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Article published In: Pragmatics & Cognition
Vol. 31:1 (2024) ► pp.1–26

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Pragmatics and cognition in Easy Language

 | Leipzig University
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Open Access publication of this article was funded through a Transformative Agreement with Leipzig University.

Published online: 11 October 2024
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https://doi.org/10.1075/pc.00038.fuc
Abstract
A core area of pragmatics is conversational implicatures, where speakers imply a meaning that is not part of what is literally said. Not all people have the ability to easily understand such common (implicit) forms of communication. For these people, Easy Language has been developed, i.e. a form of barrier-free communication with substantially simplified syntax and lexis. Moreover, Easy Language is based on the principle of maximum explicitness. However, the heterogeneous target groups and the different types of implicature have not been systematically taken into account. Therefore, this article is the first to take an in-depth look at conversational implicatures in Easy Language. It shows that a universal principle of maximum explicitness for Easy Language is too short-sighted. Instead, the principle of explicitness must be considered in relation to the different target groups and the types of implicature. The article provides an impulse for further (empirical) research in this emerging field.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Easy Language
    • 2.1Basic principles of Easy Language
    • 2.2Pragmatics in Easy Language guidelines
    • 2.3Cognition in Easy Language target groups
  • 3.Conversational implicatures
    • 3.1(Neo-)Gricean accounts
    • 3.2Post-Gricean account
  • 4.Conversational implicatures in Easy Language
    • 4.1Examples
      • 4.1.1Conversational implicatures that remain implicit
      • 4.1.2Conversational implicature that is made explicit on the linguistic surface
    • 4.2Areas of tension
    • 4.3Comprehension of implicatures in Easy Language target groups
      • 4.3.1Down syndrome
      • 4.3.2Dementia
      • 4.3.3Second language acquisition (L2)
      • 4.3.4Comparison of target groups
    • 4.4Empirical research at the interface of pragmatics, cognition and Easy Language
      • 4.4.1The research gap
      • 4.4.2Empirical predictions
      • 4.4.3Factors to consider for test design and recruitment
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
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Pujadas-Farreras, Marina & María J. Machuca
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