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In:Footprints of Phrase Structure: Studies in syntax in honour of Tim Stowell
Edited by María J. Arche, Jan-Wouter Zwart, Hamida Demirdache and Hagit Borer
[Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today 288] 2025
► pp. 199–218

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Metalinguistic ellipsis

Playful silence in adverts, titles, and slogans

 | Ulster University
Published online: 2 October 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/la.288.10sto
Abstract
‘Metalinguistic ellipsis’ flouts the conditions on ellipsis to playful and memorable effect; e.g. Everyday vehicles that aren’t, A DP that may not be, and Yes We Can. Such adverts, titles and slogans strain the relationship between antecedent and ellipsis, feeling awkward but being all the more noticeable for it. Focusing on predicate ellipsis, this contribution surveys the manner and extent to which the conditions on ellipsis can be metalinguistically stretched, encompassing recoverability, ambiguity, argument structure, antecedent containment, (ad)nominal antecedents and contrast.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Recoverability
  • 3.Ambiguity
  • 4.Argument structure
  • 5.Antecedent containment
  • 6.(Ad)nominal antecedents
  • 7.The limits of metalinguistic ellipsis
  • 8.Other register-specific phenomena
  • 9.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (33)
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