Probabilistic non-maximality

Abstract

In this paper, I present a probabilistic reconstruction of Križ’s (2015, 2016) account of non-maximal interpretation. The proposal addresses a general problem noted by Križ’s (2015: 85-6), which is shared by other QUD-based approaches to non-maximality (e.g. Bar-Lev 2021; Križ and Spector 2021): for these accounts to work, one needs to posit a fundamental disconnect between the question that is asked and the QUD that is addressed. This is problematic, especially in the absence of a non-stipulative method for identifying the QUD that is being addressed in a given context. In the proposed framework, the overt question alone determines the relevant QUD, allowing non-maximal interpretations to be generated in a principled manner.