Modalization and bias in questions
Résumé
In this paper, we discuss the presence of modal elements in questions (adverbs,particles, negation) and propose a new theory of bias that relies on the similaritiesbetween polar questions and modal assertions. While the two differ in that the firstdo not have truth conditions, they are deeply similar in presupposing nonveridicalspaces, partitioned into p and its negation. The partition can be indiscriminate, inwhich case we have nonveridical equilibrium, or bias (positive/negative). We propose an analysis of bias as indicating the presence of a meta-evaluation rankingfunction O which is also a component of modal structures (Giannakidou & Mari2018a,b, 2021a,b). Focus adverbials such as REALLY, modal adverbials, and negation are overt lexicalizations of the ranking, and not indicators of verum, as weshow. Our paper also discusses the phenomenon of reflection which arises withthe presence of modal particles as a pragmatic dual to bias. We identify a numberof properties of reflective questions that set them apart from information and biased questions evidencing enhanced uncertainty which we analyze as an effect ofthe modal element in a reflective question widening the modal base.
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