语境在语篇理解中的作用【毕业论文】.doc

1、（20_届）本科毕业设计英语语境在语篇理解中的作用THEFUNCTIONOFCONTEXTINDISCOURSEINTERPRETATION摘要话语双方在交流的时候，听者不仅要知道话语的表面含义，而且要根据当时的语境分析和理解其内在的含义。语境在语篇理解中有非常重要的作用。自从波兰人类学家MALINOWSKI在1923年提出语境的概念以来，越来越多的学者对其感兴趣，并在不同方面的研究中做出了许多贡献。本篇论文中，在回顾前辈学者对语境所作研究的发展情况的基础了，我们用语用学的方法研究语境的作用，探讨了语境的定义分类；同时，阐述了运用语境的四个方法参考、假定、暗示和推断。此外，着重分析语境的两个主

2、要功能限制功能和解释功能。最后，简要总结全文，指出课题的研究意义和不足之处。关键词语境；作用；基本方法；语篇ABSTRACTINORDERTOUNDERSTANDWHATTHESPEAKERSAYSCOMPLETELY,THELISTENERSHOULDNOTONLYKNOWTHELITERALMEANING,BUTALSOACQUIREANDANALYZETHEIMPLIEDACCORDINGTOTHECONTEXTCONTEXTPLAYSAGREATROLEINTHEINTERPRETATIONOFADISCOURSESINCETHEPOLISHANTHROPOLOGISTMALINOWS

3、KIPUTFORWARDTHECONCEPTOF“CONTEXT”IN1923,SCHOLARSHAVEHADINCREASINGINTERESTINITANDTHEYHAVEDONEMANYRESEARCHESINTODIFFERENTASPECTSOFITANDTHEYMADEGREATCONTRIBUTIONSTORESEARCHESOFCONTEXTINTHISTHESIS,THEAUTHORREVIEWSTHESTUDYOFPREDECESSORSABOUTCONTEXT,ANDSTUDIESTHEFUNCTIONOFCONTEXTINPRAGMATICAPPROACHATTHESA

4、METIME,THEAUTHORDISCUSSESTHENATUREOFCONTEXTANDGIVESADEFINITIONTHENTHEAUTHORDISCUSSESTHECLASSIFICATIONOFCONTEXT,THEBASICWAYSOFUNDERSTANDINGCONTEXT,REFERENCE,PRESUPPOSITION,IMPLICATURE,INFERENCEANDTWOMAINFUNCTIONSOFCONTEXT,INTERPRETATIVEFUNCTIONANDRESTRICTIVEFUNCTIONANDATTHEENDOFTHEESSAYCOMESOMECONCLU

5、SIONS,ANDSOMECOMMENTSAREMADEONTHEVALUEANDTHELIMITATIONOFTHISTHESISKEYWORDSCONTEXTFUNCTIONBASICWAYSDISCOURSECONTENTSABSTACT1INTRODUCTION111MYAPPROACHANDPURPOSEINTHISTHESIS112THESTRUCTUREOFTHISTHESIS12THENATUREOFCONTEXT221DEFINITION222CLASSIFICATIONOFCONTEXT23LITERATUREREVIEWOFSTUDIESOFCONTEXT34THEFUN

6、CTIONOFCONTEXTINDISCOURSEINTERPRETATION541BASICWAYSONUNDERSTANDINGTHECONTEXT5411REFERENCE5412PRESUPPOSITION6413IMPLICATURE6414INFERENCE742INTERPRETATIVEFUNCTION843RESTRICTIVEFUNCTION95CONCLUSION12BIBLIOGRAPHY14ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS1511INTRODUCTION11MYAPPROACHANDPURPOSEINTHISTHESISCONTEXTREFERSTOWHATCOMES

7、BEFOREANDAFTERAWORD,PHRASE,STATEMENT,ETCHELPINGTOFIXTHEMEANINGORREFERRINGTOCIRCUMSTANCESINWHICHANEVENTOCCURSOXFORDADVANCEDLEARNERSDICTIONARYOFCURRENTENGLISHWITHCHINESETRANSLATION,4THEDITION,1994WECANALSOCALLIT“COMMUNICATIONFIELD”INTHESPEECHCOMMUNICATION,ONLYWHENTHESPEAKERANDHEARERLINKTOEACHOTHERCOND

