An Ellipsis Approach to Two Different Kinds of Yes and No

Abstract

This paper is to investigate the syntax of polarity answer particles (PAPs) such as yes and no in English, showing that they fall into two types: ‘agreeing’ and ‘non-agreeing’ with the Pol head within a TP. In keeping with the ellipsis analysis of PAPs by Kramer and Rawlins (2009), we provide an ellipsis account for both polarity-wise agreeing and non-agreeing PAPs, arguing that the two types of PAP have structurally and interpretatively different relations with the following TPs to be elided. The agreeing PAPs concord in polarity with the Pol(arity) head of the following TP that optionally undergoes ellipsis. By contrast, the non-agreeing PAPs have the inherently specified [Pol] feature, so that in the case of no, it cancels the negative force of the negative proposition TP that undergoes obligatory deletion.