This dissertation investigates the peculiar behavior of negative polarity items in questions and argues that a unified account of their distribution across declarative and interrogative constructions is feasible. These items are acceptable in questions, despite the fact that questions do not prima facie share anything in common with the other environments in which NPIs surface. Specifically, given current analyses of questions there is no way to argue that questions give rise to downward-entailing inferences, which is what otherwise unifies all other NPI licensing environments. In Chapter 2 I argue for a new semantics of questions wherein strength of exhaustivity is encoded not in different answer-hood operators (cf. Heim 1994), but rather in terms of the presence/absence of a null only that adjoins at the level of the question nucleus, building on an observation by Guerzoni and Sharvit (2007) that question strength appears to be the determining factor in whether or not a question allows NPIs. Chapter 3 focuses specifically on the distribution of NPIs in constituent questions and shows how the analysis put forward in Chapter 2 can account for an array of facts, namely their distribution both in the question nucleus, and in the restrictor of the wh-phrase. Further predictions related to NPIs that had not been discussed before are examined, such as how their scope relative to adjunct wh-phrases affects their acceptability, as well as the distributional differences between weak and strong NPIs. In Chapters 4 and 5 we turn to non-wh questions, namely alternate and polar questions. In Chapter 4 I argue that alternate questions can and should be given an analysis akin to that of wh-questions based on both old and new empirical evidence that the distribution of NPIs is sensitive to the same set of restrictions. In Chapter 5 I argue, contrary to previous analyses, that the acceptability of NPIs is not a function of strength, but rather of how polar questions are interpreted, namely as speech act conditionals. Lastly, Chapter 6 focuses on complex questions and puts forward an analysis of these questions that sets the stage for an arguably unified semantics of all types of questions. / Linguistics

In this paper, exhaustivity, continuity, and strong additivity are studied in the setting of topological Riesz spaces. Of particular interest is the link between strong additivity and exhaustive elements of Dedekind s-complete Banach lattices. There is a strong connection between the Diestel-Faires Theorem and the Meyer-Nieberg Lemma in this setting. Also, embedding properties of Banach lattices are linked to the notion of strong additivity. The Meyer-Nieberg Lemma is extended to the setting of topological Riesz spaces and uniform absolute continuity and uniformly exhaustive elements are studied in this setting. Counterexamples are provided to show that the Vitali-Hahn-Saks Theorem and the Brooks-Jewett Theorem cannot be extended to submeasures or to the setting of Banach lattices.

The notion of uniform countable additivity or uniform absolute continuity is present implicitly in the Lebesgue Dominated Convergence Theorem and explicitly in the Vitali-Hahn-Saks and Nikodym Theorems, respectively. V. M. Dubrovsky studied the connection between uniform countable additivity and uniform absolute continuity in a series of papers, and Bartle, Dunford, and Schwartz established a close relationship between uniform countable additivity in ca(Σ) and operator theory for the classical continuous function spaces C(K). Numerous authors have worked extensively on extending and generalizing the theorems of the preceding authors. Specifically, we mention Bilyeu and Lewis as well as Brooks and Drewnowski, whose efforts molded the direction and focus of this paper. This paper is a study of the techniques used by Bell, Bilyeu, and Lewis in their paper on uniform exhaustivity and Banach lattices to present a Banach lattice version of two important and powerful results in measure theory by Brooks and Drewnowski. In showing that the notions of exhaustivity and continuity take on familiar forms in certain Banach lattices of measures they show that these important measure theory results follow as corollaries of the generalized Banach lattice versions. This work uses their template to generalize results established by Bator, Bilyeu, and Lewis.

This thesis contains an empirical study of exhaustivity in the Swedish National Union Catalogue LIBRIS. The purpose of the study is to examine if fewer numbers of indexing terms in general lead to lower exhaustivity. The study contains two parts, the first part examine the mean of indexing terms per monography in the selection, the second examines the grade of exhaustivity within three groups with a low, moderate or high number of indexing terms. The 55 randomly selected titles were graded on a scale that was created from the indexing theories of Wilfrid F. Lancaster. Results show that even though exhaustivity is on a generally high level in every group, low exhaustivity is more common in the group with fewer indexing terms and less common in the group with a higher number of indexing terms.

No description available.

