Interpretation of Pronouns in Proxy Counterfactuals

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the interpretation of pronouns, in particular as subjects of the consequent clauses of counterfactual conditionals. More specifically, the constructions under consideration have been termed proxy counterfactuals. They are characterized as identifying two individual-denoting expressions in such a way that a new, composite individual is hypothesized. This hypothetical individual shares certain properties with both of the individuals denoted in the antecedent clause. Pronouns in the consequent clause referring back to this composite individual exhibit unusual binding properties. Their morpho-syntactic realization is uniquely determined by the subject of the antecedent clause, while their semantic interpretation is bound to both individuals denoted in the antecedent clause. I will examine cases involving first and second person pronouns, and adopt a previously put forth analysis which treats them as rigidly designating (Thomas, 2009). Cases involving the third person will require additional attention. The proposed analysis makes use of the Formal Link condition on e-type anaphora (Kadmon, 1987; Heim, 1990) in combination with a constraint on the use of gender features (Yanovich, 2012) in order to account for the observed constraints.