Presupposition

The study of assumptions and background knowledge that are implied in a speaker's linguistic expressions.

What is a presupposition in pragmatics?

"An implicit assumption about the world or background belief relating to an utterance whose truth is taken for granted in discourse."

How are presuppositions created in language?

"A presupposition can be associated with a specific lexical item or grammatical feature (presupposition trigger) in the utterance."

When is an utterance considered appropriate in context?

"A presupposition must be mutually known or assumed by the speaker and addressee for the utterance to be considered appropriate in context."

Can presuppositions be changed by negation?

"Negation of an expression does not change its presuppositions."

In what way is presupposition different from entailment and implicature?

"Presupposition is distinguished from entailment and implicature."

Can you provide examples of presuppositions?

"Examples of presuppositions include: - Jane no longer writes fiction. Presupposition: Jane once wrote fiction. - Have you stopped eating meat? Presupposition: you had once eaten meat. - Have you talked to Hans? Presupposition: Hans exists."

What happens when an expression is negated in terms of presuppositions?

"Negation of an expression does not change its presuppositions."

Can you explain the relationship between presuppositions and assertions, denials, or questions?

"A presupposition will generally remain a necessary assumption whether the utterance is placed in the form of an assertion, denial, or question."

What does it mean for a presupposition to be mutually known or assumed?

"A presupposition must be mutually known or assumed by the speaker and addressee for the utterance to be considered appropriate in context."

Is it possible to have multiple presuppositions in a single utterance?

"Yes, an utterance can have multiple presuppositions associated with different lexical items or grammatical features."

How are presuppositions related to the truth value of an utterance?

"Presuppositions are assumptions taken for granted in discourse, so they are not directly related to the truth value of the utterance."

What is the difference between presupposition and entailment?

"Presupposition is different from entailment. While an entailment can potentially change with negation, a presupposition remains unchanged."

Do presuppositions depend on the speaker's intention?

"Presuppositions are implicit assumptions and do not depend on the speaker's intention."

Can you give an example of an utterance with a presupposition trigger?

"I want to do it again and I don't want to do it again both presuppose that the subject has done it already one or more times."

How can speakers and addressees determine mutual knowledge of presuppositions?

"Speakers and addressees can determine mutual knowledge of presuppositions through shared background knowledge or previous discourse."

Can presuppositions be easily observed in everyday conversation?

"Presuppositions are often implicit and may not be explicitly stated in everyday conversation."

What distinguishes presupposition from implicature?

"Presupposition is distinguished from implicature in terms of their underlying assumptions and implications within discourse."

Are presuppositions always present in language use?

"Yes, presuppositions are generally present in language use, regardless of whether they are explicitly stated."

What are the main branches of linguistics related to presupposition?

"Pragmatics is the branch of linguistics related to presupposition."

How do presuppositions contribute to effective communication?

"Presuppositions contribute to effective communication by providing shared assumptions that help convey meaning and establish common ground between speakers and addressees."