Front cover image for Interpretation and Understandig

Interpretation and Understandig

Our species has been searching for meaning throughout its evolutionary development. For us to understand one another, we must embark on a complex interpretative process. The aim of this text is to provide a theory of understanding and interpretation to clarify this communicative process.
Print Book, English, [2003]
John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam, [2003]
XXII, 714 p.
9789027226044, 9781588114143, 9027226040, 1588114147
758081387
1. Foreword; 2. Part I: Theorizing; 3. 1. Pragmatics and communicative intentions; 4. 2. Conversational relevance; 5. 3. Strategies of understanding; 6. 4. Two modes of understanding; 7. 5. Individual and collective intentions; 8. 6. How does a connective work?; 9. 7. Commitment and involvement; 10. 8. Cues, clues, and context; 11. 9. Models of interpretation; 12. Part II: Applying; 13. 10. Understanding digressions; 14. 11. Understanding a metaphor; 15. 12. Three remarks on pragmatics and literature; 16. 13. Understanding controversies; 17. 14. Understanding misunderstanding; 18. 15. Understanding the law; 19. 16. Understanding jokes and dreams; 20. 17. Understanding art; 21. 18. Why does language matter to Artificial Intelligence?; 22. 19. Pragmatics in the digital age; 23. 20. Interpretation and tolerance; 24. 21. Understanding other cultures; 25. Part III: Meeting the alternatives; 26. 22. Why should I ask her?; 27. 23. Speech act theory and pragmatics; 28. 24. The pragmatic structure of conversation; 29. 25. Contextualism; 30. 26. Does pragmatics need semantics?; 31. 27. Pragmatics and foundationalism; 32. 28. The marriage of pragmatics and rhetoric; 33. 29. Hermeneutic interpretation and pragmatic interpretation; 34. 30. The limits of interpretation; 35. Sources and acknowledgments; 36. References; 37. Subject Index; 38. Name Index