Questions and Answers
What is the primary function of conversational implicatures?
What type of implicature is involved in the sentence 'I got an A-'?
What is the characteristic of implicatures that allows them to be cancelled by adding more information?
Who is associated with the theory of conversational implicatures?
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What is the main idea behind Relevance Theory?
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What type of implicature is involved in the sentence 'I'll meet you at 5 o'clock'?
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What is the characteristic of implicatures that allows them to be calculated based on the context?
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What is the primary purpose of implicatures in conversation?
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Study Notes
Implicatures
Implicatures are inferences that are made beyond the literal meaning of an utterance.
Types of Implicatures:
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Conventional Implicatures: These are implicatures that are associated with specific words or phrases.
- Example: "I'll meet you at 5 o'clock" implies that the meeting will take place at 5 o'clock sharp.
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Conversational Implicatures: These are implicatures that arise from the cooperative principle in conversation.
- Example: "Can you pass the salt?" implies that the speaker wants the salt to be passed, even though it's not explicitly stated.
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Scalar Implicatures: These are implicatures that involve a scale or hierarchy of values.
- Example: "I got an A-" implies that the speaker got a high grade, but not the highest possible grade.
Characteristics of Implicatures:
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Cancelability: Implicatures can be cancelled by adding more information.
- Example: "I'll meet you at 5 o'clock, but I might be late" cancels the implicature that the meeting will take place at 5 o'clock sharp.
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Calculability: Implicatures can be calculated based on the context and the cooperative principle.
- Example: The implicature "I want the salt to be passed" can be calculated based on the context of the conversation and the speaker's intention.
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Non-detachability: Implicatures are not detachable from the utterance.
- Example: The implicature "I want the salt to be passed" cannot be separated from the utterance "Can you pass the salt?"
Theories of Implicatures:
- Grice's Cooperative Principle: Paul Grice's theory states that speakers and listeners cooperate to convey meaning, and implicatures arise from this cooperation.
- Relevance Theory: This theory states that implicatures arise from the listener's attempt to find the most relevant interpretation of the utterance.
Implications for Language and Communication:
- Implicatures play a crucial role in effective communication, as they allow speakers to convey meaning beyond the literal words.
- Implicatures can also lead to misunderstandings if the listener misinterprets the speaker's intention.
- Implicatures are an important aspect of pragmatics, which studies the relationship between language and context.
Implicatures
- Implicatures are inferences made beyond the literal meaning of an utterance.
Types of Implicatures
- Conventional Implicatures: Associated with specific words or phrases, e.g., "I'll meet you at 5 o'clock" implies meeting at 5 o'clock sharp.
- Conversational Implicatures: Arise from the cooperative principle in conversation, e.g., "Can you pass the salt?" implies wanting the salt to be passed.
- Scalar Implicatures: Involve a scale or hierarchy of values, e.g., "I got an A-" implies a high grade, but not the highest possible grade.
Characteristics of Implicatures
- Cancelability: Implicatures can be cancelled by adding more information, e.g., "I'll meet you at 5 o'clock, but I might be late" cancels the implicature of meeting at 5 o'clock sharp.
- Calculability: Implicatures can be calculated based on context and the cooperative principle, e.g., implicature "I want the salt to be passed" can be calculated from context and speaker's intention.
- Non-detachability: Implicatures are not detachable from the utterance, e.g., implicature "I want the salt to be passed" cannot be separated from "Can you pass the salt?"
Theories of Implicatures
- Grice's Cooperative Principle: Speakers and listeners cooperate to convey meaning, and implicatures arise from this cooperation.
- Relevance Theory: Implicatures arise from the listener's attempt to find the most relevant interpretation of the utterance.
Implications for Language and Communication
- Implicatures play a crucial role in effective communication, allowing speakers to convey meaning beyond literal words.
- Implicatures can lead to misunderstandings if the listener misinterprets the speaker's intention.
- Implicatures are an important aspect of pragmatics, studying the relationship between language and context.
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Description
Learn about the different types of implicatures, including conventional and conversational implicatures, and how they affect the meaning of utterances.