Negativity and ambiguity in negative polar questions

Abstract

This paper investigates negative polar questions with long form negation (LFNQs) in Korean. It has often been assumed that LFNQs can optionally convey a speaker bias (i.e., Goodhue, 2022; Romero & Han, 2004). This study argues that the optionality arises because it is ambiguous between the low negation question (LNQ) and high negation question (HNQ). This study demonstrates that speaker bias is required only when LFNQs are disambiguated for HNQs, by providing novel ways of disambiguating them. Additionally, it discusses the syntactic and semantic implications of this finding. The paper also discusses negative polar questions with double negation, and illustrate that their interpretation possibilities are contingent on certain pragmatic factors.