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Language use as principle: The relevance theory approach

Language use as principle: The relevance theory approach. Shaozhong Liu, Ph.D. (Pragmatics) / Ph.D. (Higher Education) School of Foreign Studies, Guilin University of Electronic Technology Homepage: www.gxnu.edu.cn/Personal/szliu Blog: cyrusliu.blog.163.com Email: shaozhong@hotmail.com.

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Language use as principle: The relevance theory approach

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  1. Language use as principle: The relevance theory approach Shaozhong Liu, Ph.D. (Pragmatics) / Ph.D. (Higher Education) School of Foreign Studies, Guilin University of Electronic Technology Homepage: www.gxnu.edu.cn/Personal/szliu Blog: cyrusliu.blog.163.com Email: shaozhong@hotmail.com essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  2. Synopsis 1. Relevance:communication and cognition 2. Why the RT? 3. What is the RT? 4. The explanatory adequacy of the RT 5. Status quo of the RT 6. References essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  3. 1. Relevance: communication and cognition • In 1986, Blackwell Publishers in Oxford, UK, published a book entitled Relevance: communication and cognition. It was a monograph co-authored by Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson. The book received immediate welcome, and was reprinted in 1988, 1990, 1993, 1994, and a second edition came out in 1995. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  4. Dan Sperber dan@sperber.com http://www.dan.sperber.com/ • Dan Sperber is a French social and cognitive scientist. He is the author of Rethinking Symbolism (Cambridge UP 1975), On Anthropological Knowledge (Cambridge UP 1985), Explaining Culture (Blackwell 1996). essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  5. In these three books, he has developed a naturalistic approach to culture under the name of "epidemiology of representations". Dan holds a research professorship at the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Paris, and has held visiting positions at Cambridge University, the British Academy, the London School of Economics, the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem, the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, Princeton University, the University of Michigan, the University of Bologna, and the University of Hong-Kong. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  6. Dan Sperber is also the co-author, with Deirdre Wilson (Department of Linguistics, University College, London) of Relevance: Communication and Cognition (Blackwell 1986 - Second Revised Edition, 1995). Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson have developed a cognitive approach to communication known as "Relevance Theory". Both the epidemiology of representations and relevance theory have been influential and also controversial. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  7. Deirdre Wilson deirdre@linguistics.ucl.ac.uk http://www.icn.ucl.ac.uk/members/Wilso86/ essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  8. Prof. Deirdre Wilsonteaches in the Dept. Phonetics and Linguistics University College LondonGower Street London WC1E 6BT Her areas of expertise include: cognitive processes, semantics, and speech perception. Currently she is examining into aspects of pragmatics including the theory and practice of communication and comprehension, particularly verbal. Disambiguation, reference, implicature, speech acts, figurative meanings. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  9. Here’s the Contents of Relevance: communication and cognition: • Preface 1. Communication ( 1.1 The code model and the semiotic approach to communication 1.2 Decoding and inference in verbal communication 1.3 The mutual-knowledge hypothesis 1.4 Grice’s approach to ‘meaning’ and communication 1.5 Should the code model and the inferential model be amalgamated? 1.6 Problems of definition 1.7 Problems of essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  10. explanation: Grice’s theory of conversation 1.8 Cognitive environments and mutual manifestness 1.9 Relevance and ostension 1.10 Ostensive-inferential communication 1.11 The informative intention 1.12 The communicative intention) 2. Inference (2.1 Non-demonstrative inference 2.2 Logical forms, propositional attitudes and factual assumptions 2.3 Strength of assumptions 2.4 Deductive rules and concepts 2.5 The deductive device 2.6 Some types of deduction 2.7 Contextual effects: the role of deduction in non-demonstrative inference) essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  11. 3. Relevance (3.1 Conditions for relevance 3.2 Degrees of relevance 3.3 Is the context given or chosen? 3.4 a choice of contexts 3.5 Relevance to an individual 3.6 The relevance of phenomena and stimuli 3.7 The principle of relevance 3.8 How relevance theory explains ostensive-inferential communication) 4. Aspects of verbal communication (4.1 Language and communication 4.2 Verbal communication, explicature and implicature 4.3 The identification of propositional forms 4.4 The identification of implicature 4.5 Propositional form and style: prepossitional effects 4.6 Implicatures and style: poetic effects 4.7 Descriptive and interpretive dimensions of language use 4.8 Literalness and metaphor 4.9 Echoic utterances and irony 4.10 Speech acts) essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  12. 