Disjüksiyon

Disjüksiyon is a term used in linguistics to describe a type of disjunction that is not truth-conditional. This means that the disjunction, typically expressed by the word "or," does not affect the truth value of the statement. Instead, disjüksiyon is understood to convey a pragmatic or epistemic nuance, often related to the speaker's uncertainty or a desire to offer alternatives without asserting their truth.

Unlike standard logical disjunctions (inclusive or exclusive), where "A or B" implies that at least one of the propositions A or B is true, disjüksiyon suggests that the speaker is presenting options without committing to their truth. For example, in a sentence like "I'll have coffee or tea," if the speaker is genuinely undecided, this can be seen as disjüksiyon. The utterance doesn't assert the truth of "I'll have coffee" nor the truth of "I'll have tea," but rather a state of deliberation or an offering of choices.

This concept has been explored in various linguistic theories, including Relevance Theory and Neo-Gricean pragmatics. Researchers argue that understanding disjüksiyon requires considering the speaker's intentions and the context of the conversation. It highlights how meaning in language can go beyond the literal semantic content of words, incorporating pragmatic inferences that shape how utterances are interpreted by listeners. The distinction between truth-conditional and non-truth-conditional disjunctions is crucial for a complete analysis of how "or" functions in natural language.