NEGATIVE SENTENCES: POLARITY ITEMS

(Jacob Hoeksema)

Definition:
Polarity items denote endpoints on pragmatic scales. They may be regarded as minimizers and maximizers. The italicized expressions below are English negative polarity items serving as focus adverbials (or connectives/ modifying expressions which denote scalar endpoints). E.g. She cannot stand Fred, much less his brother. Nobody understands me, least of all my father. If you so much as lift a finger, Ill scream.

 Polarity items can be grouped into: 1. Minimizers, which mark the lower endpoints of scales. They are expressions denoting minimal quantity, extent, or degree.

Fred did not understand anything of what I said. Fred didnt understand the least bit of what I said. Fred didnt understand even one thing of what I said. Fred didnt understand one iota of what I said.
*The statements above are all equivalent, yet there is a different ranking of the amount of information.

Other expressions may also be used as polarity items with quantificational force: a word, a thing, a penny: John didnt say a word. John didnt hear a thing. John didnt pay a penny.

2. Maximizers are expressions conventionally denoting a maximal degree or quantity: I wouldnt hurt her for the world. I cannot for the life of me understand his motives. He wouldnt work there for all the tea in China. The guy couldnt spell to save his life.