Problems for a choice function approach to which-phrases
This paper presents two problems for the choice function
approach to which-phrases. First, some intensional functional readings
cannot be derived given the notion of "selection out of a set", namely, the
readings involving an individual concept--e.g. "his horse"--which does not meet
the property expressed by the CommonNoun-restriction of the which-phrase--e.g. which relative of his. Second, the same strategy
that rules out unfelicitous answers--i.e., the undefinedness of f(P) (when
f(P) is not an elemtn of P(W_0))--wrongly excludes local presuppositional readings when
$f(P)(w)$ happens to be undefined because w is not an element of Dom(f(P)). In conclusion,
the in situ treatment of which-phrases should abondon the "choice" idea
and Reinhart's extensionality strategy.
Maribel Romero