Projection inferences with clause-embedding predicates in RSA models

<a href="https://embed.stanford.edu/iframe/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurl.stanford.edu%2Fsx158jh3545" class="su-underline">Show Content</a>

Abstract/Contents

Abstract: Projection inferences are inferences about speaker commitment to content embedded that project through an entailment-canceling operator. In this thesis, we investigate projection inferences in polar interrogatives with clause-embedding predicates (e.g., Does John know that Julian dances salsa?). Inferred speaker belief regarding whether Julian dances salsa is modulated by multiple factors, including the predicate used, interlocutors' prior beliefs about the content, and the content's at-issueness. In a behavioral study, we investigate the beliefs about contents embedded under the predicates “think” and “know” that listeners ascribe to the speaker and a potential attitude holder (John). We propose three different probabilistic models couched in the Rational Speech Act (RSA) framework, in an attempt to provide a unified computational account of projection inferences about content embedded under clause-embedding predicates. The empirical data are used to infer the parameters and evaluate the model predictions. The predictions of each model mirror some, but not all, of the qualitative empirical patterns. This is a step towards a systematic analysis of projection inferences using probabilistic pragmatic models.

Type of resource	text
Publication date	December 8, 2023

Author	Pan, Dingyi	https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2661-357X (unverified)
Advisor	Degen, Judith

Subject	Projection inerences
Subject	Clause-embedding predicates
Subject	Experimental pragmatics
Subject	Probabilistic pragmatics
Genre	Text
Genre	Thesis

DOI	https://doi.org/10.25740/sx158jh3545
Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/sx158jh3545

Use and reproduction: User agrees that, where applicable, content will not be used to identify or to otherwise infringe the privacy or confidentiality rights of individuals. Content distributed via the Stanford Digital Repository may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor.
License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC).

Preferred citation: Pan, D. (2023). Projection inferences with clause-embedding predicates in RSA models. Stanford Digital Repository. Available at https://purl.stanford.edu/sx158jh3545. https://doi.org/10.25740/sx158jh3545.

Master's Theses, Symbolic Systems Program, Stanford University

Loading usage metrics...