1、语境在话语理解中的作用ONTHEROLEOFCONTEXTINUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONABSTRACTLANGUAGEISAMEANSOFVERBALCOMMUNICATIONITHASLONGBEENRECOGNIZEDTHATLANGUAGEISANESSENTIALANDIMPORTANTPARTOFAGIVENCULTUREANDTHATTHEIMPACTOFCULTUREUPONAGIVENLANGUAGEISSOMETHINGESSENTIALANDNECESSARYAHUMANLANGUAGEISASYSTEMOFREMARKABLECOMPLEXITYTO
2、COMETOKNOWAHUMANLANGUAGEWOULDBEANEXTRAORDINARYINTELLECTUALACHIEVEMENTLANGUAGEPRODUCTIONISVERYDEFINITELYOFAGOALDIRECTIONACTIVITYINTHESENSETHATPEOPLESPEAKANDWRITEINORDERTOMAKEFRIENDS,INFLUENCEPEOPLE,CONVEYINFORMATION,ANDSOONBUTANYKINDOFCOMMUNICATIONALLOCCURSINACERTAINLINGUISTICENVIRONMENTCONTEXTCONTEX
3、TISAVERYCOMPLICATEDANDVARIOUSITPLAYSTHEKEYROLEINTHECREATIONOFDISCOURSEANDTHEUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONBYMEANSOFCONTEXT,HEARERSCANUNDERSTANDIMPLICATION,DISCRIMINATEAMBIGUITYTOGETASSURANCEINFORMATION,INFERRINGCOMMONINFORMATIONFROMUNQUALIFIEDORABNORMALSENTENCESFROMTHEPERSPECTIVEOFSEMANTICS,SPECIFICANDCLEA
4、RINFORMATIONFROMAMBIGUOUSMEANINGANDOPPOSITEINFORMATIONTOTHESENTENCEMEANINGALSO,WECANOMITANDAUTOMATICALLYCOMPLEMENTSENTENCEMEANINGFROMCONTEXTTHISPAPERFOCUSONTHEROLEOFCONTEXTINUTTERANCEINTERPRETATION,ITCONCLUDESTHATUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONACTUALLYISAPROCESSOFCONTEXTINFERENCESKEYWORDSCONTEXT；UTTERANCEIN
5、TERPRETATION；ROLE；INFORMATION摘要语言是言语交流的一种方式。人们很早就认识到,语言是一种特定文化中基本和重要的组成部分,语言对文化有着本质的,不可替代的影响。人类的语言是一个极其复杂的系统。了解人类语言是一项伟大的智力成就。人们说话或者写文章是为了交朋友,影响别人,传递信息等等。在这个意义上,语言产生无疑是一种目标驱动的活动。然而任何一种交流均发生在特定的语言环境语境中。语境十分复杂,难以穷尽。语境对于话语的产生和话语意义的理解有着非常关键的作用。体现在依赖语境可以帮助受话者听出“言外之义”,辨析歧义获得准确的信息,从语义上不合格或不规范的句子或词语中推断出正常的信
6、息,以模糊的意义推断出具体明确的信息,推断出与句子意义相反的信息,进行省略,自动补充语意等。本文就语境对话语理解中的作用进行讨论,从而得出语境是话语理解的推断过程。关键词语境；话语理解；作用；信息。CONTENTS1INTRODUCTION12THEDEFINITIONOFCONTEXT13CLASSIFICATIONOFCONTEXT231CONTEXTOFSITUATION232CONTEXTOFCULTURE34THEFUNCTIONSOFCONTEXTINUTTERANCEINTERPRETATION541THEDEIXISANDRELEVANCE542THECONVERSATIONA
7、LIMPLICATUREANDILLOCUTIONARYFORCE65CONTEXTANDUTTERANCEINTERPRETATION851THEINTERPRETATIONOFVAGUEORTHEAMBIGUITYUTTERANCES852THEINTERPRETATIONOFTHETROPEUTTERANCES853THEINTERPRETATIONOFTHECULTURALRELATEDWORDSANDEXPRESSIONUTTERANCES96CONCLUSION101ONTHEROLEOFCONTEXTINUTTERANCEINTERPRETATION1INTRODUCTIONLA
