NMTS-Group4

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Wikipage of Group 4

Overview

Members

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

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. There are different types of implicatures. Below you find a brief overview:

• Convesational implicatures
  • Generalized conversational implicatures
  • Particularized conversational implicatures
• Scalar implicatures
• Conventional implicatures
• Potential implicature: A potential implicature is an implicature that would arise from any of the components of a given utterance if that component were uttered in some linguistic or extralinguistic context.
• Actual implicature: an actual implicature is any potential implicature that is not canceled by its context.

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 from Universal Teacher
• Glottopedia Entry on Implicature

Our e-learning objects

Our wiki pages

in the Basic Glossary:

• connotation
• extension
• idiom
• implicature
• meronymy

Our Prezi presentation

Prezi - Implicatures

Our Online Excercise

1. Look at the pictures below and decide which of the following figures of speech apply.

Irony, Sarcasm, Hyperbole or Metaphor

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

Solution:Hyperbole

Solution:Irony

Solution:Metaphor

Solution:Sarcasm

2. There are four basic maxims of conversation. Quantity, Manner, Quality, Relation. Which maxims apply for 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.

1. 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)

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

Maxim violated:MANNER

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

Maxim violated:QUALITY

4. 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

5. 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

3. 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.

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

1. All of the boys went to the party.

2. Some of the boys went to the party.

3. Most of the boys went to the party.

4. A few of the boys went to the party.

5. Many of the boys went to the party

Solution: 1. All of the boys went to the party. 2. Most of the boys went to the party. 3. Many of the boys went to the party 4. Some of the boys went to the party. 5. A few of the boys went to the party.

Comment Sailer: Please turn these into wiki exercises!

Our pictures

• 

  Beautiful Frankfurt

• 

  Stephanie C

• 

  Owl Illustration