8、ITIONALLYANDORGANIZEACOMMUNICATIONFIELD,CANTHETALKDEVELOPFREQUENTLYANDEFFECTIVELYDURINGTHEPROCESSOFTHEWHOLECOMMUNICATION,SOMEOBJECTIVEFACTORSSUCHASTIME,PLACE,SITUATION,THEPERSONYOUTALKINGWITHCANINFLUENCETHECOMMUNICATION,SODOTHESUBJECTIVEFACTORSSUCHASTHESTATUS,OCCUPATION,MOOD,CHARACTERCONTEXTPLAYSAGR

9、EATROLEBOTHINTHEPRODUCTIONANDTHEINTERPRETATIONOFCOMMUNICATIONINTHISTHESISWEWILLSTUDYITSFUNCTIONINDISCOURSEINTERPRETATION12THESTRUCTUREOFTHISTHESISTHISDISSERTATIONCONSISTSOFFIVEPARTSTHEFIRSTPARTPRESENTSANINTRODUCTIONWHICHINCLUDESTHEAPPROACHANDPURPOSEANDSTRUCTUREOFTHISTHESISTHENTHEAUTHORREVIEWSTHESTUD

10、YOFPREDECESSORSABOUTCONTEXTAFTERTHELITERATEREVIEW,THETHIRDPARTOFTHETHESISDISCUSSESTHENATUREOFCONTEXT,THEDEFINITION,ANDTHECLASSIFICATIONOFCONTEXTTHEFOURTHPARTANALYZESTHEFUNCTIONSOFCONTEXTINDISCOURSEINTERPRETATIONINTERPRETATIVEFUNCTIONANDRESTRICTIVEFUNCTIONANDTHEREAREFOURBASICWAYSOFUNDERSTANDINGCONTEX

11、T,REFERENCE,PRESUPPOSITION,IMPLICATURE,INFERENCETHELASTPARTDRAWSSOMECONCLUSIONSITSOMECOMMENTSAREMADEONTHEVALUEANDTHELIMITATIONOFTHISTHESIS2THENATUREOFTHECONTEXT21DEFINITIONOFCONTEXTCONTEXTISAGENERALTERMUSEDINLINGUISTICSANDPHONETICSTOREFERTOSPECIFICPARTSOFANUTTERANCEORTEXTNEARORADJACENTTOAUNITWHICHIS

12、THEFOCUSOFATTENTIONITALSOREFERSTOTHEFEATURESOFTHENONLINGUISTICWORLDINRELATIONTOWHICHLINGUISTICUNITSARESYSTEMATICALLYUSEDADICTIONARYOFLINGUISTICSANDPHONETICS,19852ANENGLISHDICTIONARYOFCOLLINSCOBUILDNEWEDITIONGIVESFOURMEANINGSOFCONTEXT1THECONTEXTOFANIDEAOREVENTISTHEGENERALSITUATIONTHATRELATESTOIT,ANDW

13、HICHHELPSITTOBEUNDERSTOOD2THECONTEXTOFAWORD,SENTENCE,ORTEXTCONSISTSOFTHEWORDS,SENTENCES,ORTEXTBEFOREORAFTERITWHICHHELPTOMAKEITSMEANINGCLEAR3IFSOMETHINGISSEENINCONTEXTORIFITISPUTINTOCONTEXT,ITISCONSIDEREDTOGETHERWITHALLTHEFACTORSTHATRELATETOIT4IFASTATEMENTORREMARKISQUOTEDOUTOFCONTEXT,THECIRCUMSTANCES

14、WHICHITWASSAIDARENOTCORRECTLYREPORTED,SOTHATITSEEMSTOMEANSOMETHINGDIFFERENTFROMTHEMEANINGTHATWASINTENDED22THECLASSIFICATIONOFCONTEXTACCORDINGTOPRAGMATICSANDDISCOURSEJOANCUTTING,2008,THEREARETHREETYPICALSORTSOFCONTEXT1SITUATIONALCONTEXTWHATSPEAKERSKNOWABOUTWHATTHEYCANSEEAROUNDTHEM,IETHEIMMEDIATEPHYSI