This thesis investigates the implications of positive polarity for grammar. The empirical focus is on two positive polarity particles in Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Sri Lanka. Sinhala has two particles -hari and -da that systematically appear across disjunction, indefinite and question constructions. Traditionally, these particles have been called Q-particles (i.e. Hagstrom (1998); Cable (2010); Slade (2011); a.m.o). They have so far been analyzed in terms of either Q-question/-uantifier operators (Kishimoto (2005)) or choice function variables (cf. Hagstrom (1998); Cable (2010); Slade (2011)). This thesis presents new data pertaining to the distribution and interpretation of disjunctions and indefinites formed with the two particles in contexts of negation, modals, quantifiers and intensional operators, that none of the previous accounts has captured. It proposes to analyze the grammar of the two particles based on their positive polarity character associated with exhaustivity (cf. Spector (2014); Nicolae (2017)). It claims that we can account for a wide range of grammatical phenomena such as ignorance inferences, scope or non/specificity effects, free/no choice implicatures and de re/dicto readings of -hari and -da disjunctions/indefinites in matrix and overt modal/quantifier contexts based on a distribution requirement (DR) derived by way of exhaustification with respect to alternatives of a disjunction or indefinite. The thesis casts its proposal in a hybrid system of lexical (cf. Levinson (2000); Chierchia (2004)) and grammatical (cf. Fox (2007); Chierchia et al. (2012)) approaches borrowing insights from both approaches. It also utilizes a hybrid framework of Hamblin semantics (cf. Hamblin (1973); Kratzer and Shimoyama (2002); Alonso-Ovalle (2006)) to keep domain alternatives separated and application of an alternative sensitive exhaustivity (Exh) operator (cf. the grammatical approach) to derive implicatures. Obligatory exhaustivity is treated as a morphological requirement/ lexical property of the particles -hari and -da represented by an uninterpretable exhaustivity [unExh] feature. Then, this lexical property is factored into the grammar by way of the Exh operator carrying an equivalent interpretable exhaustivity [inExh] feature placed in the syntactic structure of a -hari and -da disjunction/indefinite construction at LF. “Inclusivity” and “exclusivity” components of the particles -hari and -da that have consequences for distribution requirements are derived by way of different morpho-syntactic requirements of the particles -hari and -da. Thus, this thesis proposes a fully compositional/grammatical account all the way from the bottom to the top in the derivations.

O objetivo desta tese é investigar as particularidades semânticas e pragmáticas de sentenças declarativas do português brasileiro (PB) que apresentem uma estrutura sintática na qual sintagmas em diferentes posições são deslocados para a periferia esquerda da sentença. Mais precisamente, esta pesquisa analisa se elementos com funções informacionais como tópico e foco podem ser deslocados para a periferia esquerda da sentença e em que circunstâncias esse fenômeno pode ocorrer. A metodologia adotada consiste no julgamento do valor de verdade de uma sentença, bem como nas condições de felicidade em que a sentença foi proferida. Tais julgamentos e condições são dados pela intuição de falantes nativos do português brasileiro. Ainda, busca-se fazer comparações entre as seguintes noções e conceitos: tópico x foco; contraste x não contraste; exaustividade x não exaustividade. A partir dos dados investigados, concluímos que em PB tanto sintagmas com função informacional de foco quanto com função informacional de tópico podem ser deslocados para a periferia esquerda da sentença. Também foi constatado que contraste não é noção obrigatória em sentenças com deslocamento. Ainda, inferência de exaustividade é uma implicatura em alguns casos de deslocamento, mas não pode ser cancelada em outros, principalmente naqueles nos quais os elementos do conjunto mais saliente não são dados explicitamente. Nas sentenças com deslocamento, observamos uma maior dificuldade no cancelamento da exaustividade, se comparadas com sentenças canônicas. No que diz respeito à definitude, essa não é determinante para deslocamento de tópico e foco no PB. Pudemos encontrar sentenças com sintagmas indefinidos deslocados para a periferia esquerda da sentença, tanto na função discursiva de foco quanto de tópico. Finalmente, sintagmas com função de tópico não precisam necessariamente ser mencionados previamente no contexto. / This thesis aims to investigate the semantic and pragmatic particularities of declarative clauses in Brazilian Portuguese (PB) that have a syntactic structure in which phrases from different positions are dislocated to the left periphery of the clause. More precisely, this research analyzes if elements with informational functions as topic and focus can be dislocated to the left periphery of the clause and in which circumstances this phenomenon can occur. The methodology adopted consists in the judgment of the truth-value of a sentence, as well as the felicity conditions in which it was enunciated. Such judgments and conditions are given by the intuition of Brazilian Portuguese native speakers. This research also intends to compare the following notions and concepts: topic x focus; contrast x non-contrast; exhaustivity x non-exhaustivity. From the analyzed data, we conclude that in PB both phrases with informational function of focus and phrases with informational function of topic can be dislocated to the left periphery of the sentence. We also conclude that contrast itself is not an obligatory notion in sentences with dislocated phrases. We also show that exhaustivity is an implicature in some dislocation cases, but cannot be canceled in others, mainly in the ones in which the elements of the most salient set are not explicitly given. In clauses with dislocation, we can see a greater difficulty in cancelling the exhaustivity when compared to canonical clauses. When it comes to definitiness, it is not determinant to topic and focus dislocation in PB. We could find clauses with indefinite phrases dislocated to the left periphery of the clause for both topic and focus discursive function. Finally, phrases with topic function do not necessarily need to be previously mentioned in the context.