8、NGUAGEISSUCHANINTEGRALPARTOFLIFEANDHUMANITYTHATTOOMUCHABOUTITHASBEENTAKENFORGRANTED,WHICHALWAYSINVOLVESSUCHSITUATIONFACTORSASTIME,PLACE,PARTICIPANTS,ETCTHEEXPRESSIONANDINTERPRETATIONOFACERTAINMEANINGISCLOSELYRELATEDTOTHESEFACTORSTHERELATIONSHIPBETWEENTHELINGUISTICFORMANDMEANINGITISNOTAONETOONERELATI
9、ONSHIPHOWEVER,CHANGESWITHTIME,PALACE,PARTICIPANTS,ETCTHECHANGEOFANYONEOFSITUATIONFACTORSMAYMOREORLESSCHANGETHEMEANINGTHELINGUISTICFORMEXPRESSESPARTICIPANTINTHECOMMUNICATIONMAYGIVERISETODISCREPANCIESINUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONPRAGMATICSSTUDIESTHEUSEANDUNDERSTANDINGOFTHELANGUAGEITINVOLVESTHEPROCESSOFEXP
10、RESSIONMEANINGBYTHESPEAKERSCONTEXTISANNEXEDWITHLANGUAGEINTHATLANGUAGEISPRESENTEDANDACQUIRESSENSEINSOMECONTEXTTHESOCIALANDCULTURALFEATURESOFHUMANCOMMUNICATIONPROCESSAREALSOONECONTEXTCONSTRUCTIONCONTEXTISTHESITUATIONOFSPEECHINWHICHPEOPLECONDUCTSPEECHINTERCOURSEINSPECIFICCONTEXT,CONTEXTCANRESTRICTANDEX
11、PLAINTHEUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONALSOCONTEXTCANINFERTHEIMPLICATIONANDCOMPLEMENTOFTHEUTTERANCEMEANINGWHICHISOMITTEDMANYTIMES,PEOPLEAREDIFFERENTINPERIODCONTEXT,EDUCATIONAL,LEVEL,CULTUREANDSOCIALCUSTOMSTHISOFTENMAKESTHEMMISUNDERSTANDANDDEVIATETHEUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONJACOBSONDEFINEDTHESIXPRIMARYFACTORSO
12、FANYSPEECHEVENTS,NAMELYSPEAKER,ADDRESSEE,CONTEXT,MESSAGE,CODE,CONTACTWHATWECANLEARNFROMISTHECONTEXTISPLAYINGANIMPORTANTROLEINOURDAILYCOMMUNICATIONITSEACHFACTORMAYEFFECTONTHEBOTHSIDESOFTHEEXPRESSIONANDTHEUTTERANCEUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONISACOMPLEXCOGNITIONPSYCHOLOGYPROCESSINGWHETHERINTHECOMMUNICATIONB
13、ETWEENTHETWOENGLISHMENORTHECROSSCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONSHOULDBEINACONTEXTWITHTHEAIDOFCONTEXTINEACHFACTOR,THROUGHTHECONTEXTINFERENCE,WEMAYUNDERSTANDTHESPEAKERTHEWAYOFEXPRESSIONANDTHESTRATEGIESOFAPPLICATIONSOACTUALLY,UTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONISAPROCESSINGABOUTTHECONTEXT,ANDUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONISTHEFOUN
14、DATIONANDTHEPRECONDITIONSOONTHEEFFECTIVECONTEXTACTIVITYTOBEEXTREMELYIMPORTANT2THEDEFINITIONOFCONTEXTACCORDINGTOTHEWEBSTERSNEWWORLDDICTIONARYOFTHEAMERICANLANGUAGE,CONTEXTMEANSTHEPARTSOFASENTENCE,PARAGRAPH,DISCOURSEETC,IMMEDIATELYNEXTTOORSURROUNDINGASPECIFIEDWORDORPASSAGEANDDETERMINGITSEXACTMEANINGITA
