Philosophy Pragmatics Questions Long
In Bach and Harnish's pragmatics, implicature plays a crucial role in understanding the meaning behind utterances. Implicature refers to the additional meaning that is conveyed indirectly through the use of language, beyond the literal or explicit meaning of the words used. It involves the inference or assumption made by the listener based on the context, speaker's intentions, and shared knowledge.
Bach and Harnish argue that implicature is an essential aspect of communication and plays a fundamental role in the interpretation of utterances. They propose that implicatures are generated through a process of reasoning called "conversational implicature," which involves the cooperative principle and its associated maxims.
The cooperative principle suggests that in a conversation, participants are expected to cooperate and contribute relevant and truthful information. This principle is supported by four maxims: the maxim of quantity (providing enough information), the maxim of quality (providing truthful information), the maxim of relevance (providing relevant information), and the maxim of manner (being clear and avoiding ambiguity).
However, in certain situations, speakers may violate these maxims intentionally or unintentionally, leading to the generation of implicatures. These implicatures arise when the listener infers that the speaker has violated one or more of the maxims, and therefore, there must be an additional meaning intended by the speaker.
For example, if someone asks, "Do you have any plans for the weekend?" and the listener responds, "I have a lot of work to do," the implicature is that the listener does not have any plans for the weekend. The implicature is derived from the violation of the maxim of relevance, as the listener's response does not directly answer the question but implies that they are occupied with work.
Bach and Harnish's pragmatics emphasizes that implicatures are not arbitrary or random but are guided by certain principles and rules. They argue that implicatures are context-dependent and rely on the shared knowledge and assumptions between the speaker and the listener. The listener's ability to infer implicatures is crucial for effective communication and understanding the intended meaning behind utterances.
In conclusion, the role of implicature in Bach and Harnish's pragmatics is to provide additional meaning beyond the literal interpretation of words. It is generated through the violation of conversational maxims and relies on the listener's inference and shared knowledge. Implicatures play a vital role in communication, allowing for more nuanced and contextually appropriate interpretations of utterances.