ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the key ideas of the ‘post-Gricean’ approach relevance theory, developed by Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson. This differs from the neo-Gricean approaches in that it does not assume maxim-like principles. Instead, it proposes principles understood as generalisations about cognition and communication. These are not principles which can be observed or departed from. Rather, they are generalisations about what individuals do when understanding the world and when interacting in communication. The theory developed from critical discussion of Grice’s ideas and is based on a technical notion of ‘relevance’ defined with reference to cognitive effects and effort. In general, our minds seek to achieve effects and to avoid unnecessary effort. Communicative acts give rise to fairly precise expectations about their own relevance.
