WH-Movement and Specificity

This paper claims that the possibilities of movement of Wh-operators, as well as the scope possibilities of Wh-operators in situ, are constrained by a filter on interpretation requiring that an operator${\rm Op}_{i}$having scope over${\rm Op}_{j}$and binding a variable in the scope of${\rm Op}_{j}$be specific. The operation of the filter is demonstrated in the case of extraction out of a Wh-island, in multiple questions, and in the case of nonWh-operators, as well. The analysis of the role of specificity in multiple questions is embedded in a theory of multiple questions which analyzes the wider scope Wh-phrase of a multiple question as a universal quantifier.