there as a bound variable

1. Introduction

The purpose of this squib is to show that there, but not here, can function as a bound variable. 

2. Universal Quantifiers

Consider first:

(1) [Wherever you go]1, you will find a job there1.

(2) For [every city]1, if you go there1, you will find a good public park.

(3) [Every city]1 tries to support construction projects undertaken there1.

In all of these cases, a universal quantifier binds the locative adverb there. And in all cases, there has a bound variable interpretation. For example, (3) entails:

(4) NYC tries to support construction projects undertaken in NYC,

Boston tries to support construction projects undertaken in Boston,

Minneapolis tries to support construction projects undertaken in Minneapolis.

But such bound variable interpretation is impossible with here:

(5) Where you go, you will find a job here.

(6) For every city, if you come here, you will find a public park.

(7) Every city tries to support construction projects undertaken here.

In each case, here refers to the location of the speaker, and no bound variable reading is possible. 

2. only

A similar contrast can be seen with sentences involving only. 

(8) Only in New York City do the people actually like the pizza made there.

On one interpretation this sentence can be paraphrased as follows:

(9) In New York City, people like the pizza made in New York City.

But in other cities, like Boston, people do not like the pizza made in their city.

On this interpretation, there is a bound variable, ranging over cities. Another interpretation, more difficult for me, is the following:

(10) In New York City, people like the pizza made in New York City.

But in Boston, people do not like the pizza made in New York City.

This second interpretation is not a bound variable interpretation, because the value of there is New York City, and no other city. 

Now compare (9) to (11):

(11) Only in New York City do the people actually like the pizza made here.

This sentence definitely does not have a bound variable interpretation. If the speaker is in New York City, then here only refers to New York City, and does not vary in value.

3. Ellipsis

Sloppy identity also illustrates the contrast between here and there:

(12) John went way over there to his farm, and Bill did too.

This sentence can have the sloppy interpretation:

(13) John1 went way over there to his1 farm and Bill2 went way over there to his2 farm.

Crucially John and Bill may live in entirely opposite directions so it must be the case that the value of there varies just like the value of the pronoun his varies.

No such variation is allowed with here:

(14) John came over here to his farm and Bill did too.

This sentence only means that Bill and John have their farms in some area associated with the speaker (e.g., rural Ithaca NY).

4. Conclusion

All three cases discussed above, universal quanifiers, only and ellipsis, show that there can have a bound variable interpretation, and here cannot.