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Differential pragmatic language loss after closed head injury: Ability to comprehend conversational implicature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

Skye McDonald
Skye McDonald*
Affiliation:
Lidcombe Hospital, New South Wales
*
Department of Neuropsychology, Lidcombe Hospital, Joseph Street, Lidcombe, 2141, New South Wales, Australia
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Abstract

Two experiments in which 2 closed-head-injured (CHI) subjects and 12 non-brain-damaged control subjects took part investigated the capacity to comprehend indirect speech acts. In the first experiment, the subjects were required to interpret conventional indirect speech acts. One CHI subject, but not the other, had trouble rejecting the literal meaning. In the second experiment, the subjects were required to interpret the meaning behind two literally conflicting sentences. While the control subjects interpreted these as representing a sarcastic exchange, the CHI subjects were unable to provide an adequate explanation. The results were interpreted in terms of common cognitive deficits after closed head injury.

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Articles
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Applied Psycholinguistics , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , July 1992 , pp. 295 - 312
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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