A Puzzle about Italian, again (ancora)

Abstract

The present works focuses on the theoretical analysis of the Italian temporal particle ancora, in its aspectual (ancora/still) and non-aspectual (ancora/again) temporal uses. The gist of this proposal is that the additive component of the meaning of ancora comes about as an obligatory inference derived via exhaustification, rather than being presupposed. The interpretation of ancora under negation is subject to another instance of Exh, which operates on the alternatives triggered by the Rise-Fall intonation in Italian, similar to other focus particles like solo (only) and anche (also).

Keywords

• Additives
• Exhaustification
• Focus Particles
• Intonation
• Rise-Fall Intonation