ABSTRACT
The pragmatic concept of Background Knowledge1 identifies propositions unstated by a text but necessary for its interpretation. So Background Knowledge can explain what is called conversational implicature-the message arising from an utterance which, on the surface, appears to be irrelevant in the context, but which a listener can interpret as relevant by consulting certain unexpressed propositions. Background Knowledge is thus a factor in a text’s coherence, capable of providing the basis for understanding why the speaker chose to continue with one sentence rather than another.
