1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Pragmatics & Cognition
  4. Volume 31, Issue 1
  5. Article
Volume 31, Issue 1
  • ISSN 0929-0907
  • E-ISSN: 1569-9943
EPUB
PDF

Abstract

Abstract

A core area of pragmatics is conversational implicatures, where speakers imply a meaning that is not part of what is literally said. Not all people have the ability to easily understand such common (implicit) forms of communication. For these people, Easy Language has been developed, i.e. a form of barrier-free communication with substantially simplified syntax and lexis. Moreover, Easy Language is based on the principle of maximum explicitness. However, the heterogeneous target groups and the different types of implicature have not been systematically taken into account. Therefore, this article is the first to take an in-depth look at conversational implicatures in Easy Language. It shows that a universal principle of maximum explicitness for Easy Language is too short-sighted. Instead, the principle of explicitness must be considered in relation to the different target groups and the types of implicature. The article provides an impulse for further (empirical) research in this emerging field.

© 2024 John Benjamins Publishing Company
Available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/pc.00038.fuc
2024-10-11
2025-04-24

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/pc.00038.fuc
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/pc.00038.fuc.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.1075/pc.00038.fuc&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Abbeduto, Leonard, Melissa Pavetto, Erica Kesin, Michelle Weissman, Selma Karadottir, Anne O’Brien & Stephanie Cawthon
    2001 The linguistic and cognitive profile of Down syndrome: Evidence from a comparison with fragile X syndrome. Down Syndrome Research and Practice7(1). 9–15. 10.3104/reports.109
     https://doi.org/10.3104/reports.109 [Google Scholar]
  2. Borghardt, Liv, Silvana Deilen, Julia Fuchs, Anne-Kathrin Gros, Silvia Hansen-Schirra, Arne Nagels, Laura Schiffl & Johanna Sommer
    2021 Neuroscientific Research on the Processing of Easy Language. Frontiers in Communication61. Article 698044. 10.3389/fcomm.2021.698044
     https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.698044 [Google Scholar]
  3. Bouton, Lawrence F.
    1988 A cross-cultural study of ability to interpret implicatures in English. World Englishes7(2). 183–196. 10.1111/j.1467‑971X.1988.tb00230.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971X.1988.tb00230.x [Google Scholar]
  4. Bredel, Ursula & Christiane Maaß
    2016a Leichte Sprache. Theoretische Grundlagen. Orientierung für die Praxis. Berlin: Dudenverlag.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. 2016b Ratgeber Leichte Sprache. Die wichtigsten Regeln und Empfehlungen für die Praxis. Berlin: Dudenverlag.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Canut, Emmanuelle, Julia Fuchs, Juliette Delahaie, Magali Husianycia & Oliver Torres
    2023 ‘Easy Language’ for migrants in France: looking for linguistic criteria. International Journal of Applied Linguistics. 10.1075/itl.22002.can
     https://doi.org/10.1075/itl.22002.can [Google Scholar]
  7. Cho, Jacee
    2022 Scalar implicatures in adult L2 learners: A self-paced reading study. Second Language Research. 10.1177/02676583221134058
     https://doi.org/10.1177/02676583221134058 [Google Scholar]
  8. Cuerva, Agustina Garcia, Liliana Sabe, Gabriela Kuzis, Cecilia Tiberti, Flavia Dorrego & Sergio E. Starkstein
    2001 Theory of Mind and Pragmatic Abilities in Dementia. Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology, and Behavioral Neurology14(3). 153–158.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Cummings, Louise
    2014 Pragmatic disorders. Dordrecht: Springer. 10.1007/978‑94‑007‑7954‑9
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7954-9 [Google Scholar]
  10. 2023 Introducing pragmatics. A clinical approach. London: Routledge. 10.4324/9781003177562
     https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003177562 [Google Scholar]
  11. Deilen, Silvana
