Cancellability

Definition

Cancellability refers to the ability to withdraw an implicature from a conversation without altering the literal meaning of the utterance. It plays a crucial role in distinguishing between conversational and conventional implicatures, as conversational implicatures can often be canceled, while conventional implicatures cannot. Understanding cancellability helps clarify how meaning can shift depending on context and speaker intent.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Cancellability is a key feature that differentiates conversational implicatures from conventional ones, as conversational implicatures can often be retracted based on context.
2. For example, if someone says 'Some of the cookies are good,' it implies that not all are good; however, this implicature can be canceled if they later clarify that all cookies are indeed good.
3. In contrast, a statement like 'He is poor, but he is honest' contains a conventional implicature, which would remain even if we try to negate or cancel it.
4. Understanding cancellability helps in analyzing how speakers navigate social interactions and convey nuanced meanings while adhering to or flouting conversational norms.
5. Cancellability is essential in pragmatics because it illustrates how context affects interpretation and how meanings are constructed through linguistic choices.

Review Questions

• How does cancellability help differentiate between conversational implicatures and conventional implicatures?
  • Cancellability distinguishes conversational implicatures from conventional ones by highlighting that conversational implicatures can be retracted without affecting the literal meaning of the utterance. For instance, when someone makes a statement implying a certain meaning, they can later clarify or negate that implication based on new information or context. In contrast, conventional implicatures are tied directly to the language used and cannot be canceled without changing the original statement's intent.
• What role do Grice's Maxims play in understanding the concept of cancellability in conversational implicatures?
  • Grice's Maxims provide a framework for understanding how speakers generate conversational implicatures during communication. These maxims—quantity, quality, relation, and manner—guide speakers in providing information that is relevant and clear. Cancellability relates to these maxims as it showcases how speakers can adhere to or violate them; for example, when an implicature is canceled, it may reflect a shift in adherence to these conversational norms based on context or intention.
• Evaluate how the concept of cancellability impacts our interpretation of everyday conversations.
  • The concept of cancellability significantly impacts our interpretation of everyday conversations by allowing listeners to adjust their understanding based on speaker intent and contextual clues. When speakers cancel an implicature, it signals a change in meaning or emphasis that listeners must navigate to grasp the true message being conveyed. This dynamic interaction not only enriches communication but also reveals underlying social cues and relationships between speakers, making cancellability essential for effective discourse.

Related terms

Conversational Implicature: A type of implicature that arises from the context of a conversation and relies on the Gricean maxims, allowing speakers to convey additional meaning beyond the literal interpretation.

Conventional Implicature: An implicature that is tied to the conventional meaning of specific expressions, which cannot be canceled without altering the original statement's meaning.

Grice's Maxims: A set of conversational principles proposed by philosopher H.P. Grice that guide effective communication and help determine how implicatures are generated and understood.