15、CALCOPRESENCE,THESITUATIONWHERETHEINTERACTIONISTAKINGPLACEATTHEMOMENTOFSPEAKINGLINGUISTICCONTEXTPHONOLOGICALCONTEXTLEXICALCONTEXT32BACKGROUNDKNOWLEDGECONTEXTWHATTHEYKNOWABOUTEACHOTHERANDTHEWORLDTHISCANBEEITHERCULTURALGENERALKNOWLEDGETHATMOSTPEOPLECARRYWITHTHEMINTHEIRMINDS,ABOUTAREASOFLIFE,ORINTERPER

16、SONALKNOWLEDGE,SPECIFICANDPOSSIBLYPRIVATEKNOWLEDGEABOUTTHEHISTORYOFTHESPEAKERSTHEMSELVES3COTEXTCONTEXTWHATTHEYKNOWABOUTWHATTHEYHAVEBEENSAYING,IETHECONTEXTOFTHETEXTITSELFIN1987,HEZHAOXIONGGAVEUSHISCLASSIFICATIONOFCONTEXTTHEULTIMATEPURPOSEOFLANGUAGEISFORCOMMUNICATIONINWHICHINFORMATIONCANBECONVEYED,AND

17、IDEASPRESENTEDTHEREFORETHECOREOFCOMMUNICATIONISTHEMUTUALUNDERSTANDINGAMONGLANGUAGEUSERSWEDEFINECONTEXTBECAUSECONTEXTFUNCTIONSALOTINLANGUAGEUSEANDWECLASSIFYITBECAUSEITFUNCTIONSVARIABLYTOSOME,CONTEXTISSIMPLYCOCONTEXT,WHILETOSOMEOTHERS,CONTEXTALMOSTMEANSEVERYTHINGSOWEWILLREVIEWTHESTUDYOFPREDECESSORSABO

18、UTCONTEXT3REVIEWTHESTUDYOFPREDECESSORSABOUTCONTEXTTHEFOCUSONTHEGREATROLEOFCONTEXTININTERPRETATIONCANDATEFROMBMALINOWSKIINTRYINGTOEXPLAINTHEMEANINGOFTHEDISCOURSEFROMTHETROBRIANDISLANDINTHESOUTHPACIFICTOTHEENGLISHSPEAKINGREADERS,MALINOWSKIFELTITNECESSARYTOPROVIDEINFORMATIONNOTONLYABOUTTHESITUATIONINWH

19、ICHTHEDISCOURSESWEREPRODUCED,BUTALSOABOUTTHEWIDERCONTEXT,THETOTALCULTURALBACKGROUNDMALINOWSKI,1923MALINOWSKISCONCEPTOFCONTEXTISAGREATCONTRIBUTIONTOTHESTUDYOFMEANINGANDCONTEXTHOWEVER,THEREISALIMITATIONINHISVIEWONCONTEXTGRAMMATICALCONTEXTNONLINGUISTICCONTEXTSITUATIONALCONTEXTSOCIALCONTEXTCULTURALCONTE

20、XT4CONTEXTHETHOUGHTTHATTHECONCEPTOFCONTEXTWASONLYNEEDEDINUNDERSTANDINGTHEMEANINGOFTHE“PRIMITIVELANGUAGE”DEFINEDBYHIMJOHNRUPETFIRTH,THEFOUNDEROFMODERNBRITISHLINGUISTICSTOOKOVERMALINOWSKISOPINIONOFCONTEXTANDDEVELOPEDTHENOTIONOFCONTEXTHECLAIMSTHATTHEREARETWOKINDSOFCONTEXTSTHEFIRSTKINDEXISTSINSIDELANGUA

21、GEITREFERSTOTHESYNTAGMATICRELATIONSAMONGCONSTITUENCIESATDIFFERENTLEVELSTHEOTHERONEISCALLEDCONTEXTOFSITUATIONANDCONCERNSTHEPARADIGMATICRELATIONSBETWEENWORDSOROTHERLANGUAGESHECLAIMSTHATCONTEXTOFSITUATIONISASERIESOFLINGUISTICANDNONLINGUISTICCATEGORIESRELATEDWITHEACHOTHERTHEYREFERTOFACTORSINTHEFOLLOWING

