What is given information?

Definition
	Given information is information that is assumed by the speaker to be known to, assumed by, or inferable by the addressee at the time of the speaker's utterance, because it is
	common knowledge part of the extralinguistic context, or previously established in the discourse.

Discussion
	Given information often is
	placed early in a sentence, and spoken with a low amount of stress.

Kinds
	Here are some kinds of given information:
	What is an evoked entity? What is an inferable entity? What is predictable information? What is salient information?

Generic
	Given information is a kind of
	What is given versus new information?

Sources
	Crystal 1985 136
	Crystal 1980 161–162
	Levinson 1983 88
	Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik 1985 1360–1362
	Prince 1981 230

Context for this page:

Concept module: given information
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): G
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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