An event restriction interval theory of tense

This dissertation presents a novel theory of tense and tense-like constructions. It is named after a key theoretical component of the theory, the event restriction interval. In Event Restriction Interval (ERI) Theory, sentences are semantically evaluated relative to an index which contains two key intervals, the evaluation interval and the event restriction interval. The evaluation interval marks the present relative to context, and the event restriction interval defines temporal boundaries on events. Various constituents, called R-modifiers, operate on these two intervals compositionally, such that each verb is evaluated relative to values which yield correct temporal restrictions. This dissertation develops ERI Theory to present an analysis of independent clauses as well as embedded clauses of various types. One of the positive aspects of ERI Theory is that it offers a purely semantic analysis of the sequence of tense phenomena which occur in the latter. Also, a pragmatic component is presented which accounts for a number of intuitions regarding the usage of tense, while simultaneously providing a solution to some problems related to tense and quantification over times.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Linguistics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2012

Author dc:creator

• Beamer, Brandon

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lasersohn, Peter N.
• McCarthy, Timothy G.
• Girju, Roxana
• Ionin, Tania

• Linguistics
• Semantics
• Tense
• Aspect
• Philosophy of Language

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2012 Brandon Beamer

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/34339

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/34339