15、LSOREFERSTOTHEWHOLESITUATION,BACKGROUNDORENVIRONMENTRELEVANTTOAPARTICULAREVENT,PERSONALITY,CREATIONECTTHEREARETHEDICTIONARYMEANINGSOFCONTEXT,AND2BASEDONTHEM,PEOPLEDEVELOPTHEIROWNDEFINITIONOFCONTEXTCONTEXT,SIMPLYSPEAKING,ISTHESURROUNDINGSWHEREANUTTERANCEISITPLAYSANIMPORTANTROLEINTHEPROCESSOFUTTERANCE
16、INTERPRETATIONITSFUNCTIONCANBECLASSIFIEDINTOTHEEXPLAININGFUNCTIONANDTHERESTRICTIVEFUNCTIONTHEEXPLAININGFUNCTIONREFERSTOTHEFACTTHATCONTEXTMAYEXPLAINTHEUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONPRAGMATICSISTHESTUDYOFMEANINGINCONTEXTITDEALSWITHPARTICULARUTTERANCESINPARTICULARSITUATIONSANDISESPECIALLYCONCERNEDWITHTHEVARIO
17、USWAYSINWHICHTHEMANYSOCIALCONTEXTSOFLANGUAGEPERFORMANCECANINFLUENCEINTERPRETATIONINOTHERWORDS,PRAGMATICSISCONCERNEDWITHTHEWAYLANGUAGEISUSEDTOCOMMUNICATERATHERTHANWITHTHEWAYLANGUAGEISSTRUCTUREUTTERANCESERVESASACONTEXT,AFFECTINGSENTENCEANDWORDLEVELINTERPRETATION,GIVINGTHEINTERPRETATIONOFWHATWOULDOTHER
18、WISEBEAMBIGUOUSWORDSORPHRASESINACERTAINDIRECTIONFOREXAMPLE,SOMESENTENCESCANBEINTERPRETEDLITERALLYACCORDINGTOSTANDARDUSAGESOFTHEWORDSORFIGURATIVEBYDEVIATINGFROMWHATWEUNDERSTANDTOBETHESTANDARDSIGNIFICANCEOFTHEWORDSFORSOMESPECIALMEANINGOREFFECTCONTEXTCANPROMPTREADERSTOENGAGEINONEORTHEOTHERWHENWEARETRYI
19、NGTOUNDERSTANDASENTENCE,WEOFTENMAKEUSEOFINFORMATIONTHATISNOTCONTAINEDDIRECTLYWITHINTHESENTENCEITSELFCONTEXTISTHEENVIRONMENT,WHICHTHEUTTERANCERELYONINCHINA,MANYLINGUISTICSTHOUGHTTHATTHECONTEXTISTHETIME,THEPLACE,THESITUATION,THEOBJECTANDSOONTHEOBJECTIVEFACTORSCONSTITUTIONUSEDCONTEXTWEUSEDTHELANGUAGE,A
20、LSOCARRIESONTHEUTTERANCECOMMUNICATION,ACTIVITY,ALWAYSATLEASTHAVETHETWOPARTICIPATESTOTAKEPARTINANDCARRIESONINVENTORYINACERTAINCONTEXTONTHEPROCESSINGOFTHEUTTERANCECOMMUNICATION,SPEAKERANDHEARERARENOTNEGATIVELY,ORSIMPLYACTASTHEUTTERANCEINFORMATIONRECEIVERTHEYOFTENUSEDTHECLUES,WHICHTHECONTEXTPROVIDESTOT
21、HEUTTERANCEUNDERSTANDINGANDTOTHEUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONTHEUTTERANCEUNDERSTANDINGCANNONLEAVETHECONTEXT,ANDINACERTAINCONTEXTUTTERANCEISRECEIVEBYTHERESTRICTIONOFCONTEXT3CLASSIFICATIONOFCONTEXTTHECONCEPTCONTEXTWASFIRSTPUTFORWARDIN1923BYBRONISLAWMALINLWSKI,ANENGLISHPROFESSOROFANTHROPOLOGYHEDISTINGUISHEDB
