On the Interpretation of Numerals in Mandarin: A Closer Look at the Effects of Modals

“Exactly n”, “at least n” and “at most n” are three interpretations that will be derived when reading numerals in context. Testifying the previous claims [7, 9], this study aims to reveal how the interpretation of numerals is influenced by co-occurring modals through empirical study. Our preliminary results indicate that the universal modal bixu (be required to) triggers listeners’ preferences for “at least n” reading, while the existential modal keyi (be allowed to) gives rise to “at most n”. Furthermore, based on the results of the self-paced reading task, the processing of interpreting numerals aligns more closely with the claims of the grammatical theory (cf. Chierchia et al. [7]; Spector [13]) than with the theory proposed by Kennedy [9]. This finding implies that the two-sided bounded interpretation of numerals is derived through the pragmatic mechanism—scalar implicature.