Lexis: Journal in English Lexicology (Nov 2023)
Axiological connotation and the semantic-pragmatic distinction
Abstract
In this paper, I investigate how axiological connotation articulates with the semantic-pragmatic distinction. First, I consider the semantic-pragmatic distinction in terms of encoded vs. non encoded meaning: I argue that one should distinguish between linguistically encoded axiological connotation and culturally encoded axiological connotation. Second, I consider the semantic-pragmatic distinction in terms of truth-conditional vs. non truth-conditional content. I show that both linguistically and culturally encoded axiological connotation should be analyzed as presupposed content, a kind of content that is not strictly speaking truth-conditional, in the sense that it is not part of the proposition expressed. Finally, in the last section, I embrace a strong conception of pragmatics, according to which there are top-down pragmatic processes, that is, contextual processes involved in the determining of truth-conditional content that are not linguistically mandated but take place for purely communicative reasons. I contend that pragmatic modulation, namely pragmatic modification of a word’s linguistic meaning, may apply to culturally encoded axiological connotation. But I argue that the situation is trickier for linguistically encoded axiological connotation: the initially encoded axiological connotation may only be supplemented with another distinct axiological connotation that comes and superimposes itself to the former one.
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