22、ETWEENCONTEXTOFCULTUREANDCONTEXTOFSITUATION31CONTEXTOFSITUATIONACCORDINGTOHALLIDAY,THECONTEXTOFSITUATIONCONSISTSOFTHREECOMPONENTSSCENE,MANNER,ANDCOMMUNICATORTHESEELEMENTSINTERACTWITHEACHOTHERANDLIMITTHECHOICEOFFORMSMOSTOFUSTAKEITFORGRANTEDTHATUNDERSTANDINGANUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONTHE3COMPREHENSIONOF
23、THETOTALMEANINGCONVEYEDBYTHESPEAKERASAMATTEROFFACT,ITUSUALLYTURNSOUTTHATITISFARFROMENOUGHFORUSTOUNDERSTANDANDINTERPRETTHEMEANINGFULLYANDCORRECTLYANENGLISHWORDUSUALLYHASMORETHANONEMEANINGDUETOCHANGEANDDEVELOPMENTOFSOCIETY,SCIENCEANDTECHNOLOGYITISNOTPOSSIBLEFORUSTOHAVEACLEARANDCORRECTCOMPREHENSION,IFW
24、EUNDERSTANDTHEWORDSISOLATETHESAMESENTENCEUSEDINDIFFERENTTIME,PLACE,UNDERDIFFERENTSITUATION,MIGHTHAVEDIFFERENTEFFECTSONPEOPLESCOMPREHENSIONTHEREFORE,WENEEDTOATTAINSOMERELEVANTKNOWLEDGEANDUNDERSTANDITACCORDINGTOTHECONTEXTMEANINGISDETERMINEDBYTHECONTEXTITISMORELIKELYTHATPEOPLEWILLHAVEAMISUNDERSTANDINGA
25、NDMISINTERPRETATIONWITHOUTTHEHELPOFTHECONTEXTDUETOTHECHANGEOFSITUATION,PEOPLESCHOICESOFWORDSAREALSOVARIOUS,UNDERSETSITUATION,PEOPLEUSESETWORDSTOPRESENTTHEIRIDEASTHISINCLUDESTWOASPECTSFORMALANDINFORMALWECOULDNOTSAYHIWHENWEFIRSTMEETSOMEBODYBECAUSEITWOULDBEREGARDEDASIMPOLITEIFWEUSEINFORMALEXPRESSION,IN
26、FORMALSITUATIONITISNOTWELLMATCHEDWEHAVETHECONVERSATIONDEPENDSONDIFFERENTSITUATIONRELYONTHETIME,PLACE,REASON,ANDOCCUPATIONSGENDERTHELANGUAGEISUSEDBYTHEINDIVIDUALINTHEREALLIFESCENEHASVARIOUSSCENEINTHEDAILYLIFETHEREFOREINTHEEXPRESSIONPROCESSWEHAVETOCLARITYISWHOSPEAKSTOWHOATWHATKINDOFTIME,WHATTYPESPEEDD
27、IDWHATKINDOFSITUATIONSPEAKSWHYDIDTHEYSAYLIKETHISINORDINARYCIRCUMSTANCES,WHENWEHAVEDIFFERENTOPINIONSWITHEACHOTHER,TOTHEELDERWECOULDSAYIAMNOTSUREIFIDAGREEWITHYOUTOTHECOLLEAGUEWECOULDSAYICANNOTAGREEWITHYOUORICOULDNOTGOALONGWITHYOUTOGOODFRIENDWECOULDSAYITOTALLYDISAGREEINDIFFERENTOCCUPATIONINDIFFERENTOCC
28、ASION,THELANGUAGEUSEDISDIFFERENTABOYATHOMEMUSTCALLHISMOTHERWHOISATEACHERMUM,BUTATSCHOOL,HEMUSTCALLMRSSOWEMUSTMAKEITCLEARWHOSPEAKSWHATTOWHOMWHENWHEREANDWHYSOMETIMESPEOPLEUSEVERYINFORMALWORDS,SUCHASSLAGINTHEIRFAMILIARLYWITHEACHOTHERSOWHENPEOPLEMEETONESAYSYOUOLDSONOFBITCHTHISISJUSTAWAYOFTHEIRGREETINGWI
