knowledgeimplying

Knowledgeimplying refers to a class of communicative phenomena in which an utterance encodes an epistemic claim about knowledge—either that the speaker possesses certain knowledge or that a fact is knowable—through implicature or presupposition rather than direct assertion. The term is used in linguistics and philosophy of language to describe how statements can influence listeners’ inferences about what is known without the speaker explicitly stating it.

Mechanisms for knowledgeimplying include presupposition, where the sentence assumes a knowledge state, and epistemic evidentials, which signal certainty or basis for knowledge without a flat assertion. Indirect or cautious speech acts can also convey knowledge claims by suggesting confidence or sufficiency of evidence. Examples include statements like "I’ve checked the data," which implies that the speaker has knowledge of the data and its status, or "As you know, the data show X," which signals shared knowledge and invites acceptance of the conclusion without restating all evidence.

Usage and scope: knowledgeimplying is discussed in discourse analysis and studies of epistemic modality and evidentiality. It helps explain how speakers manage epistemic responsibility, trust, and persuasion in communication, as well as how listeners infer knowledge states from context.

Relation to other concepts: it is related to conventional implicature, presupposition, and epistemic modality, but is sometimes treated as a distinct focus of analysis because it centers explicitly on knowledge states rather than mere speaker attitude or presupposed content.

See also: epistemic modality, presupposition, implicature, evidentiality.