Skip to main content
Log in

Hybrid Indexicals and Ellipsis

  • Published:
Erkenntnis Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this essay, I explain how certain suggestions put forth by Frege, Wittgenstein, and Schlick regarding the interpretation of indexical expressions may be incorporated within a systematic semantic account. I argue that the ‘hybrid’ approach they propose is preferable to more conventional systems, in particular when it comes to the interpretation of cases of cross-contextual ellipsis. I also explain how the hybrid view entails certain important and independently motivated distinctions among contextually dependent expressions, for instance between ‘here’ and ‘local’.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Cappelen, H. and E. Lepore: 2005, Insensitive Semantics. A Defense of Semantic Minimalism and Speech Act Pluralism, Blackwell, Oxford

  • Caplan, B.: 2003, `Putting Things in Context', Philosophical Review 112(2), 191–214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiengo R., May R. (1994). Indices and Identity. Cambridge, MA, MIT Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Frege, G.: 1984, ‘Thoughts’, in B. McGuinness (ed.), Collected Papers on Mathematics, Logic and Philosophy, Translated by P. Geach and R. H. Stoothoff, Blackwell, Oxford. Reprinted in N. Salmon and S. Soames (eds.), Propositions and Attitudes, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1988

  • Heim I., Kratzer A. (1998). Semantics in Generative Grammar. Oxford, Blackwell

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamp H. (1971). Formal Properties of “Now”. Theoria 31:227–273

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, D.: 1977. ‘Demonstratives’, in: J. Almog, J. Perry, H. Wettstein (eds.), Themes from Kaplan. Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keenan, E.: 1971, ‘Names, Quantifiers, and a Solution to the Sloppy Identity Problem’, in Papers in Linguistics 4/2, 211–232.

  • Künne W. (1992). Hybrid Proper Names. Mind 101:721–731

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, D. (ed.): 1980, Wittgenstein’s Lectures 1930–32, Blackwell, Oxford

  • Lewis, D.: 1980, ‘Index, Context, and Content’, in S. Kanger and S. Öhman (eds.), Philosophy and Grammar, Reidel, Dordrecht. Reprinted in D. Lewis, Papers in Philosophical Logic, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998.

  • Moore G. E. (1959). Philosophical Papers. London, Allen & Unwin

    Google Scholar 

  • Partee B. (1970). Opacity, Coreference, and Pronouns. Synthese 21:359–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Partee B. (1989). Binding Implicit Variables in Quantified Contexts. Proceedings of the Chicago Linguistics Society 25:342–365

    Google Scholar 

  • Predelli S. (1997). Talk About Fiction. Erkenntnis 46:69–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Predelli S. (1998). I Am Not Here Now. Analysis 58:107–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Predelli S. (2005). Contexts. Meaning, Truth, and the Use of Language. Oxford, Oxford University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinhart T. (1983). Anaphora and Semantic Interpretation. London, Croom Helm

    Google Scholar 

  • Richard M. (1990). Propositional Attitudes. An Essay on Thoughts and How We Ascribe Them. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley J. (2000). Context and Logical Form. Linguistics and Philosophy 23:391–434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanley J. (2003). Context, Interest-Relativity, and the Sorites. Analysis 63:269–280

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefano Predelli.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Predelli, S. Hybrid Indexicals and Ellipsis. Erkenntnis 65, 385–403 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10670-006-9010-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10670-006-9010-5

Keywords

Navigation