29、THONEOTHERIFWEDONOTKNOWTHESITUATIONCLEAR,WEMIGHTTHINKTHATONEPEOPLEISINSULTINGTHEOTHERANDTHEREISAGREATPOSSIBILITYOFTHEIRFIGHTINGWITHEACHOTHEREVERYTHINGHAPPENSUNDERCERTAINSITUATIONEVERYUTTERANCESHOULDBEUNDERSTOODINACCORDANCEWITHTHESITUATION32CONTEXTOFCULTUREINMALINOWSKISOPINION,THECONTEXTOFCULTUREREFE
30、RSTOTHESOCIALANDCULTURALBACKGROUNDWHICHLANGUAGEFORMSCANDEPENDSONLANGUAGEISTHECARRIEROFCULTURE,4ASWELLASAPARTOFCULTURETHEYAREINTERRELATEDANDINDEPENDENTMALINOWSKIARGUESTHATONELANGUAGEMUSTBEDEEPROOTEDINAGIVENCULTURE,CONVERSELY,THESOCIALCULTUREISUNAVOIDABLYREFLECTEDBYCONTEXTINAGIVENCONTEXTOFCULTURE,WHEN
31、PEOPLEUSELANGUAGETOCOMMUNICATEWITHEACHOTHER,THEYMUSTFOLLOWCERTAINCONVENTIONALRULESFORSOCIALCOMMUNICATIONASIMPLEILLUSTRATIONMAYMAKETHEPOINTCLEARINTHISCENTURY,MOREANDMORESCHOLARSAREBEGINNINGTOEXTENDTHEMEANINGOFCONTEXTTOALARGESCALE,WHICHHEMADEMANYREMARKABLECONTRIBUTIONSTHEREHASBEENAMAXIMINSOCIOLINGUIST
32、ICS,WHICHCLAIMS,YOUARESILLYWHATDOYOUSAYLUKOFF1991FOLLOWINGTHISCLAIM,WEMAYEXPANDTHESCOPEOFOUROBSERVATIONBYINTRODUCINGSOMESOCIALFACTORSTHATAREBELIEVEDTOINFLUENCEOURLANGUAGEBEHAVIORINASOCIALCONTEXTAMONGTHESEFACTORS,SOMEMAJORONESINCLUDED1CULTUREBACKGROUND2CUSTOM3CLASS4GENDER5AGE6ETHNICIDENTITY7EDUCATION
33、BACKGROUND8OCCUPATION9RELIGIOUSBELIEFHEREWEHAVETHISPHRASEOUTINTHEWESTWHEREMENAREMENIFWEDONOTNOTICETHESEWORDSINTHEWESTWEWILLNOTBEABLETOKNOWTHATTHESECONDMENREFERSTOCOWBOYSWHOAREASORTOFMENWORKINGORHORSEBACK,EMPLOYEDTOLOOKAFTERCATTLEINTHEWESTERNPARTOFTHEUNITEDSTATESITCOVERSMUCHMOREINOURTOTALUNDERSTANDIN
34、GOFTHEUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONRELEVANCEKNOWLEDGEOFTHECULTUREOFTHECOUNTRYWILLGIVEUSMOREHELPWHENANENGLISHNATIVESPEAKERCOMESTOCHINAHEOFTENHEARSOTHERPEOPLESAYINGHAVEYOUEVEEATENWHATDOESTHATMEANTHEFOREIGNERFEELSTOTALLYATALOSSDOESHEWANTTOINVITEMETOADINNERORDOESHEWANTMETOHELPHIMDOANYTHINGIFHEGOESDEEPINTOCHIN
35、ESECULTURE,HEWOULDFINDTHATITISAVERYNORMALWAYFORCHINESEPEOPLEWHOMEETEACHOTHERANDGREETINSUCHAWAYHAVEYOUEVEREATENTHISISAGOODEXAMPLEOFTHEIMPORTANCEOFTHERELEVANTKNOWLEDGEOFCULTUREANOTHEREXAMPLEACHINESEMANANDHISWIFEAREINTHEFOREIGNCOUNTRY,ITSPOLITEFORAGENTLEMANTOPRAISETHELADY,SOTHEFOREIGNERSAID“OH,MRLI,YOU
