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3 Reference and Inference

1. Reference involves using linguistic forms to connect something in the speaker's utterance to something the listener already knows. Successful reference relies on both reference and inference. 2. Referring expressions like nouns, pronouns, and definite/indefinite articles are used to identify referents, but interpretation depends on context and what the speaker assumes the listener knows. 3. Both context and prior mentions in discourse help listeners infer the intended referent, like using "he" after introducing "a man". Reference interpretation is conventionally associated with names within a shared sociocultural understanding.

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295 views14 pages

3 Reference and Inference

1. Reference involves using linguistic forms to connect something in the speaker's utterance to something the listener already knows. Successful reference relies on both reference and inference. 2. Referring expressions like nouns, pronouns, and definite/indefinite articles are used to identify referents, but interpretation depends on context and what the speaker assumes the listener knows. 3. Both context and prior mentions in discourse help listeners infer the intended referent, like using "he" after introducing "a man". Reference interpretation is conventionally associated with names within a shared sociocultural understanding.

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paulina besty fortina sari
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Reference and

Inference
1
Reference
An act in which a speaker, or writer,
uses linguistic forms to enable a
listener, or reader, to identify something

 tied to the speaker’s goals and the


speaker’s belief in the use of language
2
Noun Phrases (definite
Proper nouns
 the author, the
(Shakespeare, Hawaii)
singer),

Referring
expressions

(indefinite  a man, a
Pronouns
beautiful place)

choice  based on what the speaker assumes the listener already knows

3
Mister Aftershave is late today
• Referring expression
• The speaker is relying on the listener’s ability to infer what referent
we have in mind
• For successful reference to occur, we must recognize the role of
inference
Mister Aftershave is late today
Let’s start with the first set of slides
• Not all referring expressions have identifiable physical referents
• There’s a man waiting for you. ( a man  indefinite noun phrase)
• He wants to marry a woman with lots of money. (a woman with lots
of money  entity that is known to the speaker only in terms of its
descriptive properties)  the word “a” can be replaced by “any”
• We’d love to find a nine-foot tall basketball player. (nine-foot tall
basketball player : entities that do not exist)
• There was no sign of the killer
• The speaker does not know for sure if there is a person who could be
the referent of the definite expression
• Attributive us ( whoever fits the description)
• If there has been a killer…
• Referential use  having a person in mind, and instead of using her
name od some other description, we choose the expression
• Can I borrow your Shakespeare?
• Yes, it is over there on the table.
• Referent?  a book
• Where’s the cheese sandwich sitting?
• He’s over there by the window
• Referent ? A person
• There is a convention that certain referring expressions will be used
to identify certain entities on a regular basis. This appears to work
between all members of a community who share a common language
and culture
• Shakespeare takes up the whole bottom shelf
• Referent? Books
• We’re going to see Shakespeare in London
• Referent? A play
• I hated Shakespeare at school
• Referent? Reading his plays

• There seems to be a pragmatic connection between proper nouns and


objects that will be conventionally associated, within a socio-culturally
defined community, with those names.
• The nature of reference interpretation is also what allows the readers
to make sense of newspaper headlines using names of countries
• Brazil wins world cup
• Referring expression  co-text (co-text limits the range of possible
interpretations)
• Provides a range of reference, that is, a number of possible referents
• Context  the physical environment
• It has a powerful impact on how referring expressions are to be
interpreted
• The cheese sandwich is made with white board
• The cheese sandwich left without paying
• Context : a restaurant
• The different co-texts lead to a different type of interpretation in each
case
• The heart-attack mustn’t be moved
• Context?  a hospital
• Your ten-thirty just cancelled
• Context?  a dentist’s office
• A couple of rooms have complained about the heat
• Context?  a hotel reception
• In the film, a man and woman were trying to wash a cat. The man was
holding the cat while the woman poured water on it. He said
something to her and they started laughing.
• Antecedent?  a man and a woman were trying to wash a cat
• Often indefinite
• Anaphor?  the man was holding the cat while the woman poured
water on it. He said something to her and they started laughing.
• Makes reference to already introduced references
• I turned the corner and almost stepped on it. There was a large snake
in the middle of the path.
•  it is difficult to interpret until the full noun phrase is presented in
the next line
• CATAPHORA  less common than anaphora

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