The aim of this project is to study one of the important aspects of the syntax-semantics interface: more specifically, we intend to describe and systematically analyze synt. and sem. properties of negation in Czech, cencentrating on the expressions sensitive to polarity phenomena (i.e. Negative Polarity Items - NPI). As a theoretical framework we assume the existence of a formal linguistic system which predicts a distribution of NPIs on the bases of sysnt. and/or sem. signals of negation in a sentence. The next goal of our project is to find, describe and explain posssible scope interactions between negation and quantifiers in Czech sentences. This will be complemented by the analysis and plausible intepretation of the attested diachronic changes of negation and NPIs in Czech, which will integrate the process of grammaticalisation of negation in other Indo-European languages in terms of Jespersen´s cycle. We will use the methods of formal syntax (generative grammar) and formal semantics. The data discussed and used form the analysis will come from the Czech electronic corpus (and excerption form the older stages of Czech)and from the judgments provided by native informats. The intended output of our project are: a mongraph about the topic written in Englisch, a teaching material in the special postgr. courses, the data and material on the web page of the our department to be used by both undegr. and postgr. students of formal syntax, semantics and pragmatics.

Publications