Logic in Grammar

This work explores the interaction between language and logic, examining how syntactic and inferential processes shape polarity sensitivity and free choice, while redefining the roles of syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.

Logic in Grammar by Gennaro Chierchia delves into the intricate relationship between language and logic, focusing on how syntactic and inferential processes interact, particularly in the context of polarity sensitive and free choice items. Chierchia presents a reformulation of the semantics of focus and scope, alongside the pragmatics of implicature, as part of a recursive semantic framework. His exploration sheds light on the grammaticized nature of scalar implicature, aiming to uncover the underlying principles that govern the diversity of the polarity system.

The author reassesses the connections between syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, revealing significant insights into how these elements relate to logic. Drawing on Rudolf Carnap's foundational work, The Logical Syntax of Language, Chierchia challenges the traditional modular approach of modern generative linguistics. He argues that certain structures considered syntactically deviant are, in fact, influenced by their logical properties, such as whether they are contradictory or analytically true. This perspective shifts the understanding of grammatical structure, emphasizing the importance of logical inferences in determining grammaticality patterns.

Through a decade of research on pragmatics and scalar implicatures, Logic in Grammar extends Chierchia's long-term investigation into human reasoning and categorization. The book is poised to engage linguists, philosophers, and cognitive scientists, offering a comprehensive examination of how logical principles shape our understanding of grammar and language use.