Fuzziness and Relevance Theory
This paper investigates how the phenomenon of fuzzy language, such as 'many' in 'Mary has many friends', can be explained by Relevance Theory (RT, Sperber and Wilson, 1986, 1995, 1998, 2002, Wilson and Sperber 2002). It is concluded that the use of fuzzy language conforms with op...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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The Foreign Languages Institute (FLI) of Fujian Normal University
2005
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| Online Access: | http://www.fli.com.cn/Fli/Class9/Class118/Class333/index.html http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36143 |
| _version_ | 1848754687739691008 |
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| author | Zhang, Grace |
| author_facet | Zhang, Grace |
| author_sort | Zhang, Grace |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | This paper investigates how the phenomenon of fuzzy language, such as 'many' in 'Mary has many friends', can be explained by Relevance Theory (RT, Sperber and Wilson, 1986, 1995, 1998, 2002, Wilson and Sperber 2002). It is concluded that the use of fuzzy language conforms with optimal relevance in that it can achieve the greatest positive effect with the least processing effort. It is the communicators themselves who decide whether or not optimal relevance is achieved, rather than the language form (fuzzy or non-fuzzy) used. People can skillfully adjust the deployment of different language forms or choose appropriate interpretations to suit different situations and their communication needs. However, there are two challenges to RT: a. to extend its theory from individual relevance to group relevance; b. to embrace cultural considerations (because when relevance principles and cultural protocols are in conflict, the latter tends to prevail). |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:44:22Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-36143 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:44:22Z |
| publishDate | 2005 |
| publisher | The Foreign Languages Institute (FLI) of Fujian Normal University |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-361432017-02-27T14:48:08Z Fuzziness and Relevance Theory Zhang, Grace Fuzzy language Chinese language RT communication language forms Relevance Theory linguistics This paper investigates how the phenomenon of fuzzy language, such as 'many' in 'Mary has many friends', can be explained by Relevance Theory (RT, Sperber and Wilson, 1986, 1995, 1998, 2002, Wilson and Sperber 2002). It is concluded that the use of fuzzy language conforms with optimal relevance in that it can achieve the greatest positive effect with the least processing effort. It is the communicators themselves who decide whether or not optimal relevance is achieved, rather than the language form (fuzzy or non-fuzzy) used. People can skillfully adjust the deployment of different language forms or choose appropriate interpretations to suit different situations and their communication needs. However, there are two challenges to RT: a. to extend its theory from individual relevance to group relevance; b. to embrace cultural considerations (because when relevance principles and cultural protocols are in conflict, the latter tends to prevail). 2005 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36143 http://www.fli.com.cn/Fli/Class9/Class118/Class333/index.html The Foreign Languages Institute (FLI) of Fujian Normal University fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Fuzzy language Chinese language RT communication language forms Relevance Theory linguistics Zhang, Grace Fuzziness and Relevance Theory |
| title | Fuzziness and Relevance Theory |
| title_full | Fuzziness and Relevance Theory |
| title_fullStr | Fuzziness and Relevance Theory |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fuzziness and Relevance Theory |
| title_short | Fuzziness and Relevance Theory |
| title_sort | fuzziness and relevance theory |
| topic | Fuzzy language Chinese language RT communication language forms Relevance Theory linguistics |
| url | http://www.fli.com.cn/Fli/Class9/Class118/Class333/index.html http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36143 |