This review article outlines the major tenets of Relevance Theory as presented in the
original book (1986) and in the second edition (1995). Each chapter summary is
followed by a brief exploration of the points of contact between Sperber and
Wilson's ideas and second language research. In some cases this leads to
new predictions, in other cases it suffices to point out parallel discussions, which
might profit from a Relevance Theory vantage point. It is concluded that Relevance
Theory can be usefully exploited to understand second language comprehension and,
perhaps, to understand second language acquisition.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Baars, B.1983: Conscious contents provide the nervous system with
coherent, global information. In
Davidson, R.
,
Schwartz, G.
and
Shapiro, D.
, editors,Consciousness and self-regulation: Advances in research and
theory, volume 3.
New York: Plenum Press
.
2.
Beduizenhout, A.
and
Sroda, S.1998:
Children's use of contextual cues to resolve ambiguity: An
application of Relevance Theory
.Pragmatics and Cognition6,
255–290
.
3.
Blakemore, D.1987:Semantic constraints on relevance.
Oxford: Blackwell
.
Carroll, S.1995: The irrelevance of verbal feedback to language
learning. In
Eubank, L.
,
Selinker, L.
and
Sharwood Smith, M.
, editors,The Current State of Interlanguage.
Amsterdam: John Benjamins
.
6.
Doughty, C.
and
Williams, J.1998:Focus on form in classroom second language instruction.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
.
7.
Fodor, J.A.1983:The modularity of mind.
Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
.
8.
Foster-Cohen, S.1994:
Exploring the boundary between syntax and pragmatics: relevance and the
binding of pronouns
.Journal of Child Language21,
237–255
.
9.
Foster-Cohen, S.1997: ‘If you'd like to burn your mouth, feel
free!’: A relevance-theoretic account of conditionals used to
children. In
Groefsema, M.
, editor,Proceedings of the University of Hertfordshire relevance theory
workshop.
Chelmsford: Thomas
.
10.
Gass, S.1997:Input, interaction, and the second language learner.
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
.
11.
Gass, S.
and
Selinker, L.1994:Second language acquisition: an introductory course.
Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
.
12.
Grice, P.1989:Studies in the ways of words.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
.
13.
Gutt, E-A.1991:Translation and relevance.
Oxford: Blackwell
.
14.
Kasper, G.
and
Blum-Kulka, S.
, editors, 1993:Interlanguage pragmatics.
Oxford: Oxford University Press
.
15.
Kasper, G.
and
Kellerman, E.
, editors, 1997:Communication strategies: psycholinguistic and
sociolinguistic perspectives.
London: Longman
.
16.
Pennington, M.
1999:
Equivalence classification in language transfer
. Paper presented at the 1999 TESOL Conference,
New York City, 11 March, 1999.
17.
Pica, T.
,
Young, R.
and
Doughty, C.1987:
The impact of interaction on comprehension
.TESOL Quarterly21,
737–758
.
18.
Ross, S.1997: An introspective analysis of listener inferencing on a
second language listening test. In
Kasper, G.
and
Kellerman, E.
, editors, Communication strategies: Psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic
perspectives.
London: Longman
.
19.
Rost, M.1990:Listening in language learning.
London: Longman
.
20.
Schmidt, R.1990:
The role of consciousness in second language learning
. Applied Linguistics11,
129–158
.
21.
Schmidt, R.1993: Consciousness, learning and interlanguage
pragmatics. In
Kasper, G.
and
Blum-Kulka, S.
, editors,Interlanguage pragmatics.
Oxford: Oxford University Press
.
22.
Schmidt, R.1995:Attention and awareness in foreign language learning.
Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press
.
23.
Schwartz, B.1993:
On explicit and negative data effecting and affecting competence and
linguistic behavior
.Studies in Second Language Acquisition15,
147–165
.
24.
Sharwood Smith, M.1986:
Comprehension versus acquisition: two ways of processing input
.Applied Linguistics7,
239–274
.
25.
Sharwood Smith, M.1991:
Speaking to many minds: on the relevance of different types of language
information for the L2 learner
.Second Language Research7,
118–132
.
26.
Skehan, P.1998:A cognitive approach to language learning.
Oxford: Oxford University Press
.
Smith, N.
and
Tsimpli, I.1995:The mind of a savant.
Oxford: Blackwell
.
29.
Towell, R.
and
Hawkins, R.1994:Approaches to second language acquisition.
Clevedon: Multilingual Matters
.
30.
VanPatten, B.1996.Input processing and grammar instruction in second language
acquisition.
Norwood, NJ: Ablex
.
31.
Watson, R.1995:
Relevance and definition
.Journal of Child Language22,
211–222
.
32.
Wolf, A.1999:
Context and Relevance Theory in language teaching: an exploratory approach
.International Review of Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching37,
95–109
.
33.
Ying, I.1996:
Multiple constraints on processing ambiguous sentences: evidence from adult
L2 Learners
.Language Learning46,
681–711
.
34.
Yus Ramos, F.1998:
A decade of relevance theory
.Journal of Pragmatics30,
305–345
.
