On indefinite descriptions

This paper explores some aspects of the semantics and pragmatics of indefinite descriptions. It is often noted that indefinite descriptions may be interpreted in several ways: attributively, referentially, specifically, generically, etc. I argue that indefinite descriptions are not semantically ambiguous and that their various interpretations are better explained on the basis of general communicative principles. Assuming an unambiguous semantics, I develop a pragmatic account of the attributive, the specific and the referential interpretation, placed within the framework of relevance theory. I compare this analysis to a Gricean one and argue that the relevance theoretic account is more adequate. Finally, I show that the proposed analysis can be extended to account for the generic and the predicative interpretations as well.

[1]  D. Sperber,et al.  Précis of Relevance: Communication and Cognition , 1987 .

[2]  B. Russell,et al.  Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy , 1920, The Mathematical Gazette.

[3]  Keith S. Donnellan,et al.  Language, Mind, and Knowledge , 1977 .

[4]  George M. Wilson.  On Definite and Indefinite Descriptions , 1978 .

[5]  Peter F. Strawson,et al.  Introduction To Logical Theory , 1954 .

[6]  Ivan A. Sag,et al.  Referential and quantificational indefinites , 1982 .

[7]  Ruth Kempson.  Mental Representations: The Interface between Language and Reality , 1990, Language.

[8]  S. P. Schwartz.  Naming, necessity, and natural kinds , 1977 .

[9]  D. Sperber,et al.  Presumptions of relevance , 1987 .

[10]  Lauri Karttunen,et al.  Discourse Referents , 1969, COLING.

[11]  Jeffrey C. King.  Are indefinite descriptions ambiguous? , 1988 .

[12]  John R. Searle,et al.  Expression and Meaning: Referential and attributive , 1979 .

[13]  Bert Peeters.  Rainer Bäuerle, Christoph Schwarze, Arnim von Stechow (eds), Meaning, use, and interpretation of language , 1986 .

[14]  F. Récanati.  Referential/attributive: A contextualist proposal , 1989 .

[15]  Keith S. Donnellan,et al.  Speaker References, Descriptions and Anaphora , 1978 .

[16]  C. Chastain,et al.  Reference and Context , 1975 .

[17]  L. Cohen,et al.  Some Remarks on Grice’s Views about the Logical Particles of Natural Language , 1975 .

[18]  D. Sperber,et al.  On Grice's Theory of Conversation , 1981 .

[19]  P. Werth.  Conversation and Discourse , 2022 .

[20]  Keith S. Donnellan.  Reference and Definite Descriptions , 1966 .

[21]  D. Over,et al.  Studies in the Way of Words. , 1989 .

[22]  S. Neale,et al.  Indefinite descriptions: In defense of russell , 1991 .

[23]  G. Gazdar,et al.  Syntax and semantics 9: Pragmatics: Peter Cole, ed., New York: Academic Press. 1978. pp. xii + 340. , 1980 .

[24]  P. Strawson.  III.—ON REFERRING , 1950 .

[25]  B. Russell.  II.—On Denoting , 1905 .

[26]  P. Christophersen.  The articles : A study of their theory and use in English , 1940 .

[27]  Yehoshua Bar-Hillel,et al.  Pragmatics of natural languages , 1975 .

[28]  Saul A. Kripke,et al.  SPEAKER'S REFERENCE and SEMANTIC REFERENCE , 1977 .

[29]  D. Farkas.  Intensional descriptions and the romance subjunctive mood , 1985 .

[30]  D. Sperber,et al.  Relevance: Communication and Cognition , 1997 .

[31]  D. Blakemore,et al.  Understanding Utterances: An Introduction to Pragmatics , 1992 .

[32]  J. Saul,et al.  Direct Reference: From Language to Thought. , 1993 .

[33]  F. Récanati.  The Pragmatics of What is Said , 1989 .

[34]  Michael Luntley,et al.  Meaning and Interpretation. , 1987 .

[35]  H. Grice.  Logic and conversation , 1975 .

[36]  Richard E. Grandy,et al.  Words and Objections Essays on the Work of W.V. Quine , 1973 .

[37]  On the referential/attributive distinction , 1992 .

[38]  Christoph Schwarze,et al.  Meaning, Use, and Interpretation of Language , 1983 .

[39]  Vassiliki Rouchota.  The semantics and pragmatics of the subjunctive in modern Greek : a relevance-theoretic approach , 1994 .

[40]  Irene Heim,et al.  The semantics of definite and indefinite noun phrases : a dissertation , 1982 .

[41]  N. Cocchiarella,et al.  Situations and Attitudes. , 1986 .

[42]  Deirdre Wilson,et al.  Linguistic form and relevance , 1993 .

[43]  P. French,et al.  Contemporary perspectives in the philosophy of language , 1989 .