Documentation

Linglib.Theories.Pragmatics.NeoGricean.Core.Competence

Competence+: Speaker's belief matches truth.

This is stronger than basic competence:

  • Basic: Bel_S(ψ) ∨ Bel_S(¬ψ) (speaker has an opinion)
  • Plus: Bel_S(ψ) ↔ ψ (speaker's opinion is correct)

Competence+ entails basic competence, but not vice versa.

Equations
Instances For

    Theorem: Competence+ Implies Basic Competence

    If Competence+ holds, basic competence holds.

    Theorem: Basic Competence Doesn't Imply Competence+

    A speaker can be competent (have an opinion) but wrong.

    Represents a disjunction "A or B" with speaker's epistemic state.

    For disjunctions, the standard competence assumption leads to problems. If speaker is competent about A (knows whether A):

    • Case 1: Bel_S(A) → but then why say "A or B"? (Quality violation)
    • Case 2: Bel_S(¬A) → combined with "A or B" means Bel_S(B)

    This explains why disjunction triggers IGNORANCE implicatures, not scalar implicatures.

    Instances For
      Equations
      • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
      Instances For

        Check if saying "A or B" is consistent with Quality maxim.

        Quality: Don't say what you believe to be false. If speaker believes A is true, saying "A or B" is misleading. If speaker believes B is true, saying "A or B" is misleading.

        Equations
        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
        Instances For

          Theorem: Competence About Both Disjuncts Violates Quality

          If the speaker is competent about both A and B, and "A or B" is asserted, Quality is likely violated (speaker should have been more specific).

          Theorem: Disjunction Suggests Ignorance

          If "A or B" is asserted consistently with Quality, speaker lacks full competence about both disjuncts.

          Specifically: speaker doesn't believe exactly one disjunct is true.

          Detailed outcome of implicature processing, including the reason.

          • beliefState : BeliefState

            The belief state inferred

          • weakHolds : Bool

            Whether weak implicature ¬Bel_S(ψ) holds

          • competenceAssumed : Bool

            Whether competence was assumed

          • strongDerived : Bool

            Whether strong implicature Bel_S(¬ψ) was derived

          Instances For
            Equations
            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
            Instances For

              Process an alternative given competence assumption.

              Equations
              • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
              Instances For

                Theorem: Outcome i (Undecided)

                When competence is not assumed, only weak implicature holds.

                Theorem: Outcome ii (Strong)

                When competence is assumed and speaker disbelieves, strong implicature is derived.

                Theorem: Outcome iii (Incompetent)

                When speaker has no opinion, competence assumption fails, only weak implicature holds.

                Factors that affect whether competence is assumed.

                Following Geurts' discussion, competence is more likely assumed when:

                • The proposition is simple/common knowledge
                • The speaker is an authority on the topic
                • Context suggests speaker should know

                Competence is blocked for disjunctions due to Quality interaction.

                Instances For
                  Equations
                  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                  Instances For

                    Theorem: Disjunction Context Blocks Competence

                    In disjunction context, we don't assume competence, so only weak implicatures (ignorance) arise.