Relevance Theory And Communication

As a new theory of communication interpretation, Relevance Theory's unique approach to communication is a domain worthy to be penetratingly explored. I lowever, studies in the respect seem to be inadequate both in China and abroad. Based on Sperber & Wilson's original statements in Rule van ce. Communication & Cognition as well as the research products of the following Relevance Theorists, this thesis is dedicated to the studies of RT's distinctive model and principle of communication as well as its potentiality of interpreting verbal communication. A comprehensive comparison is made between Relevance Theory and traditional theories about comtnun ication, between WV's ostensive? inferential model and semiologists?code model as well as Grice's inferential model, between RT's principle of relevance and Grice's co-operative principle; through this contrastive analysis, the progressive significance of?RT?s approach to communication is disclosed. Besides, a variety of materials of verbal exchanges are employed and analyzed, through which RT's power in interpreting both implicit and explicit communication is fully demonstrated. The discussion is concluded by pointing out that Relevance heory, for all its limitations, has made a great contribution to the development of modern pragmatics, fbr it has solved some of the pragmatic problems that have long perplexed linguists and developed a brand-new perspective (cognitive pragmatics) of viewing communicative problems and demonstrated a large potentiality of?interpreting language phenomena.