This paper investigates the semantics of double‐access sentences (DAS) in which the present tense is embedded under the matrix past in propositional attitudes. There are two major approaches to their semantics; the de re (Abusch (1997) and Ogihara (1995 and 1996) and the de dicto (Gennari (1999) and Smirnova (2009)) approach. The de re analysis requires an acquaintance relation, but it is not always necessary in some cases. Gennari’s de dicto analysis poses a problem when it deals with a mistaken belief and a situation where the mismatch between the semantic and the pragmatic aspect (more precisely, the speaker’s pragmatic inference) takes place. As a more appropriate semantic analysis of DAS, this paper proposes that the presuppositional semantic approach and the Kratzer-style modal semantics incorporate into the semantics of DAS since it is the characteristic of DAS that not only does DAS involve presupposition, but attitude holder's background knowledge can also provide us with a clue as to whether or not the content of the embedded proposition holds at the utterance time. This may assist in understanding the semantics of DAS.

• Mean-Young Song(Dongguk University)