odiousThen sometimes Luke must indeed verify the property Then sometimes Luke must indeed verify the property

(Luke has proven to be odious at times)(Luke has proven to be odious at times)

Sporadicity is an enrichment starting from Sporadicity is an enrichment starting from the underinformative basic / root possibility the underinformative basic / root possibility readingreading without cancelling these basic readingswithout cancelling these basic readings

SearchSearch for relevance and for relevance and sporadicitysporadicity

(23) it is (materially/virtually) possible that [specific] X is Y it is to be expected that [specific] X is sometimes Y

(24) it is (materially/virtually) possible for all X [generic X] that X is Y it is true that some X are Y

so ‘possibility’ converts into factual truth in a quantified domain

As evidence…As evidence…

Referential sporadic interpretation needs a Referential sporadic interpretation needs a generic subjectgeneric subject

But also known referents, But also known referents, i.e. i.e. for which for which appropriate encyclopaedic knowledge is knowledge is available to the heareravailable to the hearer

(25) Extraterrestrials/ligers can(25) Extraterrestrials/ligers canEE be be dangerousdangerous– With unknown referents the modal can be With unknown referents the modal can be

interpreted as epistemicinterpreted as epistemic– Pragmatic reasoning: epistemic possibility y of Pragmatic reasoning: epistemic possibility y of

unknown x is a relevant informationunknown x is a relevant information

Conclusion: why sporadic uses Conclusion: why sporadic uses of of can can or or pouvoir pouvoir ? ?

Sporadic aspect communicates Sporadic aspect communicates moremore than just than just quantificationquantification– It invites an inference about the cause of the quantificationIt invites an inference about the cause of the quantification– Other information about this causal link which depends on Other information about this causal link which depends on

context:context: That the considered individuals have particular reasons to be x That the considered individuals have particular reasons to be x

– Alsatians have access to rich foodAlsatians have access to rich food– Welshmen have some natural properies of their ownWelshmen have some natural properies of their own

– The grounds for which the speaker is entitled to say soThe grounds for which the speaker is entitled to say so He has experienced the situation (of Luke being odious…) or He has experienced the situation (of Luke being odious…) or

has some encyclopedic relevant knowledgehas some encyclopedic relevant knowledge Sporadic aspect can cancel the anticipatory Sporadic aspect can cancel the anticipatory

assumption that the considered situation is assumption that the considered situation is impossible to meetimpossible to meet– And therefore raises expectations that the situation can be And therefore raises expectations that the situation can be

metmet