ABSTRACT

This paper surveys some of the peculiar challenges facing those who would study communication. It draws heavily upon the recent work of David R. Olson to show how ‘meaning’ and ‘context’ have elusive and ambiguous dimensions. It explores how literacy is related to reasoning about reasoning and forms of literate humor, and it documents how literacy makes the phenomena of meaning and context more complex yet equally provides resources for apprehending them. The paper concludes by offering some takeaway implications for more mindfully managing heated and/or charged discourse within contemporary life.

中文翻译：

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理解难以捉摸和模棱两可的事物：沟通、语言和读写能力

摘要

本文调查了研究传播学的人面临的一些特殊挑战。它大量借鉴了大卫·奥尔森 (David R. Olson) 最近的作品来展示“意义”和“背景”如何具有难以捉摸和模棱两可的维度。它探讨了识字能力如何与推理和文学幽默形式相关，并记录了识字能力如何使意义和语境现象变得更加复杂，同时又平等地提供了理解它们的资源。本文最后提供了一些关于更谨慎地管理当代生活中激烈和/或激烈的话语的启示。