Chapter One Introduction 1
1.1 Object of the research 1
1.2 Rationale for the research 5
1.3 Significance of the research 8
1.4 Methodology and data 9
1.5 Organization of the book 9
Chapter Two An Overview of Approaches to Vagueness 11
2.1 Introduction 11
2.2 Etymology of"vague" 12
2.3 Vagueness and the Sorites Paradox:a historical survey 14
2.4 The philosophical approach to vagueness 18
2.5 The semantic approach to vagueness 25
2.5.1 Vagueness,ambiguity,generality and epistemic failure 25
2.5.2 Definition of vagueness 32
2.6 The cognitive approach to vagueness 34
2.7 Summary 38
Chapter Three Pragmatic Vagueness 39
3.1 Introduction 39
3.2 The pragmatic vagueness/semantic vagueness distinction 39
3.2.1 The pragmatics/semantics distinction 40
3.2.2 Pragmatic vagueness versus semantic vagueness 47
3.3 A taxonomy of pragmatic vagueness 59
3.3.1 Quality-based pragmatic vagueness 62
3.3.2 Quantity-based pragmatic vagueness 66
3.3.3 Relation-based pragmatic vagueness 71
3.4 Functions of pragmatic vagueness 73
3.5 Summary 77
Chapter Four A Review of the Pragmatic Literature on Verbal Communication 79
4.1 Introduction 79
4.2 Grice's co-operative principle 80
4.2.1 The conversational maxims of co-operative principle 81
4.2.2 Observance of the conversational maxims 84
4.2.3 Nonobservance of the conversational maxims 86
4.3 Adaptation theory 93
4.3.1 Verschueren's interdisciplinary perspective on language use 95
4.3.2 Perspective view of language 97
4.3.3 Linguistic choice-making and its key notions 99
4.3.4 Four angles of pragmatic investigation 109
4.3.5 Metapragmatic awareness 118
4.3.6 Strengths and weaknesses of adaptation theory 119
4.4 Relevance theory 121
4.4.1 Two models of communication 122
4.4.2 Relevance 125
4.4.3 Explicature 131
4.4.4 Implicature in relevance theory 138
4.5 Summary 140
Chapter Five The CRAP Model for Explaining Pragmatic Vagueness 142
5.1 Introduction 142
5.2 An overview of the CRAP model 144
5.2.1 The CRAP model and its precursors 144
5.2.2 Constituents of the CRAP model 156
5.3 The CRAP model:the production of pragmatically vague utterances 168
5.4 The CRAP model:the interpretation of pragmatically vague utterances 176
5.4.1 Mental structure as functional architecture:horizontal faculties 177
5.4.2 Mental structure as functional architecture:vertical faculties 179
5.4.3 Fodorian theory of cognitive modularity 184
5.4.4 Sperber and Wilson's position on the modularity of mind 188
5.4.5 The interpretation of pragmatic vagueness:a massively modular approach 192
5.5 Summary 207
Chapter Six Conclusion 210
6.1 Major findings of the research 210
6.2 Ramifications and implications 213
6.3 Limitations of the research and suggestions for further work 216
References 218