This paper is a radical criticism of formal semantic approaches to the sequencing problem in temp... more This paper is a radical criticism of formal semantic approaches to the sequencing problem in temporal reference assignment. The authors show that the main problem for the calculation of temporal reference is not the sequencing one, but the interval and causality problems, and that a pragmatic criterion (the criterion of consistency with the Principle of Relevance) explains the assignment of temporal reference.
This concluding chapter reflects in general terms on some aspects of relevance theory that have b... more This concluding chapter reflects in general terms on some aspects of relevance theory that have been fruitfully used in the analyses in this volume, and on some aspects of literary communication that have been seen by both supporters and critics of relevance theory as showing the need for modifications to the inferential mechanisms it proposes. After distinguishing comprehension (identifying the intended import of a communicative act) from interpretation (going beyond the intended import to draw one’s own conclusions), it discusses a range of stylistic and rhetorical effects—typically created by departures from expected syntax, lexis, or prosody—which provide tentative cues to ostension and therefore create greater expectations of relevance. It ends by considering how relevance theory might deal with the ‘non-propositional effects’ associated with images, emotions, and sensorimotor processes while remaining within the bounds of a properly inferential theory.
This paper is a radical criticism of formal semantic approaches to the sequencing problem in temp... more This paper is a radical criticism of formal semantic approaches to the sequencing problem in temporal reference assignment. The authors show that the main problem for the calculation of temporal reference is not the sequencing one, but the interval and causality problems, and that a pragmatic criterion (the criterion of consistency with the Principle of Relevance) explains the assignment of temporal reference.
This concluding chapter reflects in general terms on some aspects of relevance theory that have b... more This concluding chapter reflects in general terms on some aspects of relevance theory that have been fruitfully used in the analyses in this volume, and on some aspects of literary communication that have been seen by both supporters and critics of relevance theory as showing the need for modifications to the inferential mechanisms it proposes. After distinguishing comprehension (identifying the intended import of a communicative act) from interpretation (going beyond the intended import to draw one’s own conclusions), it discusses a range of stylistic and rhetorical effects—typically created by departures from expected syntax, lexis, or prosody—which provide tentative cues to ostension and therefore create greater expectations of relevance. It ends by considering how relevance theory might deal with the ‘non-propositional effects’ associated with images, emotions, and sensorimotor processes while remaining within the bounds of a properly inferential theory.
This paper considers what the literature on irony acquisition can tell us about the distinctive f... more This paper considers what the literature on irony acquisition can tell us about the distinctive features of verbal irony, and how far they are explained by traditional and more modern theories of irony. Among the widely recognised features of typical cases of verbal irony are (a) the expression of a characteristic (mocking, scornful or contemptuous) attitude, (b) the existence of a so-called normative bias in the uses of irony, and (c) the ironical tone of voice. After surveying some findings on how these features develop, I consider how they might be explained in terms of three current theories of irony: the echoic account, the pretence account, and a much broader approach now frequently used in the literature on irony acquisition, which treats a range of disparate phenomena, including hyperbole, banter, understatement, jokes and rhetorical questions, as forms of irony. I end by suggesting some possible directions for future research.
In the last ten or fifteen years, following the collapse of the traditional definition of irony a... more In the last ten or fifteen years, following the collapse of the traditional definition of irony as a matter of saying one thing and meaning the opposite, a range of disparate phenomena including hyperbole, banter, understatement, jokes and rhetorical questions have been commonly treated as forms of irony in the experimental literature. Drawing on recent work by Wilson and Sperber (2012a; Wilson 2013), I will argue that these phenomena are not inherently ironical, display none of the distinctive features of irony in most of their uses, and should not be seen as falling within the scope of an explanatory theory of irony.
This paper outlines the main assumptions of relevance theory (while attempting to clear up some c... more This paper outlines the main assumptions of relevance theory (while attempting to clear up some common objections and misconceptions) and points out some new directions for research. After discussing the nature of relevance and its role in communication and cognition, it assesses two alternative ways of drawing the explicit–implicit distinction, compares relevance theory's approach to lexical pragmatics with those of Grice and neo-Griceans, and discusses the rationale for relevance theory's conceptual–procedural distinction, reassessing the notion of procedural meaning in the light of recent research. It ends by looking briefly at the relation between the capacity to understand a communicator's meaning, on the one hand, and the capacity to assess her reliability and the reliability of the communicated content, on the other, and considers how these two capacities might interact.
