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Context and Inference

This document discusses deixis, or the way language uses context to convey meaning. It covers spatial, temporal, and personal deixis, as well as how non-linguistic context influences language interpretation. Anaphora and bridging inferences are explained as referring back to something already mentioned or inferred from context. The cooperative principle and Grice's maxims of conversation are also summarized as explaining how speakers cooperate and make efficient inferences during dialogue.

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Olga DabŠtrb
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66 views

Context and Inference

This document discusses deixis, or the way language uses context to convey meaning. It covers spatial, temporal, and personal deixis, as well as how non-linguistic context influences language interpretation. Anaphora and bridging inferences are explained as referring back to something already mentioned or inferred from context. The cooperative principle and Grice's maxims of conversation are also summarized as explaining how speakers cooperate and make efficient inferences during dialogue.

Uploaded by

Olga DabŠtrb
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lejla Zejnilović, PhD

 It’ll take more than a pair of Levis to make you into


James Dean.
 I’m starting to talk like Michael Jackson.
 Key terms:
 non-linguistic knowledge
 context
 deixis (Saeed 1997: 181-182)
 The deictic devices in a language commit a speaker to set up a frame of

reference around him/herself.

 Spatial deixis

 It’s too hot here in the sun, let’s take our drinks into the shade over there.

 this/these; that/those

 Don’t come into my bedroom.

 Don’t go into my bedroom.

 Here our argument runs into some difficulties.


 At this point we have to look back to our initial
premises.
 That year was much hotter than this one.
 Person deixis
 Singular Plural Singular or Plural
 I we you
 he they
 she
 it
 ‘Familiar’ and ‘polite’ pronouns:
 tu/usted in Spanish;
 du/Sie in German. (Saeed 1997: 182-189)
 Reference and context
 I’m looking for the new wolf (i.e. Wolfe).
 Shorthands
 Metonomy
 Who were all those suits drinking in the pub last night?
 Have you cleared this deal with the top floor?
 Synecdoche
 All of this cattle is affected; he’ll lose more than fifty
head.
 It’s good to see some new faces.
 Knowledge as context
 The baby’s swallowed the canary!
 Discourse as context
 a. Who moved these chairs?
 b. Ronan did.
 I’m starving.
 Me too.
 Background knowledge as context
 a. Shall we go and get some ice cream?
 b. I’m on a diet.
 a. Come next week for lunch.
 b. It’s Ramadan.
 Mutual knowledge as context
 a. Shall we go and get some ice cream?
 b. I’m on a diet.
 a. Ah, okay. (Saaed 1997: 189- 194)
 I fell down a hole yesterday. The hole was very deep.
 I saw your brother this morning. The old fool still
doesn’t recognize me.
 I trod on a slug this morning. It died.
 Anaphora
 Coreference (a referential relation between expressions
where they both refer to the same entity)
 Bridging inferences (link the nominal to the preceding
sentence and creates coherence)
►I looked into the room. The ceiling was very high.
► I walked into the room. The windows looked out
to the bay.
►I walked into the room. The chandeliers sparkled
brightly.
► John went walking out at noon. The park was
beautiful.
I left early. I had a train to catch.
INFERENCE: Speaker left because of having to
catch a train. (Saeed 1997: 202- 204)
 Paul Grice (1975, 1978)
 Speaker’s and hearer’s cooperative use of inference
 Cooperative principle: a kind of tacit agreement by
speakers and listeners to cooperate in communication.
 Grice’s maxims of conversational cooperation
 The Maxim of Quality
 Try to make your contribution one that is true, i.e.
1 Do not say what you believe is false.
2 Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence.
The Maxim of Quantity
1 Make your contribution as informative as is required.
2 Do not make your contribution more informative than is
required.
The Maxim of Relevance
Make your contribution relevant.
The Maxim of Manner
Be perspicuous, and specifically:
1 Avoid ambiguity.
2 Avoid obscurity.
3 Be brief.
4 Be orderly.
(Saeed 1997: 204-207)
 References
 Saeed, J. I. (1997). Semantics. UK: Wiley-Blackwell

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