22、CATEGORIESATHERELEVANTFEATURESOFPARTICIPANTSPERSONS,PERSONALITIES1THEVERBALACTIONOFTHEPARTICIPANTS2THENONVERBALACTIONOFTHEPARTICIPANTSBTHERELEVANTOBJECTSCTHEEFFECTOFTHEVERBALACTIONFIRTH,1957MAKHALLIDAY,THEFOUNDEROFSYSTEMICFUNCTIONALGRAMMAR,DEVELOPEDASOCIALANDFUNCTIONALAPPROACHTOTHESTUDYOFLANGUAGEHIS

23、APPROACHLEADSONTOANOTIONOFREGISTERWHICHISAVARIETYOFLANGUAGEDISTINGUISHEDACCORDINGTOTHEUSEINHALLIDAYSVIEW,REGISTERISCONCERNEDWITHWHATANDHOWFEATURESOFCONTEXTITALSODETERMINESTHECHOICEOFLANGUAGEINTHEPARTICULARCONTEXTHETHINKSTHATTHEYCANBEDISTINGUISHEDINTERMSOFFIELDOFDISCOURSE,MODEOFDISCOURSEANDTENOROFDIS

24、COURSEITISTHEPRODUCTOFTHESETHREEDIMENSIONSOFCLASSIFICATIONTHATCOLLECTIVELYDEFINESTHECONTEXTOFADISCOURSEFIELDREFERSTOTHENATUREOFSOCIALACTIONWHATITISTHEINTERACTANTSAREABOUTTENORREFERSTOTHESTATUSESANDROLERELATIONSHIPSWHOISTAKINGPARTINTHEINTERACTIONMODEREFERSTOTHERHETORICALCHANNELANDFUNCTIONOFTHEDISCOUR

25、SEWHATPARTTHETEXTISPLAYINGHALLIDAY,2000390JAPANESELINGUISTXIZHENGGUANGZHENG199268SUMMARIESTHEFUNCTIONSOFCONTEXTCOMPREHENSIVELY,INCLUDINGEIGHTASPECTSABSOLUTEFUNCTION,SELECTIONRESTRICTION,INTERPRETATION,DESIGN,FILTERSANDCOMPLEMENT,GENERATIVEFUNCTION,CONVERSATIONANDFUNCTIONOFACQUISITIONAMONGTHESESELECT

26、IONRESTRICTIONANDINTERPRETATIONARETWOOFTHEMOSTIMPORTANTFUNCTIONSCHINESELINGUISTSHAVEALSOMADERESEARCHESONCONTEXTFORALONGTIMEINASEARLYAS1930SCHENWANGDAOCLAIMEDTHATRHETORICSHOULDADAPTTOTHESITUATIONANDTHETHEMETHETERMSITUATIONHEREREFERSTOTHEVARIOUSKINDSOFPARTICULARSITUATIONSINTHESESITUATIONS,WRITINGORSPE

27、AKINGOCCURSEACHOFTHESEPARTICULARSITUATIONSCONSISTSOFSIXWHATANDHOWELEMENTSWHY,WHAT,WHERE,WHO,WHENANDHOWTHESITUATIONANDTHETHEMEHEREREFERTOCONTEXTHEZHAOXIONGILLUSTRATESCONTEXTASTWOKINDSOFKNOWLEDGEINNERLINGUISTICKNOWLEDGE5ANDEXTRALINGUISTICKNOWLEDGEHEZHAOXIONG2001INNERLINGUISTICKNOWLEDGEHEREREFERSTOTHEK

28、NOWLEDGEOFASETOFRULESTHATFORMSTHEBASISOFPEOPLESABILITYTOSPEAKANDUNDERSTANDHISLANGUAGEEXTRALINGUISTICKNOWLEDGEINCLUDESTHEKNOWLEDGESHAREDBYTHESPEAKERANDTHEHEARERANDTHETOTALNONLINGUISTICBACKGROUNDOFANUTTERANCE,SUCHASTHEIMMEDIATESITUATIONINWHICHITISUSEDITALSOINCLUDESTHEAWARENESSBYTHESPEAKERANDTHEHEARERO

29、FWHATHASBEENSAIDEARLIERANDOFANYRELEVANTSUOZHENYUPROPOSESADEFINITIONOFCONTEXTTHATPEOPLECOMMUNICATEWITHEACHOTHERINNATURALLANGUAGESHISTHEORYOFCONTEXTDIVIDESCONTEXTINTOCOTEXT,CONTEXTOFSITUATIONANDHISTORICALANDCULTURALTRADITIONCONTEXT4THEFUNCTIONSOFCONTEXTS41THREEBASICWAYSOFUNDERSTANDINGCONTEXT411REFEREN