2. Why the RT? • Communication models: The Code model • Mechanisms in conversations: • John Austin (1962): Speech as act (Speech Act Theory) vs. John Searle (1969): Speech as indirect act • H. P. Grice (1975): Speech as implicating (Cooperative Principle and suggested topics for further studies) • Penelope Brown & Stephen Levinson (1978): face want (of Ideal Man) (Face Theory and sociological and cultural explanations) • Geoffrey Leech (1983): politeness in speech (Politeness Principle) essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  13. 3. What is the RT? • A novel attempt at explaining verbal communication • Communication as informative intent + communicative intent • Communication as identifying and manipulating cognitive environments /contexts • Communication as encoding + decoding • Communication model: Ostention + Inferring • Communicative principle of relevance: Every utterance conveys a presumption of its own optimal relevance essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  14. 2) A novel attempt at explaining human cognition via verbal communication • Relevance of a piece of information is in essence always individual or to an individual in two manifestations: 1) A piece of information is relevant to an individual to the extent that its cognitive effects in the individual are large. 2) A piece of information is relevant to an individual to the extent that the effort required to achieve these effects is small. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  15. The cognitive principle of relevance: Human cognitive processes are aimed at processing the most relevant information available in the most relevant way. There is a presumption of relevance in every verbal cognition in that 1) an articulated utterance is always relevant enough to be worth the addressee’s processing effort, and 2) the utterance is the most relevant one compatible with the communicator’s abilities and preferences. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  16. 4. The explanatory adequacy of the RT 2004/4/26 (second round of the 2004 ma entrance exam) 1). 团结拼搏，共闯辉煌。 United, worked and splendid together. To unite together and struggle, thus to build excellence together. To struggle with one heart, and create fruits together. Unite, work hard and achieve our ambition. Unite, fight for the bright! Strife unitedly and make prosperosity. Be united and strive for prosperity together. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  17. Union and drive then create splendid together. Strike together and make a promising future. Struggle united and glory together. Unit and work together to open up brilliant future. Hanging together and fighting for the same goal—the prosperous future. Work hard like one man to fulfill achievement. Work diligently and solidaritly to make great achievement. Unite and struggle together to create brilliant achievement. Unit and strive for a brilliant future. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  18. 2). 回归自然。 3). 班门弄斧。 4). 朝三暮四。 5). 买一送一。 6). Yao Ming is one of the seven-footers among this season’s NBA players. 7). 打井请call 127-3456781. 8). 恭喜侨迁之喜。 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  19. 5. Status quo of the RT Refer to: • RT in China: 2000- • RT Biblio via the Google essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  20. The RT at: Scholar.google.com • 1985: 共約有996,000項查詢結果 • 1986: 共約有1,030,000項查詢結果 • 1987: 共約有1,030,000項查詢結果 • 1988: 共約有1,040,000項查詢結果 • 1989: 共約有1,040,000項查詢結果 • 1990: 共約有1,080,000項查詢結果 • 1991: 共約有1,060,000項查詢結果 • 1992: 共約有522,000項查詢結果 • 1993: 共約有485,000項查詢結果 • 1994: 共約有489,000項查詢結果 • 1995: 共約有482,000項查詢結果 • 1996: 共約有394,000項查詢結果 • 1997: 共約有452,000項查詢結果 • 1998: 共約有422,000項查詢結果 • 1999: 共約有402,000項查詢結果 • 2000: 共約有390,000項查詢結果 • 2001: 共約有335,000項查詢結果 • 2002: 共約有278,000項查詢結果 • 2003: 共約有253,000項查詢結果 • 2004: 共約有240,000項查詢結果 • 2005: 共約有190,000項查詢結果 • 2006: 共約有15,400項查詢結果 • 2007: 共約有64,900項查詢結果 • 2008: 共約有43,300項查詢結果 • 2009: 共約有29,700項查詢結果 • 2010: 共約有20,800項查詢結果 • 2011: 共約有20,900項查詢結果 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  21. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  22. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  23. The RT at: Scholar.google.com “不限时间”“只包含书目/引用资料” • 1985: 共約有996,000項查詢結果 • 1986: 共約有1,030,000項查詢結果 • 1987: 共約有1,030,000項查詢結果 • 1988: 共約有1,040,000項查詢結果 • 1989: 共約有1,040,000項查詢結果 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  24. 1990: 共約有1,080,000項查詢結果 • 1991: 共約有1,060,000項查詢結果 • 1992: 共約有577,000項查詢結果 • 1993: 共約有607,000項查詢結果 • 1994: 共約有546,000項查詢結果 • 1995: 共約有1,070,000項查詢結果 • 1996: 共約有1,040,000項查詢結果 • 1997: 共約有987,000項查詢結果 • 1998: 共約有983,000項查詢結果 • 1999: 共約有995,000項查詢結果 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  25. 2000: 共約有1070,000項查詢結果 • 2001: 共約有919,000項查詢結果 • 2002: 共約有889,000項查詢結果 • 2003: 共約有808,000項查詢結果 • 2004: 共約有742,000項查詢結果 • 2005: 共約有650,000項查詢結果 • 2006: 共約有532,000項查詢結果 • 2007: 共約有411,00項查詢結果 • 2008: 共約有307,000項查詢結果 • 2009: 共約有179,000項查詢結果 • 2010: 共約有365,000項查詢結果 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  26. 2011: 共約有435,000項查詢結果 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  27. 