Inherent ambiguity of negative polar questions in Korean and English

This study investigates the ambiguous interpretation of negative polar questions (NPQs) in Korean and English, emphasizing the role of syntactic structures in shaping these interpretations. It demonstrates that traditional polarity-based and truth-based frameworks are insufficient to explain the variation in NPQ interpretations. Rather, the placement of negation plays a pivotal role, influencing whether it is understood at a higher or lower syntactic level, which directly impacts the meaning of yes/no responses. Additionally, the research reveals that contextual factors and inherent biases significantly affect NPQ interpretations, leading to variable responses even within the same language, depending on the context. These findings highlight the need to integrate both syntactic and pragmatic considerations in understanding NPQs and open avenues for future research on real-time processing and contextual priming to further explore the complexities of NPQ interpretation.