This study investigates how pragmatic ambiguity arises in everyday language use, particularly when contextual cues, emotional tone, and cultural assumptions interact to shape understanding. It asks whether expressing ambiguity through visual or performative means can increase individuals’ awareness of how they navigate meaning in different situations. Using a design-led methodology informed by cognitive semantics, ten participants engaged in three interactive activities: Exchange Diary, writing from both chronological and self-defined psychological ages to reveal perspective and tone differences; Masked Dialogue, conversing using only sentences from classic literary works to highlight nonverbal cues and contextual inference; and the Bopomofo Booklet, exploring mismatches between sound, script, and intended meaning. Data were collected through observation, reflections, and interviews to assess attention to contextual cues and interpretive reasoning. Findings indicate that visualized and performative activities encouraged participants to attend more actively to contextual signals, enhanced sensitivity in interpreting messages, and provided insight into why identical expressions may yield different understandings across situations. This study demonstrates how design-led interventions can complement traditional research on meaning construction and offers practical strategies for enhancing awareness of pragmatic ambiguity.

Authors:
Yun Jen Yang, Shih Chien University, Taiwan

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Posted by James Alexander Gordon

Last updated: 2023-02-23 23:45:00

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