11/9/2011
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 1

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
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• 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.
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• 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).
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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.
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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.
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• Deirdre Wilson deirdre@linguistics.ucl.ac.uk
http://www.icn.ucl.ac.uk/members/Wilso86/
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Prof. Deirdre Wilson teaches in the Dept. Phonetics and Linguistics University College London
Gower 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.
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• 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
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explanation: Grice’s theory of conversation 1.8
Cognitive environments and mutual manifestness
1.9 Relevance and ostension 1.10 Ostensiveinferential 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)
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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)
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1) Communication models: The Code model
2) 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)
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1) 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
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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.
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• 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.
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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.
11/9/2011 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011 16

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.
11/9/2011 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011 17

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。
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Refer to:
1) RT in China: 2000-
2) RT Biblio via the Google
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• 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 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011
• 1993: 共約有 485,000 項查詢結果
20

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“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
11/9/2011 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011 23

• 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
11/9/2011 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011 24

• 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
11/9/2011 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011 25

• 2011: 共約有 435,000 項查詢結果
11/9/2011 essentials in pragmatics, fall 2011 26

「 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,
2011
The “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 ...
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•
Parallels and differences in the treatment of metaphor in relevance theory and cognitive linguistics
• D Wilson - Intercultural Pragmatics, 2011
Abstract 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 ...
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• Relevance theory and citations
• HD White - Journal of Pragmatics, 2011
Relevance 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. Selfcommuning scholars and scientists afford ...
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• Wilson & Sperber's Relevance Theory
• B Müller - 2011
GRIN - 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 ...
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• Relevance theory and unintended transmission of information
• JM Gil - Intercultural Pragmatics, 2011
Abstract 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 ...
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• Broadening and narrowing in lexical development: How relevance theory can account for children's overextensions and underextensions
• E Walaszewska - Journal of Pragmatics, 2011
The 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 ...
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• 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, Tang
Yongjun;On the Unity of Relevance Theory and
Equivalence Theory in
Translation[J];Foreign Language
Education;2003-06. 2, HUANG Yuanpeng1 ...
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• [PDF]
The translation of modifying participles in scientific discourse from the perspective of relevance theory
• Là Marcos… - PragmalingüÃstica, 2011
Resumen 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 ...
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•
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, 2011
Translation 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 ...
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• 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, 2011
With 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 ...
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• “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
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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.
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• 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.
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•
RT_Cognitprag
• www.gxnu.edu.cn/.../szliu/RT_Cognitprag.
ht...
• A chronologival bibliography on
Relevance Theory (by Shaozhong Liu &
Fengrong Liao) Ph.D. dissertations related to RT (by Shaozhong Liu & Fengrong
Liao) ...
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