This monograph is one of the first theoretical studies of optatives. Optative constructions express desire without an overt lexical item that means desire . The author specifically investigates optatives with the syntax of embedded clauses that contain prototypical particles such as only . He rejects the view that optativity arises compositionally from the standard semantics of embedded clauses and prototypical particles. The following system is proposed: Desirability is due to a generalized scalar exclamation operator EX. Furthermore, clausal properties such as factivity/counterfactuality...
This monograph is one of the first theoretical studies of optatives. Optative constructions express desire without an overt lexical item that means de...