The Relevance Theory and Irrelevance Theory are frameworks in the field of pragmatics that aim to explain how communication works and how meaning is derived from utterances. Let's explore each theory in more detail:
1. Relevance Theory: Relevance Theory, proposed by Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson, suggests that communication is driven by the concept of relevance. According to this theory, speakers aim to communicate information that is relevant to the listener's cognitive environment. Relevance is determined by the cognitive effects of an utterance, such as the increase in the listener's knowledge or the resolution of their doubts.
Key principles of Relevance Theory include:
• The Principle of Relevance: Listeners expect speakers to produce utterances that are relevant to the ongoing cognitive context. If an utterance is perceived as relevant, it is likely to be processed and interpreted.
• Cognitive Effort: Listeners engage in a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether the cognitive effort required to process an utterance is justified by the expected relevance. Speakers strive to minimize the cognitive effort needed to interpret their messages.
• Contextual Adjustment: Listeners may adjust their cognitive context to make an utterance relevant. They actively search for contextual assumptions or implications that can connect the utterance to their existing knowledge.
2. Irrelevance Theory: Irrelevance Theory, also known as Relevance Impairment Theory, proposes that certain utterances intentionally violate the principle of relevance. According to this theory, speakers sometimes employ indirect, ambiguous, or irrelevant language to achieve specific communicative goals. These goals can include social bonding, politeness, or achieving a particular effect.
Key principles of Irrelevance Theory include:
• Implicature: Irrelevant utterances can convey implicatures, which are implied meanings that go beyond the literal interpretation of the words used. The speaker expects the listener to infer these implicatures and derive the intended meaning.
• Cooperative Principle Violation: Irrelevance Theory acknowledges that communication sometimes involves intentional violations of the Cooperative Principle, which is the principle of making contributions that are relevant, informative, truthful, and clear.
• Pragmatic Competence: Understanding and interpreting irrelevant utterances require the listener to possess pragmatic competence, which involves the ability to recognize and interpret implicatures and understand the speaker's intentions.
Both Relevance Theory and Irrelevance Theory contribute to our understanding of how meaning is derived from utterances and the role of context, inference, and pragmatics in communication. Relevance Theory focuses on the importance of relevance and cognitive effects, while Irrelevance Theory explores the intentional use of irrelevance and implicature in communication. These theories provide valuable insights into the complexities of human communication and how speakers and listeners navigate meaning in everyday interactions.
