To what extent, and in what respects, does Relevance Theory resolve Essay

To what extent, and in what respects, does Relevance Theory resolve problems surrounding the distinction between explicit and implicit communication - Essay Example Relevance theory poses the questions that surround interpretation of information and gives distinction of explicit and implicit communication In a discussion of Relevance Theory, one must first identify the difference between implicit and explicit communications. Explicit communication can be defined by the study of the obvious. In looking at language based on the way in which information is conveyed, the rules of the language and what signs and symbols comprise the language becomes the basis of the explicit communication. The basic rules on which those signs and symbols are interpreted is also part of explicit communication. Implicit The second issue that should be addressed are the foundational approaches on pragmatism proposed and generally accepted by Paul Grice. â€Å"The first is that sentence meaning is a vehicle for conveying a speaker’s meaning, and that a speaker’s meaning is an overtly expressed intention which is fulfilled by being recognized.† Wilson and Sperber define this by saying that â€Å"On the inferential view, utterances are not signals but pieces of evidence about the speakers meaning, and comprehension is achieved by inferring this meaning from evidence provided not only by the utterance but also by the context.† [1]. In this proposal, language is only a piece of the communication process. Language is a source of minimal expression that is the core of much larger interpretations. The second foundational argument made by Grice is that â€Å"in inferring the speaker’s meaning, the hearer is guided by the expectation that utterances should meet some specific standards† [2]. Wilson & Sperber say that â€Å"conversation is a rational, cooperative activity. In formulating their utterances, speakers are expected to follow a Cooperative Principle, backed by maxims of Quantity (informativeness), Quality (truthfulness),