30、CETHETRADITIONALVIEWOFREFERENCEISTHERELATIONSHIPOFREFERENCEWORDSREFERTOTHINGSACCORDINGTOLYONS,ITISTHESPEAKERWHOREFERSTOHEINVESTSTHEEXPRESSIONWITHREFERENCEBYTHEACTOFREFERRINGITISAPRAGMATICCONCEPTTHAT“REFERRINGISSOMETHINGANEXPRESSIONDOESITISSOMETHINGTHATSOMEONECANUSEANEXPRESSIONTODO”ANDINSEARLESVIEWTH

31、AT“INTHESENSEINWHICHSPEAKERSREFER,EXPRESSIONSDONOTREFERANYOTHERTHANTHEYMAKEPROMISESORGIVEORDERS”WHENWEANALYZEDISCOURSE,REFERENCEISTREATEDASANACTIONONTHEPARTOFTHESPEAKERWEUSETHEEXPRESSIONSLIKEMYUNCLEANDHEREFERSTOONEPERSONANDMYMOTHERSSISTERANDSHETOREFERTOANOTHERWEWILLNOTSAYTHATSHEREFERSTOMYUNCLEFOREXA

32、MPLEAMYUNCLESCOMINGHOMEFROMCANADAONSUNDAYHESDUEINBHOWLONGHASHEBEENAWAYFORORHASHEJUSTBEENAWAYCOH,NOTHEYLIVEDINCANADAHEWASMARRIEDTOMYMOTHERSSISTERWELLSHESBEENDEADFORANUMBEROFYEARSNOW412PRESUPPOSITIONTHENOTIONSOFPRESUPPOSITIONCANBEDEFINEDINTERMSOFASSUMPTIONSTHESPEAKERMAKESABOUTWHATTHEHEARERISLIKELYTOAC

33、CEPTWITHOUTCHALLENGEGIVON,1979THENOTIONOFASSUMED“COMMONGROUND”ISALSOINVOLVEDINSUCHACHARACTERIZATIONOFPRESUPPOSITIONAREWHATISTAKENBYTHESPEAKERTOBETHECOMMONGROUNDOFTHEPARTICIPANTSINTHE6CONVERSATIONSFOREXAMPLEAHAVEYOURETURNEDTHEBOOKTOTHELIBRARYBYESINTHISSPEECH,THEYSHARETHESAMEBACKGROUNDKNOWLEDGETHEPRES

34、UPPOSITIONISBOTHAANDBKNOWWHICHBOOKAHASBORROWED413IMPLICATUREPEOPLEUSUALLYDONTEXPRESSTHEIRTHOUGHTSDIRECTLYFORSOMESUBJECTIVEOROBJECTIVEREASONINTHEVERBALCOMMUNICATIONTHEYCONVEYITINDIRECTLYWHICHLEADSTOTHEARISINGOFIMPLICATIVETHETERMIMPLICATUREISUSEDBYGRICETOACCOUNTFORWHATASPEAKERCANIMPLYASDISTINCTFROMWHA

35、TTHESPEAKERLITERALLYSAYSTHEREARECONVENTIONALIMPLICATUREWHICHIS,ACCORDINGTOGRICE,DETERMINEDBYTHECONVENTIONALMEANINGOFTHEWORDSUSEDIMPLICATUREDERIVESFROMASUPPOSITIONTHATTHESPEAKERHASTHEINTENTIONOFCONVEYINGMEANINGANDOFOBEYINGTHECOOPERATIVEPRINCIPLEHERECOMESABRIEFEXAMPLEAIAMOUTOFPETROLBTHEREISAGARAGEROUN

36、DTHECORNERFROMTHISCASE,ASAYSHEDOESNOTHAVEPETROL,WHILEBTELLINGATHEREISAGARAGEAROUNDTHECORNERITSEEMSBDOESNOTREPLYTOASQUESTIONINFACT,BGIVESTHEANSWERTHATAREALLYWANTSHERE,IMPLICATUREAREPRODUCEDINTHISSPECIFICCONTEXTWHICHISSHAREDBYAANDBANOTHEREXAMPLEAWHATONEARTHHASHAPPENEDTOTHEROASTBEEFBTHEDOGISLOOKINGVERY

