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Truthfulness and Relevance in Telling The Time
- Source :
- Mind and Language, Mind and Language, Wiley, 2002, 17, pp.457-466
- Publication Year :
- 2002
- Publisher :
- HAL CCSD, 2002.
-
Abstract
- Someone asked ‘What time is it?' when her watch reads 3:08 is likely to answer ‘It is 3:10.' We argue that a fundamental factor that explains such rounding is a psychological disposition to give an answer that, while not necessarily strictly truthful or accurate, is an optimally relevant one (in the sense of relevance theory) i.e. an answer from which hearers can derive the consequences they care about with minimal effort. A rounded answer is easier to process and may carry the same consequences as one that is accurate to the minute. Hence rounding is often a way of optimising relevance. Three simple experiments give support and greater precision to the view that relevance is more important than strict truthfulness in verbal communication.
- Subjects :
- 060201 languages & linguistics
Linguistics and Language
Relevance theory
Process (engineering)
Rounding
05 social sciences
06 humanities and the arts
Disposition
050105 experimental psychology
Language and Linguistics
Epistemology
Philosophy
Nonverbal communication
0602 languages and literature
[SCCO.PSYC] Cognitive science/Psychology
[SCCO.PSYC]Cognitive science/Psychology
Relevance (law)
0501 psychology and cognitive sciences
Psychology
Simple (philosophy)
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 02681064 and 14680017
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Mind and Language, Mind and Language, Wiley, 2002, 17, pp.457-466
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....87ab6292b0ab7e514bb2d1bd8eda8509