    2023 Visual segmentation of compounds in Easy Language. Some evidence of the relationship between facilitating perception and reducing cognitive processing costs. InSilvana Deilen, Silvia Hansen-Schirra, Sergio Hernández Garrido, Christiane Maaß & Anke Tardel (eds.), Emerging fields in Easy Language and accessible communication research, 119–151. Berlin: Frank & Timme. 10.57088/978‑3‑7329‑9026‑9_5
     https://doi.org/10.57088/978-3-7329-9026-9_5 [Google Scholar]
  12. Deilen, Silvana & Laura Schiffl
    2020 Using Eye-Tracking to evaluate language processing in the easy language target group. InSilvia Hansen-Schirra & Christiane Maaß (eds.), Easy Language research: Text and user perspectives, 273–280. Berlin: Frank & Timme.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Dupuy, Ludivine, Penka Stateva, Sara Andreetta, Anne Cheylus, Viviane Déprez, Jean-Baptiste van der Henst, Jacques Jayez, Arthur Stepanov & Anne Reboul
    2019 Pragmatic abilities in bilinguals: the case of scalar implicatures. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism9(2). 314–340. 10.1075/lab.17017.dup
     https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.17017.dup [Google Scholar]
  14. Foppolo, Francesca & Greta Mazzaggio
    2024 Conversational implicature and communication disorders. InMartin J. Ball, Nicole Müller & Elizabeth Spencer (eds.), The handbook of clinical linguistics (2nd ed.), 15–27. Hoboken & New York: Wiley-Blackwell.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Foster-Cohen, Susan H. & Anne K. van Bysterveldt
    2020 Pragmatic competence in Down syndrome. InKlaus P. Schneider & Elly Ifantidou (eds.), Developmental and clinical pragmatics, 545–579. Berlin & Boston: de Gruyter. 10.1515/9783110431056‑019
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110431056-019 [Google Scholar]
  16. Fuchs, Julia
    2022 Overcoming language barriers on the way to knowledge. Linguistic reflections on German Easy Language as a tool for barrier-free information and participation. InMoa Hagafors, Lydia Heiden & Louise Tarrade (eds.), ICODOC 2021: Le savoir au prisme du langage. Acquisition, transmission, manifestations. ENS de Lyon, Lyon, 6–8 octobre, 2021. SHS Web of Conferences. 10.1051/shsconf/202214601004
     https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202214601004 [Google Scholar]
  17. González-Sordé, Mariona & Anna Matamala
    2024 Empirical evaluation of Easy Language recommendations: A systematic literature review from journal research in Catalan, English, and Spanish. Universal Access in the Information Society. 231. 1369–1387.10.1007/s10209‑023‑00975‑2
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-023-00975-2 [Google Scholar]
  18. Grice, H. Paul
    1957 Meaning. The Philosophical Review66(3). 377–388. 10.2307/2182440
     https://doi.org/10.2307/2182440 [Google Scholar]
  19. 1975 Logic and conversation. InPeter Cole & Jerry L. Morgan (eds.), Syntax and semantics (volume III: Speech acts), 41–58. New York: Academic Press. 10.1163/9789004368811_003
     https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004368811_003 [Google Scholar]
  20. Guarino, Angela, Francesca Favieri, Ilaria Boncompagni, Francesca Agostini, Micaela Cantone & Maria Casagrande
    2019 Executive functions in Alzheimer disease: A systematic review. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience101. Article 437. 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00437
     https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2018.00437 [Google Scholar]
  21. Hansen-Schirra, Silvia & Christiane Maaß
    2020 Easy Language, Plain Language, Easy Language Plus: Perspectives on comprehensibility and stigmatisation. InSilvia Hansen-Schirra & Christiane Maaß (eds.), Easy Language research: Text and user perspectives, 17–38. Berlin: Frank & Timme. 10.26530/20.500.12657/42088
     https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/42088 [Google Scholar]
  22. Hansen-Schirra, Silvia, Walter Bisang, Arne Nagels, Silke Gutermuth, Julia Fuchs, Liv Borghardt, Silvana Deilen, Anne-Kathrin Gros, Laura Schiffl & Johanna Sommer
    2020 Intralingual translation into Easy Language — or how to reduce cognitive processing costs. InSilvia Hansen-Schirra & Christiane Maaß (eds.), Easy Language research: Text and user perspectives, 197–225. Berlin: Frank & Timme. 10.26530/20.500.12657/42088
     https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/42088 [Google Scholar]
