Context and Binding in Japanese

This volume investigates the proper treatment of the semantic or discourse aspects of zibun-binding and their interaction with syntax. It argues against the disjunctive theory of zibun-binding based on the observation that having two different binding mechanisms makes wrong predictions about various zibun-binding facts. It proposes instead a conjunctive binding theory according to which a syntactic condition and a discourse condition must both be satisfied by any use of zibun. In this theory, syntax imposes a minimal constraint on the structural relation between zibun and its antecedent which applies to any and every instance of zibun-binding, and there is a discourse condition which also must be met to license any actual interpretation.

This volume investigates the proper treatment of the semantic or discourse aspects of zibun -binding and their interaction with syntax.