O objetivo desta tese é investigar as particularidades semânticas e pragmáticas de sentenças declarativas do português brasileiro (PB) que apresentem uma estrutura sintática na qual sintagmas em diferentes posições são deslocados para a periferia esquerda da sentença. Mais precisamente, esta pesquisa analisa se elementos com funções informacionais como tópico e foco podem ser deslocados para a periferia esquerda da sentença e em que circunstâncias esse fenômeno pode ocorrer. A metodologia adotada consiste no julgamento do valor de verdade de uma sentença, bem como nas condições de felicidade em que a sentença foi proferida. Tais julgamentos e condições são dados pela intuição de falantes nativos do português brasileiro. Ainda, busca-se fazer comparações entre as seguintes noções e conceitos: tópico x foco; contraste x não contraste; exaustividade x não exaustividade. A partir dos dados investigados, concluímos que em PB tanto sintagmas com função informacional de foco quanto com função informacional de tópico podem ser deslocados para a periferia esquerda da sentença. Também foi constatado que contraste não é noção obrigatória em sentenças com deslocamento. Ainda, inferência de exaustividade é uma implicatura em alguns casos de deslocamento, mas não pode ser cancelada em outros, principalmente naqueles nos quais os elementos do conjunto mais saliente não são dados explicitamente. Nas sentenças com deslocamento, observamos uma maior dificuldade no cancelamento da exaustividade, se comparadas com sentenças canônicas. No que diz respeito à definitude, essa não é determinante para deslocamento de tópico e foco no PB. Pudemos encontrar sentenças com sintagmas indefinidos deslocados para a periferia esquerda da sentença, tanto na função discursiva de foco quanto de tópico. Finalmente, sintagmas com função de tópico não precisam necessariamente ser mencionados previamente no contexto. / This thesis aims to investigate the semantic and pragmatic particularities of declarative clauses in Brazilian Portuguese (PB) that have a syntactic structure in which phrases from different positions are dislocated to the left periphery of the clause. More precisely, this research analyzes if elements with informational functions as topic and focus can be dislocated to the left periphery of the clause and in which circumstances this phenomenon can occur. The methodology adopted consists in the judgment of the truth-value of a sentence, as well as the felicity conditions in which it was enunciated. Such judgments and conditions are given by the intuition of Brazilian Portuguese native speakers. This research also intends to compare the following notions and concepts: topic x focus; contrast x non-contrast; exhaustivity x non-exhaustivity. From the analyzed data, we conclude that in PB both phrases with informational function of focus and phrases with informational function of topic can be dislocated to the left periphery of the sentence. We also conclude that contrast itself is not an obligatory notion in sentences with dislocated phrases. We also show that exhaustivity is an implicature in some dislocation cases, but cannot be canceled in others, mainly in the ones in which the elements of the most salient set are not explicitly given. In clauses with dislocation, we can see a greater difficulty in cancelling the exhaustivity when compared to canonical clauses. When it comes to definitiness, it is not determinant to topic and focus dislocation in PB. We could find clauses with indefinite phrases dislocated to the left periphery of the clause for both topic and focus discursive function. Finally, phrases with topic function do not necessarily need to be previously mentioned in the context.

