Scalar implicature
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In pragmatics, scalar implicature, or quantity implicature, is an implicature that attributes an implicit meaning beyond the explicit or literal meaning of an utterance, and which suggests that the utterer had a reason for not using a more informative or stronger term on the same scale. The choice of the weaker characterization suggests that, as far as the speaker knows, none of the stronger characterizations in the scale holds. This is commonly seen in the use of 'some' to suggest the meaning 'not all', even though 'some' is logically consistent with 'all'. If Bill says 'I have some of my money in cash', this utterance suggests to a hearer (though the sentence uttered does not logically imply it) that Bill does not have all his money in cash.
See also
- Implicature
- Cooperative principle
- Gricean maxims
- Logical consequence
- Entailment (pragmatics)
- Indirect speech act
- Implicate and Explicate Order
- Intrinsic and extrinsic properties
- Laurence Horn
