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Yongping Ran

Contextual enrichment of lexical units in utterance interpretation: Evidence from Chinese and English

The goal of this study is twofold. First, it will focus on the contextual enrichment of lexical units in utterance interpretation and discuss how the semantic multiplicity or underdeteminacy of lexical units is specified in context. It is argued here that relevance theory (Sperber & Wilson 1986/1995; 1998) serves as the most suitable theoretical framework to explain the interplay of lexical units and context. Narrowing and broadening, the two main processes of contextual enrichment, are demonstrated through numerous examples from English and Chinese. Second, the study investigates the role of language and/or culture-specificity in contextual enrichment. Kecskes (2003) has suggested that language and/or culture-specificity is involved as a constraint both in salience and contextual processes. I will argue that cultural knowledge constrains various forms of contextual enrichment, and use Chinese examples to support this hypothesis.

Intercultural Pragmatics, Walter de Gruyter

Print ISSN: 1612-295X
Volume: 3, 06/2006
Pages: 131 - 151

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