「Google 學術搜尋」快訊: 2011 之後的範例結果 • A Hybrid Theory of Metaphor: Relevance Theory and Cognitive Linguistics by Markus Tendahl • FJR de Mendoza Ibáñez - Metaphor and Symbol, 2011The “feeling” that Relevance Theory (RT) and Cognitive Linguistics (CL), especially Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT), despite sharp differences, have enough points in common to make them largely complementary of each other is not new. It arises from ... essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  28. Parallels and differences in the treatment of metaphor in relevance theory and cognitive linguistics • D Wilson - Intercultural Pragmatics, 2011Abstract Both cognitive linguists and relevance theorists are developing original approaches to metaphor. Both shed new light on old debates and suggest fruitful directions for research. Although there has so far been little interaction between the two approaches, Raymond ... essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  29. Relevance theory and citations • HD White - Journal of Pragmatics, 2011Relevance theory (RT) holds that the relevance of communications is determined by their cognitive effects and the effort needed to process them. The evidence is usually drawn from dialogues between speakers and hearers. Self-communing scholars and scientists afford ... essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  30. Wilson & Sperber's Relevance Theory • B Müller - 2011GRIN - Verlag für akademische Texte Der GRIN Verlag mit Sitz in München hat sich seit der Gründung im Jahr 1998 auf die Veröffentlichung akademischer Texte spezialisiert. Die Verlagswebseite www.grin.com ist für Studenten, Hochschullehrer und andere Akade- miker die ideale ... essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  31. Relevance theory and unintended transmission of information • JM Gil - Intercultural Pragmatics, 2011Abstract In spite of the epigraph, the Theory of Relevance has overestimated the importance of intention in the study of verbal interaction. Therefore, this prototypical and current representative of Cognitive-Philosophical Pragmatics has inconveniently narrowed the ... essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  32. Broadening and narrowing in lexical development: How relevance theory can account for children's overextensions and underextensions • E Walaszewska - Journal of Pragmatics, 2011The paper examines the parallels between young children's overextensions and underextensions and lexical pragmatic processes of broadening and narrowing as described in relevance theory. I argue that cases of overextension involve the ... essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  33. On Explanation of Phenomena by Using Translation Theories: A Comparison Between Gutt's Relevance Translation Theory and Nida's Equivalence Theory • HYF Min - Journal of Xi'an International Studies University, 2011... the PDF format. 【Citations】, Chinese Journal Full-text Database, 3 Hits. 1, TangYongjun;On the Unity of Relevance Theory and Equivalence Theory inTranslation[J];Foreign Language Education;2003-06. 2, HUANG Yuanpeng1 ... essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  34. [PDF] The translation of modifying participles in scientific discourse from the perspective of relevance theory • Là Marcos… - PragmalingüÃstica, 2011Resumen Este artículo presenta un ejemplo de la aplicación de la teoría de la Relevancia a la traducción, y muestra que el modelo de comunicación ostensivo-inferencial proporciona una respuesta a la cuestión de equivalencia en traduccI6n. Hemos usado la teoría de la ... essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  35. The Cognitive Construction of Conversational Implicature in Translation From a Perspective of Relevance Theory——With a Sample Analysis of A Dream of Red … • F Hong - Journal of Beijing International Studies University, 2011Translation is a typical communicative cognitive activity, which involves both the understanding and the construction of cogni-tive inference. Relevance theory, with its focus on the relationship between communication and cognition, is widely accepted as an ... essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  36. An Exploration of the Pragmatic Model of the Translation of Public Signs in Scenic Area From the Perspective of Relevance Theory——Exemplified by the Stone … • Z Jie - The Guide of Science & Education, 2011With an analysis of the characteristics of the public signs in scenic area, the article attempts to construct a pragmatic model of translation the translation of public signs in scenic area at the basis of relevance theory. This model requires the translator to gain a thorough ... essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  37. Google 學術搜尋快訊 • “the intitle:"relevance theory" , 2011” • http://scholar.google.com.hk/scholar_alerts?hl=zh-TW&view_op=create_alert_options&alert_query=the++intitle:%22relevance+theory%22+,+2011&alert_params=hl%3Dzh-TW%26as_sdt%3D0,5&alert_max_results=20 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  38. 6. References H. P. Grice: Logic and conversation. In Grice (1968/1975): Studies in the way of words. Harvard University Press. G. N. Leech: Principles of Pragmatics. London: Longman. P. Brown and S. Levinson: Universals in language usage: politeness phenomena. In E. N. Goody (ed.) (1978): Questions and Politeness: Strategies in Social Interaction. Cambridge: CUP. Dan Sperber & Deidre Wilson (1986/1995): Relevance: communication and cognition. Oxford: Blackwell. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  39. Relevance Theory Online Bibliographic Service • www.ua.es/personal/francisco.yus/rt.html • Francisco Yus.....[ref. added 21-7-2004]; Mateo Martínez, J. and F. Yus (eds.)( 1998) .....Translation of Wilson and Sperber (2004a) by Francisco Campillo. ...Semantics (general); semantics ...- Conceptual and procedural meaning. essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

  40. RT_Cognitprag • www.gxnu.edu.cn/.../szliu/RT_Cognitprag.ht... • A chronologival bibliographyon Relevance Theory (by Shaozhong Liu& Fengrong Liao) Ph.D. dissertations related to RT(by Shaozhong Liu& Fengrong Liao) ... essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011

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