Submitted by Isadora Victorino Evangelista null (isadora.biblio@marilia.unesp.br) on 2016-05-31T11:38:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação finalizada.pdf: 1704534 bytes, checksum: 0784e2fe4bb6365bb43b53654884dd80 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-05-31T20:09:10Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 evangelista_iv_me_mar.pdf: 1704534 bytes, checksum: 0784e2fe4bb6365bb43b53654884dd80 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-31T20:09:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 evangelista_iv_me_mar.pdf: 1704534 bytes, checksum: 0784e2fe4bb6365bb43b53654884dd80 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-02 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Considerando a natureza mediadora dos processos de organização da informação, destaca-se a necessidade de abordagem da dimensão ética desses processos, especialmente no que se refere às consequências para a recuperação da informação. Assim, coloca-se o problema relativo aos conceitos de exaustividade e especificidade na indexação, considerando-se estes não só como simples medidas de recuperaçãoda informação mas também como valores éticos que condicionam a prática do indexador. Com base nos artigos recuperados na revisão bibliográfica e partindo da análise de conteúdo proposta por Bardin (2008), foram considerados os conceitos de exaustividade e especificidade, enquanto valores éticos na área da organização da informação. Os resultados foram analisados de modo a evidenciar as dimensões éticas que se associam à questão da exaustividade e da especificidade na prática da indexação, possibilitando um diagnóstico mais efetivo sobre essa questão. Conclui-se que essas características podem ser entendidas como além de medidas, pois afetam de forma direta a recuperação informacional, estabelecendo a quantidade e a qualidade dos termos representativos, ao mesmo tempo que podem também ser encarados enquanto valores éticos da atividade de indexação. / Considering the intermediary nature of the Information Organization processes, it is important to point out the ethical components in this context, specially the ones related to Information Retrieval. In this way, this study has the aim to explore two concepts − exhaustivity and specificity − in indexing which can be moving from simple Information Retrieval measures to indexer’s ethical values. This study has the goal to analyse the concepts exhaustivity and specificity as ethical values in Information Organization applying the content analysis method proposed by Bardin (2008). The results discussion was developed in a way which could present a scheme stressing the ethical dimensions associated with exhaustivity and specificity in indexing, concluding that these characteristics can be seen beyond mere measures, because they affect directly information retrieval, establishing quantity and quality of representative terms, regarded this way, as ethical values for indexing. / FAPESP: 2014/05546-4

Over the last decade, the rapid growth and adoption of the World Wide Web has further exacerbated user needs for e±cient mechanisms for information and knowledge location, selection, and retrieval. How to gather useful and meaningful information from the Web becomes challenging to users. The capture of user information needs is key to delivering users' desired information, and user pro¯les can help to capture information needs. However, e®ectively acquiring user pro¯les is di±cult. It is argued that if user background knowledge can be speci¯ed by ontolo- gies, more accurate user pro¯les can be acquired and thus information needs can be captured e®ectively. Web users implicitly possess concept models that are obtained from their experience and education, and use the concept models in information gathering. Prior to this work, much research has attempted to use ontologies to specify user background knowledge and user concept models. However, these works have a drawback in that they cannot move beyond the subsumption of super - and sub-class structure to emphasising the speci¯c se- mantic relations in a single computational model. This has also been a challenge for years in the knowledge engineering community. Thus, using ontologies to represent user concept models and to acquire user pro¯les remains an unsolved problem in personalised Web information gathering and knowledge engineering. In this thesis, an ontology learning and mining model is proposed to acquire user pro¯les for personalised Web information gathering. The proposed compu- tational model emphasises the speci¯c is-a and part-of semantic relations in one computational model. The world knowledge and users' Local Instance Reposito- ries are used to attempt to discover and specify user background knowledge. From a world knowledge base, personalised ontologies are constructed by adopting au- tomatic or semi-automatic techniques to extract user interest concepts, focusing on user information needs. A multidimensional ontology mining method, Speci- ¯city and Exhaustivity, is also introduced in this thesis for analysing the user background knowledge discovered and speci¯ed in user personalised ontologies. The ontology learning and mining model is evaluated by comparing with human- based and state-of-the-art computational models in experiments, using a large, standard data set. The experimental results are promising for evaluation. The proposed ontology learning and mining model in this thesis helps to develop a better understanding of user pro¯le acquisition, thus providing better design of personalised Web information gathering systems. The contributions are increasingly signi¯cant, given both the rapid explosion of Web information in recent years and today's accessibility to the Internet and the full text world.