36、RWIFEISVERYBEAUTIFULTHECHINESEMANTHOUGHTAWHILEANDANSWERTOOTHERPEOPLESPRAISE“NO,NOTHEFOREIGNERGOTCONFUSED,SELDOMHAVEPEOPLEANSWEREDWEALWAYSHEARSISTHANKYOUITSEEMSTOBEHUMOROUS,BUTWHENWEGODEEPINTOTHEREASONWHYSUCHTHINGSHAPPEN,WECOMETOTHECONTEXTITREFLECTSTHEIMPORTANCEOFTHERELEVANTKNOWLEDGEOFCULTUREACCORDIN
37、GTOWHATISSAID,THEUTTERANCEINTERPRETATIONISVERYWELLUNDERSTOODBUTTHEMEANINGTHEPEOPLEINTENDTOCONVEYISTOTALLYLOSTWEKNOWTHELITERALMEANING,BUTWEDONTKNOWTHEDEEPERMEANINGBEHINDTHEWORDSTHISNEEDSUSTOHELPOFCONTEXTOFCULTUREPEOPLELIVEINACERTAINKINDOFCULTURAL5ATMOSPHERETHUS,ITISIMPORTANTTOHAVESOMEIDEAABOUTTHEIDEO
38、LOGICALASPECTOFHUMANBEINGSCULTUREIFLEARNERSHAVENOKNOWLEDGEABOUTTHECULTURALCOMPONENTSOFAGIVENLANGUAGECARRIES,HE/SHEWOULDNOTBEABLETOADJUSTTHELANGUAGEFORMSACCORDINGTOTHECONTEXTOFSITUATION,EVENLESSLIKELYTTOMASTERTHELANGUAGE,LETALONETOAPPLYTHELANGUAGEINANAPPROPRIATEWAY4THEFUNCTIONSOFCONTEXTINUTTERANCEINT
39、ERPRETATION41THEDEIXISANDRELEVANCEUTTERANCESERVESASACONTEXT,AFFECTINGSENTENCESANDWORDLEVELINTERPRETATIONTIPPINGTHEINTERPRETATIONOFWHATWOULDOTHERWISEBEAMBIGUOUSWORDSORPHRASEINACERTAINDIRECTIONUTTERANCEMAYBEDEFINEDASAPIECEOFACTUALLYUSEDLANGUAGEINPRAGMATICSANOUTLINEOFINTRODUCTIONOFHEZIRANHEPOINTSOUTDEI
40、XISPLAYSAKEYROLEINTHEAPPLICATIONOFLANGUAGE,ITSMEANINGISCOMMINUTEDWITHTHECONTEXTCOULDGETTHECORRECTMEANINGDEIXISINCLUDEPERSONDEIXIS,SPACEDEIXIS,TIMEDEIXIS,DISCOURSEDEIXIS,SOCIALDEIXISLEVINSONPOINTSOUTLANGUAGESTRUCTUREREFLECTSTHERELATIONBETWEENTHELANGUAGEANDCONTEXT,THEMOSTOBVIOUSISDEIXISPHENOMENON,THAT
41、ISTOSAY,DEIXISISTHESTRONGESTFACTORTORELYONITSCONTEXTWITHOUTCONTEXT,DEIXISWILLBECOMEAMBIGUITY,ANDTHEREWILLBENOUTTERANCEACTIVITIES,FOREXAMPLE1ILLBEBACKINTWOHOURS2GIVEMETHISONE,NOTTHATONEIN1THETIMEDEIXISISNOTCLEAR,IFAFTERTHEINTWOHOURSTHEREISNOIMPORTANTINFORMATIONTOTELLTHEACCURATETIMEINTHEMESSAGEWEDONOT
42、KNOWWHATWILLHAPPENANDIN2,IFWEAREINASTORE,ONLYAFTERTHESPEAKERWHENHESAIDTHISSENTENCEANDUSEDTHENONLINGUISTICCONTEXTGESTURESCOULDWEKNOWWHATTHISANDWHATTHATISSOWEMUSTTHECONTEXTDEIXISISSPEAKERRELATEDITCANEASILYBEUSEDTOINDICATEPARTICULAR,ANDCHANGING,VIEWPOINTLACKINGOFCONTEXT,WEDONOTKNOWWHATTHESENTENCESMEANS
43、,SOWEMUSTUSETHECONTEXTTHEPRINCIPLEOFRELEVANCEEVERYACTOFOSTENSIVECOMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATESTHEPRESUMPTIONOFITSOWNOPTIMALRELEVANCEFROMTHESPEAKERSSIDECOMMUNICATIONSHOULDBESEENASANACTOFMAKINGCLEARSPEAKERSSIDE,COMMUNICATIONSHOULDBESEENASANACTOFMAKINGCLEARONESINTENTIONTOEXPRESSSOMETHINGTHISACTTHEYCALLOSTEN
