Bruce,
I think I have to agree with you on the invited inference. The
lack of context threw me off. Thanks for a better explanation.
Herb
From: Assembly for the
Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bruce
Despain
Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2009 12:34 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What does this mean?
There is an interesting distinction between normal inference
that reinforces meanings already in the sentence and invited inference that
suggests something different from what the communicant would normally
infer. I think that Herb’s interpretation of the perfect is normal,
rather than invited. The invitation to understand the sentence
differently, I believe, is in the simple past, where her removal from the event
is not expected from the build-up. The analytical conflict is where the
perfect in the second example may be taken as reinforcing the build-up and
harmonizing with it. The formal register seems to allow this. If
the author is inviting an inference with the second sentence, I believe it
would be as I explained it and for the reasons given.
From: Assembly for the
Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of STAHLKE,
HERBERT F
Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What does this mean?
Because of the lack of context, we’re in the realm of invited
inference. The second sentence invites the inference that what she
related happened just prior to the time of the sentence and is somehow related
to her emotional state. The first sentence permits but does not invite
this inference, and so she could also be relating something that long before,
perhaps did not involve her directly, but moved her deeply.
The pragmatics of sentences like these is particularly
interesting, and there’s been some good work done on the nature of invited
inference by Michael Geis, Jerry Morgan and others.
Herb
From: Assembly for the
Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brad
Johnston
Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: What does this mean?
What does this sentence mean: She took a deep breath and, between sobs,
related what happened? What does this sentence mean: She took a deep breath and, between sobs,
related what had happened? .brad.04nov09. |
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