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2.3 Types of Pragmatic Vagueness
Pragmatic vagueness exists anywhere in our communication. In this section, the author will introduce briefly how pragmatic vagueness is produced from phonetic, lexical, and syntactical levels.
1) A: Let’s get the kids something.
B: Okay, but I veto I-C-E-C-R-E-A-M. (He 160)
In this dialogue, B spells the word instead of pronouncing the word directly. Obviously, B doesn’t want the children to hear the word “ice-cream” to avoid troubles. In this example, pragmatic vagueness is produced through a phonetic way.
2) A: When did John leave?
B: Sometime this morning.
B uses a word “sometime” in his answer to indicate that he is not sure about the exact time. “Sometime” is uncertain in itself. It may be nine or ten o’clock. Therefore, in this example, with a single word, pragmatic vagueness is produced.
3) Mary doesn’t come when she was invited.
This sentence may be understood in two ways. ① Mary has been invited, but she didn’t come. ② Mary came, but she didn’t come at the right time when she was invited. If the sentence is analyzed through different syntactic levels, it has different understandings. In this sense, pragmatic vagueness is produced in a syntactic way.
Besides, pragmatic vagueness can be produced through various other ways, such as conversational implicature, indirect speech act, and so on. In the next chapter, the author will analyze in a detailed way how pragmatic vagueness is fulfilled through conversational implicature and pragmatic principles.