  23. Horn, Laurence R.
    1984 Toward a new taxonomy for pragmatic inference. Q-based and R-based implicature. InDeborah Schiffrin (ed.), Meaning, form, and use in context: linguistic applications, 11–42. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Huang, Yan
    2014 Pragmatics (2nd edn.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Inclusion Europe
    Inclusion Europe 2009a Informationen für alle. Europäische Regeln, wie man Informationen leicht lesbar und verständlich macht. https://easy-to-read.inclusion-europe.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/DE_Information_for_all.pdf (27 February 2024)
  26. Inclusion Europe
    Inclusion Europe 2009b Information for all. European standards for making information easy to read and understand. https://www.inclusion-europe.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/EN_Information_for_all.pdf (27 February 2024)
  27. International Organization for Standardization
    International Organization for Standardization 2023 Information technology — User interfaces — Requirements and recommendations on making written text easy to read and understand. ISO/IEC 23859:2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Koch, Peter & Wulf Oesterreicher
    2012 Language of immediacy — Language of distance: Orality and literacy from the perspective of language theory and linguistic history. InClaudia Lange, Beatrix Weber & Göran Wolf (Eds.), Communicative spaces. Variation, contact, and change. Papers in Honour of Ursula Schaefer, 441–473. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Lebenshilfe
    Lebenshilfe 2015 Bart ab. Geschichten in Leichter Sprache. https://lebenshilfe-bremen.de/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Leseprobe_Bart-ab_barrierefrei.pdf (5 June, 2024).
  30. Lebenshilfe
    Lebenshilfe 2016a Die alte Minna. Geschichten in Leichter Sprache. https://lebenshilfe-bremen.de/wp-content/uploads/Uebersicht_alleGeschichten_2015-2018_shop.pdf (5 June, 2024).
  31. Lebenshilfe
    Lebenshilfe 2016b Dem Täter auf der Spur: Der Handtaschen-Dieb. Geschichten in Leichter Sprache. https://lebenshilfe-bremen.de/wp-content/uploads/Uebersicht_alleGeschichten_2015-2018_shop.pdf (5 June, 2024).
  32. Lebenshilfe
    Lebenshilfe 2018 Ostern in Feuerberg. Geschichten in Leichter Sprache. https://lebenshilfe-bremen.de/wp-content/uploads/Uebersicht_alleGeschichten_2015-2018_shop.pdf (5 June, 2024).
  33. Leskelä, Leealaura, Arto Mustajoki & Aino Piehl
    2022 Easy and plain languages as special cases of linguistic tailoring and standard language varieties. Nordic Journal of Linguistics451. 194–213. 10.1017/S0332586522000142
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0332586522000142 [Google Scholar]
  34. Levinson, Stephen C.
    2000 Presumptive meanings. The theory of generalized conversational implicature. Cambridge & London: MIT. 10.7551/mitpress/5526.001.0001
     https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/5526.001.0001 [Google Scholar]
  35. Lindholm, Camilla & Ulla Vanhatalo
    2021 Introduction. InCamilla Lindholm & Ulla Vanhatalo (eds.), Handbook of Easy languages in Europe, 11–25. Berlin: Frank & Timme. 10.26530/20.500.12657/52628
     https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/52628 [Google Scholar]
  36. Maaß, Christiane
    2015 Leichte Sprache. Das Regelbuch. Münster: LIT.
     [Google Scholar]
  37. 2020 Easy Language — Plain Language — Easy Language Plus. Balancing comprehensibility and acceptability. Berlin: Frank & Timme. 10.26530/20.500.12657/42089
     https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/42089 [Google Scholar]
  38. Maaß, Christiane, Isabel Rink & Silvia Hansen-Schirra
    2021 Easy Language in Germany. InCamilla Lindholm & Ulla Vanhatalo (eds.), Handbook of Easy languages in Europe, 191–218. Berlin: Frank & Timme.
     [Google Scholar]
  39. NDR
    NDR 2024 Die Bremer Stadt∙musikanten. https://www.ndr.de/fernsehen/barrierefreie_angebote/leichte_sprache/Die-Bremer-Stadtmusikanten,stadtmusikantenleichtesprache100.html (5 June, 2024).