My aim in this paper is to reassess the conceptual–procedural distinction in the light of the las... more My aim in this paper is to reassess the conceptual–procedural distinction in the light of the last twenty years of research, and to consider some possible revisions or extensions. Section 1 is a brief introduction. In section 2, I outline the rationale for drawing a conceptual–procedural distinction of the type proposed in relevance theory (Blakemore 1987, 2002; Wilson and Sperber 1993). In section 3, I discuss some current issues and objections, looking in particular at whether procedural meaning is properly regarded as semantic, and at whether a single item can encode both conceptual and procedural meaning. In section 4, I suggest some possible revisions and extensions in the light of recent research on lexical pragmatics (Wilson & Carston, 2007; Sperber & Wilson, 2008a). In section 5, I discuss the relation between the conceptual–procedural distinction and the ‘massive modularity’ hypothesis (Sperber, 2005; Carruthers, 2006), and suggest some further revisions or extensions. I conclude that the conceptual–procedural distinction is well founded, and may have much more general application than has previously been thought.
The papers by Drs Seto, Hamamoto and Yamanashi make a valuable contribution to the analysis of ve... more The papers by Drs Seto, Hamamoto and Yamanashi make a valuable contribution to the analysis of verbal irony, both practical and theoretical. We would like to thank them for their positive comments on the relevance-theoretic account, and for the interesting questions they raise. In ...
In this chapter, we discuss the notions of descriptive and interpretive representation and the re... more In this chapter, we discuss the notions of descriptive and interpretive representation and the relations between them; we reject the idea the interpretive representation is based on strict identity of propositional content; we show how an utterance may be used to represent a thought that merely ...
... For most readers of the English tabloid press, as I have suggested, there is an immediate, ve... more ... For most readers of the English tabloid press, as I have suggested, there is an immediate, very highly accessible assumption about John McEnroe that would come to mind in this situation: that he causes a lot of trouble on court. ...
... Modern linguistics: The results of Chomsky's revolution. Author: Smith, NV. Author: Wilson, D... more ... Modern linguistics: The results of Chomsky's revolution. Author: Smith, NV. Author: Wilson, Deirdre. PUBLISHER: Penguin Books (London, England and New York, NY, USA). SERIES TITLE: YEAR: 1990. PUB TYPE: Book (ISBN 0140134964 ...
... Doherty, M. 2000. Children's understanding of homonymy: metalinguistic awareness and fal... more ... Doherty, M. 2000. Children's understanding of homonymy: metalinguistic awareness and false belief. Journal of Child Language 27: 367-392. Doherty, M. 2004. Children's difficulty in learninghomonyms. Journal of Child Language 31: 203-214. Happé, F. 1993. ...
... Dans ces circonstances, un locuteur qui a l'intention de produire une interp... more ... Dans ces circonstances, un locuteur qui a l'intention de produire une interprétation différente de celle que produirait l'usage de ce schéma ne peut pas se servir ... Une représentation conceptuelle diffère d'une représentation phonétique ou syntaxique sur deux points principaux. ...
Page 1. Varia Page 2. Revista de Investigación Lingüística. Vol. VII - 2004. Pàgs. 233-282 La teo... more Page 1. Varia Page 2. Revista de Investigación Lingüística. Vol. VII - 2004. Pàgs. 233-282 La teoría de la relevancia* Deirdre Wilson y Dan Sperber RESUMEN: Este artículo ofrece una visión sin-tetizada de la teoría de la relevancia. ...
Page 1. 221 Deirdre Wilson Dan Sperber Linguagem em (Dis)curso - LemD, Tubarão, v. 5, n. esp., p.... more Page 1. 221 Deirdre Wilson Dan Sperber Linguagem em (Dis)curso - LemD, Tubarão, v. 5, n. esp., p. 221-268, 2005 1 INTRODUÇÃO A Teoria da Relevância pode ser vista como uma tentativa de resolver em detalhe uma das ...
... Selon qu'il s'agit d&#x... more ... Selon qu'il s'agit d'une conversation de buveurs ou d'un séminaire de savants, "faire de son mieux" aura bien sûr plus ou moins de portée et le niveau attendu de pertinence variera; mais, en tout cas, un échange verbal sera caractérisé par l'anticipation d'un certain niveau de ...
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