2003 Presuppositions and commitment stores

This paper revisits the classical question of presupposition projection in a dynamic approach to dialog using Hamblin’s “commitment stores ” (Hamblin, 1970). It is based on a view of presuppositions as selectionnal restrictions, conceived as constraints on the definition domain of functions. The specific update of com-mitment stores achieved by the mere use of lexical item having restricted definition domains (presuppositions) is captured by means of layered commitment stores dis-tinguishing background commitments and (classical) commitments arising fro