Implicature

Implicature is a concept in pragmatics that refers to the meaning that is

conveyed indirectly through the use of language, beyond the literal or surface
meaning of the words. Implicatures are not explicitly stated but are inferred by
the listener based on the context of the utterance, the speaker's intention, and the
shared background knowledge of the participants in the conversation.

There are two types of implicatures: conventional and conversational.

Conventional implicatures are those that are associated with specific words or
expressions and are generally agreed upon by speakers of a language. For
example, the use of the word "but" implies a contrast or contradiction in the
preceding sentence.

Conversational implicatures, on the other hand, are more context-dependent and

are based on the speaker's intention and the shared assumptions of the
participants in the conversation. For example, if someone says "I have a lot of
homework to do," the conversational implicature might be that they are busy
and unable to do something else at the moment.

There are several ways in which implicatures can be conveyed, including

through inference from the context, implicature by cancellation, and scalar
implicature.

Inference from context occurs when the listener infers a meaning based on the
context of the utterance. For example, if someone says "I'm going to the store,"
the listener may infer that the speaker needs to buy something.

Implicature by cancellation occurs when the listener infers a meaning that is

contrary to what the speaker has said. For example, if someone says "I don't
have a girlfriend," the listener may infer that the speaker is single.
Scalar implicature occurs when the listener infers a meaning based on the
presence or absence of other related words or concepts. For example, if
someone says "Some of my friends came to the party," the listener may infer
that not all of the speaker's friends came to the party.

In conclusion, implicature is a crucial aspect of pragmatics that helps us

understand the meaning behind what is said beyond the literal or surface level
of language. It is based on the shared background knowledge and intentions of
the participants in a conversation, and it can be conveyed in various ways
depending on the context and the words used.