Description
The Dark Matter of Pragmatics examines the fundamental gaps and unresolved questions in pragmatics, the linguistic field concerned with how context influences meaning and interpretation. Stephen C. Levinson identifies what he calls the ‘known unknowns’—problems that researchers recognize but struggle to adequately explain within current theoretical frameworks.
This concise yet comprehensive volume explores core pragmatic phenomena including implicature, reference, social deixis, and the relationship between semantics and pragmatics. Levinson discusses why certain aspects of pragmatic competence remain poorly understood despite decades of research, and considers what new approaches might illuminate these persistent puzzles.
Part of the prestigious Elements in Pragmatics series from Cambridge University Press, this book provides both scholars and advanced students with a critical overview of pragmatics’ frontier questions, highlighting areas where greater theoretical innovation is needed.
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