Semantics circle: Choosing pragmatic inferences

Abstract

Much of experimental pragmatics has focused on additional meanings conveyed by speakers who are assumed to be cooperative and knowledgeable – and in particular, whether hearers recover those meanings by an elaborate process of reasoning or by using interpretative short-cuts. In this talk, I discuss some cases where the hearer’s task is not so straightforward, in that multiple different explanations might plausibly account for the speaker’s choice of utterance. I argue that such cases are generally more typical of real-life interaction and should motivate us to consider more nuanced models of speaker (and hearer) behaviour.

Code of Conduct for ZAS events: The ZAS is committed to fair, respectful, and professional interaction at its events. Therefore, please observe the Code of Conduct for this event.