ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I consider coherence from the perspective of the discourse recipient. I outline a theory of discourse coherence that is suggested by the work of H. Paul Grice because his work focuses on the expectations that influence recipients' interpretation of the meaning of discourse. Interestingly, one of the coherence principles based on Grice's work appears to have a direct correlate in Gestalt theories of unity in visual and auditory perception. I demonstrate that Grice's concept of relation is analogous to Gestalt's concept of continuity. Thus, I claim that relation describes a discourse recipient's sense of one aspect of discourse coherence—continuity. In addition, I explore the gradable and variable nature of coherence, including the range of knowledge types that affect recipients' sense of coherence.
