Glossary of Linguistic Terms

Clausal Implicature

Definition: 

A clausal implicature is a quantity implicature which is inferred by an addressee concerning the truth of a proposition expressed in a particular subordinate or coordinate clause. The addressee infers that the proposition may or may not be true.

The complex or compound sentence of which the clause is a part does not indicate whether the proposition expressed by the clause is true or false.

Discussion: 

There will be another sentence available which would entail that the proposition expressed by the clause is true. This sentence must be identical to the sentence under scrutiny except that, in one of its clauses, an expression has been substituted which is stronger than that used by the speaker.

Examples: 

(English)

  • The sentence I believe that John is away implies that it is possible that John is in fact not away.

If John were certain to be away, then the expression would have been something like I know John is away.

See Also: 
Proposition
Subordinate Clause
Coordinate Clause
Source: 
Levinson 1983
136-137
Gazdar 1979
57, 59–62

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

LinguaLinks Ordering Information

Glossary Hierarchy

  • Meaning And Pragmatic Function
  • Implicature
  • Actual Implicature
  • Nonconventional Implicature
  • Conversational Implicature
  • Quantity Implicature
  • Clausal Implicature