What is an enablement relation?

Definition
	An enablement relation is an interpropositional relation in which a proposition(s) supports a speaker's directive by improving the addressee’s ability to fulfill it or take advantage of it.

Examples (English)
	Providing an address for an invitation Giving a deadline for making an application

Generic
	An enablement relation is a kind of
	What is an interpropositional relation?

Sources
	Mann and Thompson 1987b 54–55
	Matthiessen and Thompson 1987 23–24

Context for this page:

Concept module: enablement relation
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): E
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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