Identity conditions with mixed expressives

Abstract

I argue that mixed expressives (slurs, register terms) do not fit the expectations of Potts et al (2009), according to which in the construction "NP or no NP" ("as AP as AP can be", "X and X alone"), the NPs (APs, Xs) must have identical descriptive semantic content. If slurs/register words are descriptively identical to their neutral counterparts, then slurs/register words should mismatch with their neutral counterparts in the relevant constructions. The prediction is not borne out, showing that either Potts et al semantic condition must me suplemented with a lexical identity condition or that the identity counterpart theory of slurs/register words is incorrect.