MATHEMATICAL-SEMANTIC MODEL OF CONVERSATIONAL MEANING: INTENTIONALITY, IMPLICATURE, AND PRAGMATIC SPACE IN ODIA

Abstract

Meaning constitutes the foundation of language, shaping both its structure and interpretation. Among its various dimensions, conversational meaning is central, arising not solely from lexical content but from the interaction of speaker intention, context, and pragmatic function. Unlike literal meaning, which is relatively stable and context-independent, conversational meaning is dynamic, indeterminate, and constructed through interpretive processes. Drawing on the theoretical contributions of H. P. Grice, J. L. Austin, and Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson, this study explores how meaning emerges at the interface of lexical semantics and contextual relevance. It distinguishes between direct conversational meaning, expressed through metaphor, metonymy, presupposition, and politeness strategies, and cognitive conversational meaning, which relies on inference, implicature, irony, and suggestion. The study identifies a theoretical gap: the lack of a formal model to explain how conversational meaning is systematically generated. To address this, it proposes a mathematical-semantic framework based on linear principles that maps lexical meaning onto contextual interpretations. Conversational meaning is modeled as a structured interaction among context, intention, and discourse structure. This approach integrates semantic and pragmatic dimensions, offering implications for linguistic theory, natural language processing, and cognitive science by enabling structured analysis of ambiguity and interpretive variation.