44、SIVEACTANDDEIXISISTHEOSTENSIVEACT,BUTGRICEPOINTSOUTCOMMUNICATIONISNOTSIMPLYAMATTEROFENCODINGANDDECODING,ITALSOINVOLVESINFERENCESOTHERELEVANCEFUNCTIONSINTHECONTEXTARE6IMPORTANTSPERBERANDWILSONAGREEDWITHGRICETHATCOMMUNICATIONISNOTSIMPLYAMATTEROFENCODINGANDDECODING,ISALSOINVOLVESINFERENCEHOWEVER,THEYMA
45、INTAINTHATINFERENCEHASONLYTODOWITHTHEHEARERFROMTHESPEAKERSSIDE,COMMUNICATIONSHOULDBESEENASANACTOFMAKINGCLEARONESINTENTIONTHATINFERENCEHASONLYTODOWITHTHEHEARERITISNOTTHATTHEREISACONTEXT,ONWHICHTHERELEVANCEOFANASSUMPTIONDEPENDS,WHATISGIVENISRELEVANCEPEOPLEGENERALLYASSUMETHATTHEASSUMPTIONTHEYAREPROCESS
46、INGISRELEVANTOTHERWISETHEYWOULDNOTBOTHERTOPROCESSIT,THENTRYTOFINDACONTEXTINWHICHITSRELEVANCEWILLBEMAXIMIZEDTHISTHEORYWASFORMALLYPROPOSEDBYDANSPERBERANDDEIRDREWILSONINTHEIRBOOKRELEVANCECOMMUNICATIONANDCOGNITIONIN1986INTHEUTTERANCEMEANINGTHEYHAVEEXPLICATORANDIMPLICATURE,BUTTOUNDERSTANDTHEBOTHSIDESIMPL
47、ICATURE,IMPLICATUREISTHECONTEXTUALIMPLICATEWHICHSTATESCLEARLYINFERSRESULTSINTHEINFORMATIONINTENTIONWHICHTHESPEAKERMUSTTRANSMITIT,MOREOVERMUSTCAUSETOBEOBEDIENTTHEHEARERTOUNDERSTANDTHEMSELVESEXJOHNIAMTIREDTINAIFYOUARETIRED,ILLMAKETHEMEALINHERE,INTHECONTEXTINADVANCETHEIMPLICATIVEISRELATEDTOTINABECAUSEJ
48、OHNEXPRESSEDTHESUPPOSITION,WHICHTHECONTEXTDEPENDSONTINAWILLMAKETHEMEAL42THECONVERSATIONALIMPLICATUREANDILLOCUTIONARYFORCESOMESENTENCESCANBEINTERPRETEDLITERALLYACCORDINGTOUNDERSTANDUSAGEOFTHEWORDSORFIGURATIVELYBYDEVIATINGFROMWHATWEUNDERSTANDTOBETHESTANDARDSIGNIFICANTOFTHEWORDSFROMSOMESPECIALMEANINGOR
49、EFFECTCONTEXTCANPROMPTREADERSTOENGAGEINONEORTHEOTHERGRICENOTICESTHATINDAILYCONVERSATIONSPEOPLEDONOTUSUALLYSAYTHINGSDIRECTLYBUTTENDTOIMPLYTHEMTHEPEOPLEMANAGETOCONVEYIMPLICATURE,DONOTNORMALLYCONSISTOFASUCCESSIONOFDISCONNECTEDREMARKS,ANDWOULDNOTBERATIONALIFTHEYDIDTHEREARECHARACTERISTICALLY,TOSOMEDEGREEATLEAST,COOPERATIVEEFFORTS,ANDEACHPARTICIPANTRECOGNIZESINTHEM,TOSOMECONTEXTS,ACOMMONPURPOSEORSETOFPURPOSESATLEASTAMUTUALLYACCEPTEDDIRECTIONEXAINEEDACARTHISWEEKENDBUTMINEHASBROKENDOWNBIAMSORRYTOHEARIT,BUTYOUCANALWAYSRENTONEIFYOUHAVEALICENSE
