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Exercises on presupposition

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Γλ2-350 Pragmatics Instructor: Dr Angeliki Alvanoudi
29.10.2020
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WEEK 4: PRESUPPOSITION
KYRIAKI ARNAOUTI
Exercise 1: The following sentence gives rise to certain inferences.
Mary’s brother bought three horses.
a) Mary exists
b) Mary’s brother bought something
c) Mary has a brother
d) Mary’s brother bought three animals
e) Mary’s brother bought two horses
f) Mary’s brother bought one horse
Decide which one is a presupposition and which one is an entailment.
The presuppositions are a), c), e) and f)
Entailments: b) and d)
Exercise 2: Can you work out the presuppositions of the following utterances? What
constructions/words give rise to these presuppositions? What kind of presuppositions are they?
(i) I forgot to send my mother a card.
My mother: Existential presupposition >> I have a mother
I forgot to send: Lexical presupposition >> I should have sent
(ii) John hasn’t driven a car since he had an accident.
John hasn’t driven a car: Factive presupposition >> He has a driving license
Since he had an accident: Lexical presupposition >> He used to drive before
(iii) I took up jogging last summer.
I took up: Lexical presupposition >> I didn’t use to jog
(iv) It was the Scots who invented whisky.
It was the Scots: Structural presupposition >> Someone invented whisky
(v) What’s your name again?
Your name: Existential presupposition >> You have a name
(vi) Jane never remarried.
Remarried: Lexical presupposition >> She was once married
(vii) She didn’t realize she was ill.
She didn’t realize: Factive presupposition >> She was ill

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Γλ2-350 Pragmatics Instructor: Dr Angeliki Alvanoudi
29.10.2020
2
(viii) Where’s the ladies room?
Where’s: Structural presupposition >> There’s a ladies’ room
(ix) Another piece of bad news for the Government.
Another: Lexical presupposition >> The Government has received more bad news
(x) Susan had fed all the rabbits.
Had fed: Lexical presupposition >> The rabbits didn’t eat before
(xi) Susan discovered that her husband was having an affair.
Her husband: Existential presupposition >> Susan had a husband
Discovered: Factive presupposition >> Her husband was having an affair
(xii) While Chomsky was revolutionizing linguistics, the rest of social science was/wasn’t asleep.
While Chomsky… linguistics: Structural presupposition >> Chomsky revolutionized
linguistics
(xiii) Professor Huang was glad that he had solved one of evolution’s great mysteries.
Was glad: Factive presupposition >> He had solved one of evolution’s great mysteries
(xiv) It wasn’t John who moved to Spain.
It wasn’t: Structural presupposition >> Someone moved to Spain
(xv) Susan started emptying the shopping bags.
Started emptying: Lexical presupposition >> The shopping bags were full
(xvi) It’s odd that Mary doesn’t know how to drive.
It’s odd: Factive presupposition >> Mary doesn’t know how to drive
(xvii) If John hadn’t missed the interview, he would have got the job.
If John…interview: Counterfactual presupposition >> John missed the interview
(xviii) Mary hasn’t found out that her brother used all the printer paper.
Her brother: Existential presupposition >> Mary has a brother
Hasn’t found out: Factive presupposition >> Her brother used all the printer paper
Exercise 3: For each of the following utterances, decide which ones contain the presupposition that
‘Mike smashed the television’. What do those utterances have in common?
a) Did Mike smash the television?
b) When did Mike smash the television?
c) I was eating popcorn when Mike smashed the television.
d) Why did Mike smash the television?
e) I don’t understand why Mike smashed the television.

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Γλ2-350 Pragmatics 29.10.2020 Instructor: Dr Angeliki Alvanoudi WEEK 4: PRESUPPOSITION KYRIAKI ARNAOUTI Exercise 1: The following sentence gives rise to certain inferences. Mary’s brother bought three horses. a) Mary exists b) Mary’s brother bought something c) Mary has a brother d) Mary’s brother bought three animals e) Mary’s brother bought two horses f) Mary’s brother bought one horse Decide which one is a presupposition and which one is an entailment. The presuppositions are a), c), e) and f) Entailments: b) and d) Exercise 2: Can you work out the presuppositions of the following utterances? What constructions/words give rise to these presuppositions? What kind of presuppositions are they? (i) I forgot to send my mother a card. My mother: Existential presupposition >> I have a mother I forgot to send: Lexical presupposition >> I should have sent (ii) John hasn’t ...
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