Relevance theory: pragmatics and cognition.

Area of Science:

• Linguistics
• Cognitive Science
• Pragmatics

Background:

• Relevance Theory builds upon H.P. Grice's foundational work in pragmatics.
• It addresses the need for a cognitively grounded theory of language use.
• Existing pragmatic theories lacked empirical plausibility in psychological and evolutionary terms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the central tenets and key contributions of Relevance Theory.
• To explain pragmatic interpretation as an intention-driven, inferential process.
• To explore the cognitive mechanisms underlying communication and language use.

Main Methods:

• Review of philosophical and empirical literature on Relevance Theory.
• Analysis of core theoretical commitments, including Gricean principles.
• Examination of cognitive underpinnings of relevance and inference in communication.

Main Results:

• Relevance Theory centers on intention-reading and inference as crucial communication elements.
• The theory posits a cognitively grounded notion of relevance driving pragmatic interpretation.
• Applications demonstrate the theory's utility in lexical pragmatics, metaphor, irony, and procedural meaning.

Conclusions:

• Relevance Theory provides a robust, cognitively plausible framework for understanding language use.
• It offers significant insights into the inferential and intention-driven nature of communication.
• The theory represents a major advancement in the field of pragmatics.