Presuppositional implicatures: quantity or maximize presupposition?

Abstract

Schlenker (2012) proposes that when framed within a modern Stalnakerian view ofpresupposition and common ground (Stalnaker, 1998, 2002), Maximize Presupposition! (Heim,1991; Sauerland, 2008) can be viewed as a special case of the maxim of Quantity (Grice, 1975).We provide data suggesting that in some cases, Maximize Presupposition! applies even whenspeakers are not expected to use a presupposition as vectors of new information. We arguethat these data support the view that Maximize Presupposition! is an independent pragmaticprinciple, distinct from Quantity.Keywords: maximize presupposition, quantity, presuppositional implicatures, scalar implicatures.