In this paper we shall explore the phenomenon of double negation (DN) in a negative concord language like Catalan from an inferential perspective. According to recent developments within the generative approach to the theory of sentential grammar, a proper account of this phenomenon requires an analysis of the lexical, syntactic, and semantic conditions involved. Yet this model only attempts to account for the phenomenon of DN if two negative operators or two strong negative quantifiers are involved within a syntactic structure. In order to investigate the syntactic and prosodic conditions that affect DN interpretation in a question–answer (Q–A) dialogue in Catalan, we conducted a set of perception experiments with Central Catalan listeners. Our study supports the hypothesis that different formal conditions in the Q and A utterances (specifically, a command negative wh- Q combined with a contradictory intonational contour in the A) affect the corresponding interpretation, and that intonation encodes procedural restrictions on the proposition expressed. Results from these perception experiments confirm that the intonation contour of the negative word ningú ‘nobody’ is the key factor triggering a DN interpretation. This paper aims to contribute to our current knowledge of the prosody–meaning interface in the interpretation of negative constructions within recent work on the intonational phonology of Catalan and Relevance Theory.

An earlier version of this study was presented at the Workshop on Procedural Meaning (October 2009, Madrid), and at the XX Colloquium on Generative Grammar (March 2010, Barcelona). We are grateful to C. Beyssade, B. Clark, V. Escandell, A.M. Falaus, O. Fernández Soriano, T. Fretheim, B. Gili-Fivela, M.P. D’Imperio, M. Leonetti, C. de la Mota, P. Roseano, and D. Wilson, as well as to two reviewers of the Journal of Pragmatics for very insightful comments on some of the topics raised in this article. We would also like to thank the colleagues who participated in the perception experiments, namely: N. Argemí, M. Alemany, A. Bartra, E. Bonet, J. Borràs, T. Cabré, D. Casals, R. Craviotto, V. Crespo, F. Foguet, R. Gauchola, A. Gavarro´ , G. Gómez, P. Huedo, M. Llobet, J. Mascaró, M. Massanell, M. Nadeu, X. Obradors, C. Pons, Meritxell Pons, Miquel Pons, C. Queralto´ , E. Ramírez, D. Recasens, J.M. Serra, J. Solà, X. Torres, I. Vallès, M.M. Vanrell, A. Víctor, and X. Villalba. Michael Kennedy-Scanlon deserves special thanks for improving the English manuscript. This research has been funded by two research grants awarded by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, namely HUM2006-13295-C02-01FILO, FFI2009-07648/FILO and CONSOLIDER-INGENIO 2010 Programme CSD2007-00012, and by two grants awarded by the Generalitat de Catalunya to both the Centre de Lingüística Teòrica (2009SGR-1073) and the Grup d’Estudis de Prosòdia (2009SGR-701). The first author also acknowledges an ICREA Acadèmia award.