37、HAPPYLEVINSON,2001126ITISQUITEOBVIOUSTHATBISNOTDESCRIBINGWHATTHEDOGLOOKSBUTIMPLICATINGTHATMAYBETHEDOGHASEATENTHEROASTBEEFINTHISUTTERANCE,BDOESNTGIVEAADIRECTACCESSTOHISINTENDEDMEANINGHOWEVER,ASTILLCANARRIVEATASPECIFICINFERENCETHROUGHCONTEXTBECAUSEBOTHAANDBKNOWTHATDOGSLIKETHEROASTBEEFANDWHENTHEDOGINQU

38、ESTIONISFED,ITLOOKSHAPPY414INFERENCESINCETHEDISCOURSEANALYST,LIKETHEHEARER,HASNODIRECTACCESSTOASPEAKERSINTENDEDMEANINGINPRODUCINGANUTTERANCE,HEOFTENHASTORELAYONAPROCESSOFINFERENCETOARRIVEATANINTERPRETATIONORFORTHECONNECTIONSBETWEENUTTERANCESSUCHINFERENCESAPPEARTOBEOF7DIFFERENTKINDSFOREXAMPLEAIFITSSU

39、NNY,ITSWARMBITSSUNNYCSO,ITSWARMTHECOREOFUNDERSTANDINGISTOCHOOSETHERIGHTCONTEXTBESIDESTHEBASICKNOWLEDGEOFWORDMEANINGANDSENTENCESTRUCTURESTOPUTANUTTERANCEINAPROPERCONTEXTISTHEPREMISEOFINTERPRETINGTHEUTTERANCEFORANOTHEREXAMPLEACHILDWALKSINTOTHEKITCHENANDTAKESSOMEPOPCORNFATHERITHOUGHTYOUWEREPRACTICINGYO

40、URVIOLINCHILDINEEDTOGETTHEVIOLINSTANDFATHERISITUNDERTHEPOPCORNTHELITERALMEANINGOFTHEFATHERSLASTWORDISAQUESTIONCONCERNSTHEPLACEOFTHESTANDHOWEVER,WITHTHECONTEXTUALKNOWLEDGETHATVIOLINSTANDSARENOTNORMALLYHIDDENUNDERTHEPOPCORNINTHEKITCHEN,THECHILDCANKNOWTHEIMPLIEDMEANINGOFHISFATHERSHUMOROUSUTTERANCEYOURE

41、LYING42INTERPRETATIVEFUNCTIONINTERPRETIVEFUNCTIONMEANSCONTEXTCANHELPSPEAKERANDLISTENERTORULEOUTAMBIGUITIESANDDETERMINETHESPECIFICMEANINGOFPRAGMATICITREFERSTOTHEFACTTHATCONTEXTMAYOFFEREXPLANATIONSFORTHEINTERPRETATIONOFADISCOURSEINORDERTOUNDERSTANDTHETOTALMEANINGOFADISCOURSE,THERECEIVERSHOULDNOTONLYAC

42、QUIRETHELITERALMEANINGOFIT,BUTALSOINFERTHEIMPLICATEDMEANINGACCORDINGTOTHECONTEXTTHEEXPRESSIONOFLANGUAGEDETACHEDFROMCONTEXTMAYHAVEVARIOUSMEANINGSHOWEVER,SPECIFICMEANINGSHOULDDEPENDONTHECHOICEOFCONTEXTTHATISTOSAY,CONTEXTCANHELPUSRULEOUTVAGUENESSAMBIGUITYMEANSTHATONELANGUAGEUNITHASTWOORMOREMEANINGSAMBI

43、GUITYPHENOMENONISAKINDOFCOMMONPHENOMENONINLANGUAGESANDMAINLYEXISTSINLEXICALANDSYNTACTICALLEXICONAMBIGUITYISCAUSEDBYPOLYSEMYANDHOMOPHONYHOMOPHONYREFERSTOTWOORMORELEXICALWORDSPRONOUNCETHESAMEAWORD,PHRASE,ORSENTENCEISAMBIGUOUSIFITCARRIESMORETHANONEMEANINGTHEWORD“LIGHT”,FOREXAMPLE,CANMEANNOTVERYHEAVYORN

