3>Theory of mind

Question 1

(S&W) Relevance theory=

Answer 1

idea of ‘relevance’ central to human cognition & thus to human communication

Question 2

relevance theory> 2 guiding principles>

Answer 2

• cognitive principle of relevance
• communicative principle of relevance
  ^idea that the former determines the latter

Question 3

cognitive principle of relevance=

Answer 3

human cognition tends to be geared to the maximisation of relevance

Question 4

communicative principle of relevance=

Answer 4

every ostensive stimulus conveys a presumption of its own optimal relevance (every time someone communicates with us, we assume there is something in it that is relevant to us)

Question 5

relevance & context>

Answer 5

relevance depends on the ‘positive cognitive effects’ (or changes) in how one sees the world

Question 6

types of ‘positive cognitive effects’>

Answer 6

1>contextual implications
2>optimal relevance

Question 7

‘positive cognitive effect’> contextual implications>

Answer 7

> when we assume that an utterance is relevant, we do that by searching for what we know of the context
we often actively ‘create context’ to make sense of what others say

Question 8

‘positive cognitive effect’> optimal relevance>

Answer 8

based on what the speaker has said & given, we presume what is said is OPTIMALLY RELEVANT; hearers strive to figure out what the optimally relevant meaning is

Question 9

explicature=

Answer 9

all missing contextual info needed to understand an utterance (<a cognitive phenomenon but in many cases overtly communicated)

Question 10

theory of mind=

Answer 10

anticipatory inference or simulation of what others are thinking/feeling/knowing is TOM

Question 11

relevance theory & TOM>

Answer 11

-desire to make addressee react a certain way (due to TOM) in response to our utterances/words will affect linguistic choices (relating to relevance thoery)
- young children & stream of consciousness style of communication (1 sided)> relevant to self not others

Question 12

intersubjectivity=

Answer 12

used in social science for the same perception shared between more than one conscious mind

Question 13

ways of expressing TOM linguistically>

Answer 13

> pragmatic markers: “well”; “isn’t it”
more complex expressions: “to be honest with you” “look” etc

Question 14

intersubjectively marked language=

Answer 14

meta-pragmatics (road signs to our social thinking)

Question 15

pragmatic markers=

Answer 15

‘mirroring’ of the speaker’s mental process, commenting on what goes on in the speaker’s mind in response to the hearers projected reactions to the utterance (<thus are ‘intersubjective’)

Question 16

examples of pragmatic markers=

Answer 16

‘well’= instructs hearer to interpet what is to come as in relation to what has been said
>also context dependent: in debate offers different opinion to last

Question 17

intersubjectively marked interaction=

Answer 17

humans tend to ascribe ‘intersubjectified’ meanings to existing forms (reflected in lang change & ontogeny)

Question 18

intersubjectified meanigns in relation to ‘literal ones’>

Answer 18

intersubjectified meanings ALWAYS devleop ‘on top of’ literal ones & normally express a surplus of sense that is ADDITIONAL to the actual content of what said

Question 19

intersubjectified interaction in autistic people>

Answer 19

intersubjectified interaction is more impeded in autistic speech than in neurotypical speech

Question 20

when do children develop the ability to master intersubjectified polysemies?>

Answer 20

around 3/4 corresponding to ‘critical period’ when they develop TOM

Question 21

IMMEDIATE forms of intersubjectivity>

Answer 21

awareness of potential reaction of specific person

Question 22

EXTENDED forms of intersubjectivity>

Answer 22

social cognition; the awareness of how ‘people’ would normally react to certain utterances in certain contexts