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Presuppositional implicatures: quantity or maximize presupposition?

2025/09/05 by Rouillard, Vincent, Schwarz, Bernhard

paper · doi:10.18148/sub/2018.v22.107

Abstract

Schlenker (2012) proposes that when framed within a modern Stalnakerian view of presupposition and common ground (Stalnaker, 1998, 2002), Maximize Presupposition! (Heim, 1991; Sauerland, 2008) can be viewed as a special case of the maxim of Quantity (Grice, 1975). We provide data suggesting that in some cases, Maximize Presupposition! applies even when speakers are not expected to use a presupposition as vectors of new information. We argue that these data support the view that Maximize Presupposition! is an independent pragmatic principle, distinct from Quantity.

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