Relevanciaelmélet

Relevanciaelmélet, often translated as relevance theory, is a cognitive theory of communication developed by linguists Deirdre Wilson and Dan Sperber. It proposes that understanding in communication is fundamentally a matter of cognitive relevance. Relevance theory posits that when someone communicates, they implicitly assume that what they are saying will be relevant to the hearer. The hearer, in turn, seeks the most optimal relevance in the utterance.

Cognitive relevance is achieved when new information provides significant contextual effects (new implications, confirmations, or refutations of existing beliefs) in return for minimal processing effort. In essence, the more effects an utterance has with the least amount of mental work, the more relevant it is. This principle guides how we interpret utterances, assuming that the speaker intends to be understood and is not deliberately making things difficult.

The theory explains various aspects of language use, including metaphor, irony, implicature, and ambiguity. It suggests that interpretation is not a straightforward decoding of linguistic meaning but an inferential process. The listener uses their background knowledge, the context of the utterance, and the assumption of relevance to construct the intended meaning. Relevanciaelmélet emphasizes the role of inference and cognitive processes in achieving successful communication, moving beyond purely linguistic explanations.