1. Conversational Maxims: These are principles that govern how we use language in communication, proposed by philosopher Paul Grice. They provide a framework for understanding how speakers and hearers interpret utterances.
* Maxim of Quantity: Be informative, but not more informative than required.
* Maxim of Quality: Be truthful, and don't say what you believe to be false.
* Maxim of Relation: Be relevant to the topic at hand.
* Maxim of Manner: Be clear, concise, and avoid ambiguity.
By observing these maxims, we can make inferences about the speaker's intentions and the meaning of their utterances, even when they are not explicitly stated.
2. Shared Background Knowledge: This refers to the common knowledge, beliefs, and experiences that speakers and hearers share. This shared background provides a context for interpreting utterances and understanding their intended meaning.
* Cultural knowledge: Shared understanding of social norms, values, and traditions.
* Situational knowledge: Awareness of the specific context in which the communication is taking place.
* Prior knowledge: Shared information about the topic of conversation or the individuals involved.
This background knowledge allows us to fill in gaps in the speaker's utterance, understand implied meanings, and interpret the intended message.
Examples:
* Conversational maxims: If someone says "I need to go to the bank," we can infer that they need to withdraw or deposit money, even though they didn't explicitly state this. This is because we assume they are following the maxim of relevance and providing relevant information.
* Shared background knowledge: If someone says "The game is on," we can understand that they are referring to a specific game, even though they didn't mention the game's name. This is because we assume they are referring to a game that we both know about.
Together, these two sources of regularity create a framework for understanding and interpreting language in context, allowing for smooth and efficient communication.