COGNITIVE-PRAGMATIC ASPECTS OF LANGUAGE ECONOMY IN LITERARY DISCOURSE

Abstract

This article explores the application of linguistic economy through a cognitive-pragmatic lens in two short stories. Linguistic economy refers to the use of linguistic resources, forms, such as words, structures, and meanings in order to achieve maximum communicative effect, but with minimum form. This study examines how this economy is reflected with the help of ellipsis, implicit meaning and context-dependent inference in narrative texts. The analysis highlights both author’s use of minimal linguistic forms to express deep cognitive and emotional meanings, through several strategies which reflect various cultural and pragmatic norms. The findings contribute that rich understanding of linguistic economy can operate as a universal yet culturally inflected principle of narration.