Original scientific paper

Gricean Semantics and Vague Speaker-Meaning

Stephen Schiffer ; New York University, New York, USA

Abstract

Presentations of Gricean semantics, including Stephen Neale’s in “Silent Reference,” totally ignore vagueness, even though virtually every utterance is vague. I ask how Gricean semantics might be adjusted to accommodate vague speaker-meaning. My answer is that it can’t accommodate it: the Gricean program collapses in the face of vague speaker-meaning. The Gricean might, however, fi nd some solace in knowing that every other extant meta-semantic and semantic program is in the same boat.

Keywords

Gricean semantics; Stephen Neale; proposition; vagueness; vague speaker-meaning

Hrčak ID:

195064

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/195064

Publication date:

12.12.2017.

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