Approaching modality from the perspective of Relevance Theory

Abstract

In this paper, key elements of the Relevance Theoretic approach to the relationship between semantics and pragmatics are introduced. The proposal is that a minimalist semantics is contextually enriched according to a single principle of “relevance”. This is in contrast to standard models that assume a rich semantics and a relatively parsimonious pragmatics enriched by several conversational maxims or principles. A review follows of one of the first in depth monographs on a single linguistic domain in Relevance Theoretic terms, Anna Papafragou's Modality: Issues in the Semantics–Pragmatics Interface [Current Research in the Semantics/Pragmatics Interface, 6 (2000)]. Papafragou argues for a unitary approach to root-epistemic distinctions, and for treating epistemic modality as a case of embedded representation (“metarepresentation”). Broad-ranging issues in diachrony and language acquisition are also addressed.