44、OTVERYDARKWORDSLIKE“LIGHT”,“NOTE”,“BEAR”AND“OVER”ARELEXICALLYAMBIGUOUS1SHECANNOTBEARCHILDRENTHESENTENCEHASTWOMEANINGS8SHECANNOTTOLERATECHILDRENSHECANNOTGIVEBIRTHTOCHILDRENTHESENTENCEINDUCESAMBIGUITYINASENSE,AMBIGUITYISAKINDOFVAGUENESSITSELFHOWEVER,ITDIFFERSFROMVAGUENESSINTHATAMBIGUITYUSUALLYHASTWOOR

45、MOREDIFFERENTINTERPRETATIONSATTHESAMETIMEIFTHELISTENERORREADERCHOOSESDIFFERENTCONTEXTS2THEMANBEATSTHEDOGWITHASTICKWECANUNDERSTANDTHESENTENCETHATTHEDOGHOLDSASTICKBETWEENITSLIPSBESIDESTHATWECANALSOBEINTERPRETEDTHATTHEMANSTRIKESATTHEDOGWITHHISSTICKHOWTOUNDERSTANDDEPENDSONTHESPECIFICCONTEXT3AWHEREAREYOU

46、GOINGBTOTHEBANKOBVIOUSLY,THEPOLYSEMYOF“BANK”ISVAGUEITISHARDFORATODETERMINEWHEREBWILLGOWITHOUTCONTEXTIFBTAKESLOTSOFFOOD,ANDTHEWEATHERISFINE,AMAYDETERMINETHATBWILLGOTOTHERIVERBANKTOHAVEAPICNICIFBCARRIESDIRTYCLOTHES,AMAYTHINKTHATBWILLGOTORIVERBANKTOWASHTHECLOTHESIFBGOESWITHABAG,AMAYCONSIDERBWILLGOTOTHE

47、BANK43RESTICTIVEFUNCTIONRESTRICTIVEFUNCTIONREFERSTORESTRICTINGTHEUSEOFALANGUAGEEVERYLANGUAGEITEM,NOMATTERHOWMANYMEANINGSITHAS,WHENUSEDINASPECIALSITUATION,CANONLYMEANONETHINGDUETOTHERESTRICTIVEFUNCTIONOFTHECONTEXTASPEAKER/ANDWRITERCHOOSESLANGUAGEFORMSRELEVANTTOTHECONTEXTTOCONVEYIDEASALISTENER/READERM

48、AYCOMPREHENDLANGUAGEFORMSWITHTHEHELPOFTHECONTEXTONEOFTHEMOSTIMPORTANTFACTORSINFLUENCEDTHEDECODINGANDENCODINGOFTHECONTEXTISTHERELATIVITYOFTHECONTEXT,WHILEPEOPLEUSECONTEXTTOUNDERSTANDLANGUAGEFORMSANDTHEYALSOMAYCREATEVARIOUSCONTEXTSTOHELPTHEMINCOMMUNICATIONNOWWEWILLANALYZEAFEWOFCASESFORFINDINGTHEDIFFER

49、ENTFUNCTIONSOFCONTEXT1“TODAYISSUNDAY”THELITERALMEANINGOFTHISSENTENCESEEMSSIMPLEWHILETHOROUGHLYUNDERSTANDTHEMEANINGISQUITEDIFFICULTWESHOULDFULLYCONSIDERTHECOMPLEXITYOFPRAGMATICPRESUPPOSITIONTHISSENTENCEHASDIFFERENTMEANINGINDIFFERENTCONTEXTAACOUPLE,THEHUSBANDCONCENTRATESONBUSINESSANDBUSYWITHHISWORKEVERYDAYTHEWIFECARESFORHISHUSBANDANDSAYSTOHISHUSBANDONSUNDAY“DARLING,TODAYISSUNDAY”BTHEHUSBANDDOESNTDOHOUSEWORKATALL,ANDONEDAYHEPROMISESTHATHEWILLDOTHEHOUSEWORKONTHISSUNDAYONSUNDAY,THEHUSBANDDOESNTWAKEUPUNTIL10OCLOCKMOREBADLY,HEWATCHESTVAFTERGETTIN