Pragmatics Misfire: An Analysis of Misconstrued Implicature

Abstract

Communication frequently breaks down not because speakers lack linguistic competence, but because hearers misinterpret what is implied rather than explicitly stated. This paper advances the position that misconstrued implicature constitutes a central and systematic source of communicative failure, particularly in multilingual and second-language contexts such as Nigeria. Drawing on Gricean pragmatics, relevance theory, and recent Nigerian empirical studies, the paper argues that implicature is inherently unstable due to contextual variability, sociocultural divergence, and uneven pragmatic competence. Through extensive analysis of classroom discourse, digital communication, and Nigerian sociopolitical rhetoric, the study demonstrates that pragmatic misfire is not accidental but predictable and patterned. It proposes a refined typology of misconstrued implicature and advocates a pedagogical shift toward explicit instruction in pragmatic inferencing. The paper concludes that successful communication depends not on linguistic accuracy alone but on shared interpretation, making pragmatic competence central to language education and social interaction.