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Relevance theory and pragmatic impairment
1Department of Linguistics, University of Hertfordshire, Aldenham, Watford, UK. e.leinonen@herts.ac.uk
Summary
Relevance theory explains why children struggle with pragmatic language comprehension. This cognitive approach helps identify and understand specific communication challenges in children with pragmatic difficulties.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Pragmatic language difficulties in children present challenges in comprehension.
- Existing frameworks may not fully explain the underlying mechanisms of these difficulties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the utility of Relevance Theory in understanding pragmatic comprehension impairments in children.
- To provide a theoretical framework for explaining problematic utterances in children with pragmatic language difficulties.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from three children with pragmatic language difficulties.
- Application of Relevance Theory principles to interpret communication challenges.
Main Results:
- Relevance Theory offers explanations for why specific utterances are problematic in context.
- The theory distinguishes between explicit (semantic) and implicit (pragmatic) aspects of communication.
- It highlights the connection between pragmatic functioning and broader cognitive processes.
Conclusions:
- Relevance Theory is a valuable tool for understanding and explaining pragmatic language difficulties in children.
- It offers insights into the cognitive underpinnings of these impairments.
- The theory has therapeutic implications for interventions targeting pragmatic communication.