What is a manner implicature?

Definition
	A manner implicature is a conversational implicature based on an addressee's assumption that the speaker is either observing or flouting the conversational maxim of manner.
	If the speaker is assumed to be observing the maxim, then the addressee makes a standard implicature. If the speaker is assumed to be flouting the maxim, then the addressee makes a more nonstandard type of implicature.

Examples (English)

The manner implicature Miss Singer sang badly is derivable from the sentence Miss Singer produced a series of sounds corresponding closely to the score of an aria from ‘"Rigoletto."
Because of the submaxim be orderly, an addressee can draw the implicature that the events presented in Alfred went to the store and bought some whisky happened in order.

Source:

Levinson 1983 108, 112

Generic
	A manner implicature is a kind of
	What is conversational implicature?

Sources
	Grice 1975 46
	Levinson 1983 107–108, 112

Context for this page:

Concept module: manner implicature
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): M
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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