KATIYEN as a common ground modifier in Turkish

Abstract

KATIYEN is classified as a negative polarity item that necessarily takes scope

under clause-mate negation (Kelepir 2001) and subcategorized as a (super)strong-NPI

that is licensed in antimorphic contexts (Görgülü 2017, following Zwarts 1995). I argue

that KATIYEN has a dual use as a negative sensitive item and a degree modifier on the

common ground. The novel data I present indicate that KATIYEN can be used in

structurally (and semantically) nonnegative sentences to express an attitude holder’s

ultimate degree of certainty. I aim to capture its dual status by suggesting that KATIYEN

is a universal modal adverb that behaves similarly to the Greek emphatic NPIs by

taking scope over negation (Giannakidou 2000), in addition has a common ground

managing function of marking the interlocutor’s strong stance towards the positive or

negative proposition.