NMTS-Group4

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Group 4 - Implicatures

Overview

Members

• Stephanie C.
• Stephie R.
• Jenny
• Anna P.
  
  

Short Description of the Topic

An implicature is anything that is inferred from an utterance but that is not a condition for the truth of the utterance, or as the OED defines it a " meaning beyond the literal sense of what is explicitly stated".

For example, if we take the following short dialogue:

A: Can you tell me the time?
B: Well, the milkman has come.
(Levinson, 1997, p.107)

It may at first seem that speaker B's answer has no relevance to speaker A's question. However, speaker B is in fact implying more than he or she actually 'says'. Both speakers obviously share knowledge about the time at which the milkman normally comes and therefore Speaker B is actually suggesting that it is possible to calculate the approximate time from this fact. Speaker A is therefore able to infer information about the time from speaker B's answer.

The implicature could be +> No, I don't have the exact time, but the milkman has aready come and he normally comes at 9:00, so it must be some time shortly after 9:00.

This is an example of a (particularized) conversational implicature, however there are a number of different types of implicatures. Below is a brief overview:

• Conversational implicatures
  • Generalized conversational implicatures
  • Particularized conversational implicatures
• Scalar implicatures
• Conventional implicatures
• Potential implicatures
• Actual implicatures
  

Students often have difficulties distinguishing between implicatures, presuppositions and entailments.Click on each word for a brief definition.

Would you like to know more about implicatures? If so, please click here to view our Prezi presentation on implicatures!

References and Links

References

• Bieswanger, Markus & Annette Becker (2006): Introduction to English Linguistics (2nd edition). Tübingen and Basel: A. Francke Verlag.
• Grice, Paul (1975): Logic and conversation. In P. Cole and J. Morgan (eds): Syntax and Semantics 3, 41-58. New York: Academic Press.
• Levinson, Stephen C (1983): Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Yule, George (1996): Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Links

• Definition of implicature from the Oxford English Dictionary
• Definition and detailed explanation from the Stanford Encylopedia of Philosophy
• Definition of implicature from Universal Teacher
• Glottopedia Entry on Implicature
  

Our E-learning Objects

Our Glossary Entries

in the Basic Glossary:

• connotation
• extension
• idiom
• implicature
• meronymy
  
  

Our Prezi Presentation

See our Prezi for an overview of some of the main topics of implicatures, including:

• Grice's theory of implicatures (the cooperative principle and the maxims)
• (Particularized) conversational implicatures
• Conventional implicatures
• Scalar implicatures.
• Characteristic properties of implicatures
• Tests for implicatures
  

Would you like to know more about the characteristic properties of implicatures? If so, please view our podcast below!

Our Podcast

Group 4 - The 5 Characteristic Properties of Implicatures

Voice-over: Jenny
Editing: Anna P., Stephanie C., Stephie R.
References: Levinson, Stephen C (1997): Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Music: by Dan-O at DanoSongs.com

Do you now understand implicatures? If so, test yourself using our online exercises below!

Comments by Manfred: There are minor problems in the podcast concerning the pronunciation of terms and the content, which is, however, why it cannot be incorporated into the main wiki.

Our Online Excercises

Exercise I

According to Grice's theory of conversational implicature, there are four basic maxims which specify how to be cooperative in conversation: Quantity, Manner, Quality and Relation. Grice believed that implicatures arise when these maxims are violated and the speaker (relying on an assumption of cooperation) is forced to infer meaning.

Which of the four maxims are violated the five dialogues below?

(Take a look at our Prezi presentation if you need help with the maxims.)

To see the solution, simply mark the line behind 'Maxim violated' under every dialogue.

a) Mom: What did you think of Junior’s childish behavior last night? Dad: Well, boys will be boys

Maxim violated: QUANTITY (though some of you might prefer MANNER)

b) Student A: Do you like Linguistics? Student B: Well, let’s just say I don’t jump for joy before class.

Maxim violated: MANNER

c) Teacher A: Do you have any rude students this semester? Teacher B: All students are rude.

Maxim violated: QUALITY

d) Student: I was absent on Monday - did I miss anything important? Teacher: Oh no, of course not, we never do anything important in class.

Maxim violated: QUALITY

e) Student A: (while waiting for class to begin) Isn’t Professor X a jerk? Student B: Uh, It really is a nice day out, isn’t it?

Maxim violated: RELATION

Exercise II

Common examples of implicatures can be found in figures of speech such as Irony, Sarcasm, Hyperbole or Metaphor. Look at the pictures below and decide which of the figures of speech apply:

To see the solution, simply mark the line behind the word 'solution' under every picture.

a)

Solution: HYPERBOLE

b)

Solution: IRONY

c)

Solution: METAPHOR

d)

Solution: SARCASM

Exercise III

This exercise deals with Scalar Implicatures. A linguistic scale consists of a set of linguistic alternates, or contrastive expressions of the same grammatical category, which can be arranged in a linear order by degree of informativeness or semantic strength. Put the following sentences in the right order. Start with the sentence which contains the strongest quantifier.

(Take a look at our Prezi presentation if you need help with the scalar implicatures.)

Again, to see the solution, simply mark the lines under the word 'solution'.

All of the boys went to the party.

Some of the boys went to the party.

Most of the boys went to the party.

A few of the boys went to the party.

Many of the boys went to the party

Solution:

All of the boys went to the party.

Most of the boys went to the party.

Many of the boys went to the party.

Some of the boys went to the party.

A few of the boys went to the party.

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Our Pictures

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  Beautiful Frankfurt - Anna P.

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  Stephanie C

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  Owl Illustration - Stephie R.

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  Jenny

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  a

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  b

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  c

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  d