Konstitution von Nichtwissen und Unsicherheit im Sprachgebrauch – ein programmatischer Systematisierungsversuch

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a systematisation of the constitution of ignorance and uncertaintyin language use and interaction. To this end, we first distinguish between a local anda global perspective on ignorance and uncertainty constitution. For the local level of ignoranceand uncertainty constitution, we propose that four different types of linguistically indexed attributionsof ignorance and uncertainty can be distinguished, with which the speaker/writer refersto different knowledge domains involved in the social process of local knowledge constitution.We then provide an overview of the inventory of linguistic signs that can be used to index suchattributions and, building on this, distinguish four different forms of ignorance and uncertaintyindexing that can be used in heterogeneous ways to signal the different types of ignorance anduncertainty attributions in specific contexts and situations. For the global level of collective ignoranceand uncertainty constitution, we propose a model of different types of propositionalconstellations that can be used discourse-analytically as a basis for external ignorance and uncertaintyattributions.