On the psychological reality of pragmatics

Bibliographic Data

ID2686938
AuthorsAsa Kasher (0009-0002-8537-648X, corresponding author)
Year1984
Volume8
Issue4
Pages539-557
Publication date1984-08-01
Open AccessYes
TypeBOOK
VenueJournal of Pragmatics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0378-2166 • E-ISSN: 1879-1387
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/0378-2166(84)90041-9
OpenAlexW2085645380
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited13

This paper argues for the psychological reality of pragmatics, challenging the prevailing view in linguistics and philosophy of language that separates pragmatics from the core semantic system. Kasher proposes that pragmatic principles, specifically those related to conversational implicature and speech act theory, are not merely post-hoc interpretations but are integral to the process of utterance comprehension. He supports this claim by analyzing examples of indirect speech acts and demonstrating how their interpretation relies on shared assumptions and contextual knowledge. The paper concludes that a comprehensive theory of language understanding must incorporate pragmatic considerations as a fundamental component of the cognitive architecture

Cognition · Cognitive science · Deixis · Epistemology · Linguistics · Performative utterance · Politeness · Pragmatics · Presupposition · Relevance theory · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · Historical Linguistics and Language Studies · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · Philosophy · Psychology

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