The negotiation of meaning

1. The negotiation of meaning

2. Systemic and schematic knowledge • schematic knowledge: making sense of the text, whether spoken or written, by relating it to what they know of the world they live in • Systemic knowledge: knowledge of what is encoded in the language system

3. Communicative convergence • Communication is a matter of negotiating some kind of common agreement(convergence) between the two parties( p1 & p2) • The degree of this convergence is based on the measure of correspondence between p1 and p2 knowledge and purpose of communication p1 p2

4. Negotiating convergence • for communication to take place, the two parties should come up with an agreement to co-operate in negotiating a convergence • A meeting of minds, mutual understanding • Achieved meaning required by their purpose in communication • What p1 intends to mean and what p2 interprets p1 as meaning come into correspondence • Some rules for the co-operative negotiation of meaning(convergence)

5. The co-operative principle • Paul Grice • People subscribe to them as they converse • Expressed in terms of four maxims or negotiating rules: quantity, quality, relation and manner

6. The quantity maxim • Do not provide more, or less, information than is necessary • Relate to the least effort principle • Regulated by assumptions about shared contextual knowledge, including knowledge of schematic conventions • For serving its co-operative function, its application must depend on context and purpose • People may choose not to apply it

7. Conversational Implicature • I was woken by the alarm clock at 7.15 in the morning. I got out of bed. I put on my slippers and went to the bedroom door and opened it. I then walked to the bathroom and turned on the cold tap over the washbasin, took my toothbrush and cleaned my teeth… • Dear professor Chiswick, Justine Case Ms Case was a student of mine last year. She completed her course and always returned her books propmtly to the library. yours sincerely, Hugo Parsons Green

8. Conversational Implicature • Expressing some significance over and above what the language would appear to indicate • Saying less or more than what the conventions of genre require

9. The maxim of quality • Be truthful and do not say things you know to be false • Regulated by what is conventionally appropriate • It is raining outside • Lovely whether today • This bag weighs a ton • The drinks cost a fortune • My brother is a pig • I’m starving • Flouting of this maxim give rise to the creativity of ordinary language

10. The maxim of relation • What you say should be relevant to the topic or purpose of the communication • Compliance with this maxim regulated by convention • Wife: how do you like my new hat? • Husband: very much • Husband: looks nice • Husband: well, not sure it is quite your color • Husband: it’s ten past eight already • Flouting of this maxim causes implicature

11. The maxim of manner • Be clear avoid ambiguity and obscurity • Has to do with what Hymes refer to as feasibility • Drunk gets nine months in violin case • Red tape holds up new bridge • Waving the flag • If you want to get ahead get a hat • The car in front is a Toyota • Nokia _ connecting people • Violation of this maxim can have comical consequences

12. Co-operative and territorial Imperatives • In communication two parties co-operate to converge on common ground, using maxims as a set of rules • This co-operation involves: • Some give and take on both sides • Conceding some ground of each party • Invasion on each party’s individual lifestyle

13. Co-operative and territorial Imperatives • Territorial imperative: need to preserve and protect one’s own space • Negotiated in both communication and human relations • Causes disregard of maxims • Reasons for disregarding the maxims: • Assert territorial rights • An incursion into the other’s space may not be welcome