Not what literally means
but how intentions are
revealed
1 Appropriateness
Relation bt who uses lang and to
whom is directed. Adecuacy of
utterances to the context in which
they occur
2 Non-literal
(indirect) meaning
The meaning intended by S, which
may coincide or not with literal
meaning
3 Inference
Mental cognitive mechanism, allows
us to draw conclusions about what S
intends to convey, from literal to
non-literal
4 Indeterminacy
Utt can be obscure, ambiguous.
Inferences must be drawn to
determine which meaning we think S
intends: I've finished a book
5 Context
Crucial for determining Meaning. Same utt by diff
person in diff situation changes meaning
completely: I love people with good manners
6 Relevance
Important principle accounting for how we understand
lang, taking every utt as relevant so we understand them
in whatever way will make them as relevant as possible:
sit down with care
7 Accomodation
Background knowledge that we accept as
known by S and H, necessary to determine what
people mean by what they say, to make sense of
the conversation
8 Reflexivity
Comments we provide to show how an
utt fits into a conversation as a
whole/how we want the message to be
taken: Indeed, in fact.
9 Misfires
Utt not having the expected pragmatic
effect, showing how we don't achieve
the norm expected for the talk: Stolen
gun found by the victim.