  40. Neitzel, Isabel & Martina Penke
    2021 Theory of Mind in children and adolescents with Down syndrome. Research in Developmental Disabilities1131. Article 103945. 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103945
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103945 [Google Scholar]
  41. Netzwerk Leichte Sprache
    Netzwerk Leichte Sprache 2009/2022 Die Regeln für Leichte Sprache. https://www.leichte-sprache.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Regelwerk_NLS_Neuaufl2022_web.pdf (27 February 2024)
  42. Pappert, Sandra & Bettina M. Bock
    2020 Easy-to-read German put to the test: Do adults with intellectual disability or functional illiteracy benefit from compound segmentation?Reading and Writing331. 1105–1131. 10.1007/s11145‑019‑09995‑y
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-019-09995-y [Google Scholar]
  43. Rivero-Contreras, Miriam, Paul E. Engelhardt & David Saldaña
    2023 Do easy-to-read adaptations really facilitate sentence processing for adults with a lower level of education? An experimental eye-tracking study. Learning and Instruction84, Article. 101731. 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2022.101731
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2022.101731 [Google Scholar]
  44. Roberts, Angela, Marie Savundranayagam & J. B. Orange
    2021 Dementia of the Alzheimer type. InCummings, Louise (ed.), Handbook of pragmatic language disorders. Complex and underserved populations, 359–380. Cham: Springer. 10.1007/978‑3‑030‑74985‑9_14
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74985-9_14 [Google Scholar]
  45. Slabakova, Roumyana
    2010 Scalar implicatures in second language acquisition. Lingua1201. 2444–2462. 10.1016/j.lingua.2009.06.005
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2009.06.005 [Google Scholar]
  46. Sperber, Dan & Deirdre Wilson
    1986/1995 Relevance. Communication & cognition (2nd edn.). Oxford: Blackwell.
     [Google Scholar]
  47. Tavares De Lucena, Aline, Rishi K. Bhalla, Tatiana Teresa Belfort Almeida Dos Santos & Marcia Cristina Nascimento Dourado
    2020 The relationship between theory of mind and cognition in Alzheimer’s disease: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology42(3). 223–239. 10.1080/13803395.2019.1710112
     https://doi.org/10.1080/13803395.2019.1710112 [Google Scholar]
  48. Thurman, Angela John & Laura del Hoyo Soriano
    2021 Down syndrome. InCummings, Louise (ed.), Handbook of pragmatic language disorders. Complex and underserved populations, 99–128. Cham: Springer. 10.1007/978‑3‑030‑74985‑9_5
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74985-9_5 [Google Scholar]
  49. Tungate, Andrew S. & Frances A. Conners
    2021 Executive function in Down syndrome: A meta-analysis. Research in Developmental Disabilities1081, Article 103802. 10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103802
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103802 [Google Scholar]
  50. Wilson, Deirdre & Dan Sperber
    2006 Relevance theory. InLaurence R. Horn & Gregory Ward (eds.), The handbook of pragmatics, 607–632. Malden: Blackwell. 10.1002/9780470756959.ch27
     https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470756959.ch27 [Google Scholar]
  51. Yirmiya, Nurit, Daphna Solomonica-Levi, Cory Shulman & Tammy Pilowsky
    1996 Theory of Mind abilities in individuals with autism, Down syndrome, and mental retardation of unknown etiology: The role of age and intelligence. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry37(8). 1003–1014. 10.1111/j.1469‑7610.1996.tb01497.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.1996.tb01497.x [Google Scholar]
  52. Zelazo, Philip David, Jacob A. Burack, Elizabeth Benedetto & Douglas Frye
    1996 Theory of Mind and rule use in individuals with Down’s Syndrome: A test of the uniqueness and specificity claims. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry37(4). 479–484. 10.1111/j.1469‑7610.1996.tb01429.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.1996.tb01429.x [Google Scholar]
  53. Zufferey, Sandrine, Jacques Moeschler & Anne Reboul
    2019 Implicatures. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/9781316410875
     https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316410875 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/pc.00038.fuc
Loading
Pragmatics and cognition in Easy Language
Pragmatics & Cognition 31, 1 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1075/pc.00038.fuc
/content/journals/10.1075/pc.00038.fuc
/content/journals/10.1075/pc.00038.fuc
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): accessible communication; cognition; conversational implicature; Easy Language; pragmatics

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error