Phil 745: Donkey Pronouns

Classic menu of pronouns

Demonstrative or indexical

  1. She (pointing to Mary) is staring at me.

Anaphoric on some linguistic antecedent, perhaps in earlier sentence

2a. Judas asked Jesus to bless his donkey. 2b. Judas asked Jesus to bless him. 2c. Judas asked Jesus to bless himself.

3a. After Judas/one apostle made a deal with the Romans, he was ashamed. 3b. After Judas/one apostle made a deal with the Romans, they were ashamed.

  1. Judas stepped forward. He kissed Jesus.

Bound by quantifier

5a. Every apostle asked Jesus to bless his donkey. 5b. ∀x₁: apostle x₁. x₁ asked Jesus to bless x₁’s donkey.

Machinery of assignment functions to handle other cases too?

6a. Mary washed Jesus’s feet. Every apostle criticized her. 6b. … Every apostle criticized him. 6c. … Every apostle criticized himself.

“Donkey anaphora”

  1. Every apostle owned a donkey and has his children feed it.

8a. Every apostle who owned a donkey has his children feed it.

8b. If an apostle owns a donkey, he has his children feed it.

9a. An apostle came in. He sat down. 9b. An apostle might come in. He would eat this bread.

“Universal” vs “existential” readings

10a. Every apostle who hired a maid paid her. (universal) 10b. Every apostle who had a coin offered it to Jesus. (may be existential) 10c. Every apostle who met a maid and had a coin used it to hire her.

Scope Islands

  1. Every apostle who committed most of the sins in this book was ashamed.

Getting the right meanings?

12a. Jesus made Peter buy a donkey and Mary kept him from beating it. 12b. ∃x₅: donkey x₅. Jesus made (Peter buy x₅) ∧ Mary kept … 12c. Jesus made (∃x₅: donkey x₅. Peter buy x₅ ∧ Mary kept …)

13a. Peter owns few donkeys, but they fear him. 13b. Few x₅: donkey x₅. Peter owns x₅ ∧ x₅ fears Peter.

14a. # Peter owns no donkeys, but they fear him. 14b. No x₅: donkey x₅. Peter owns x₅ ∧ x₅ fears Peter.

8a. Every apostle who owned a donkey has his children feed it. 15. Every apostle who owned a donkey beat it.

  1. ∀x₁: apostle x₁. ∃x₅: x₅ is a donkey x₁ owns. x₁ beats x₅

17a. ∀x₁: apostle x₁. ∃x₅: donkey x₅. if x₁ owns x₅ then x₁ beats x₅ 17b. ∃x₅: donkey x₅. ∀x₁: x₁ is an apostle who owns x₅. x₁ beats x₅

18a. ∀x₅: donkey x₅. ∀x₁: x₁ is an apostle who owns x₅. x₁ beats x₅ 18b. ∀x₁: apostle x₁. ∀x₅: x₅ is a donkey owned by x₁. x₁ beats x₅

  1. Most apostles who own a donkey beat it.

20a. ∀x₅: donkey x₅. Most x₁: x₁ is an apostle who owns x₅. x₁ beats x₅ 20b. Most x₁: apostle x₁. ∀x₅: x₅ is a donkey owned by x₁. x₁ beats x₅ 20c. Most x₅: donkey x₅. ∀x₁: x₁ is an apostle who owns x₅. x₁ beats x₅ 20d. ∀x₁: apostle x₁. Most x₅: x₅ is a donkey owned by x₁. x₁ beats x₅

20e. Most (x1,x5): x₅ is a donkey and x₁ is an apostle who owns x₅. x₁ beats x₅