Publication ｜Sophia Linguistica
Daigo Akiba
Assuming a minimalist framework in the generative grammar, we analyze the syntactic
properties of a Japanese negative epistemic modal expression mai and consider the
lexicalizing patterns in negative epistemic modals by comparing mai with an English
epistemic auxiliary can’t. We suggest that mai is generated in the C-head position when it
receives epistemic modal interpretation, and its negative meaning is interpreted by a null
negative element. Syntactic properties of mai are ascribed to the properties of a C-head
where it is generated. When negation takes a wider scope over an epistemic modal,
negation and modal can be lexicalized as one word, whereas this kind of lexicalization is
banned when an epistemic modals takes a wider scope over negation.
