 Local defaults allow us to dispose of the level of an underspecified propositional representation in semantic theory. Since the inferences proceed incrementally, then as soon as the triggering expression is encountered, there is no level of a minimal proposition that would constitute a foundation for further inferences. If there is one, it is just accidental, in that the triggering item may just happen to be placed at the end of the sentence, for example ‘tea cups’ in the first clause of (20) above. But it is also important to note that the status of such defaults is still far from clear. For example, Levinson’s defaults are local, but at the same time ‘cancellable’ to the extent that the context may prevent them from arising. This leads to a difficulty in examples such as (21)–(22).