Abstract
Relevance theory, as a cognitive pragmatics theory, plays a vital role in the cognition of conversations. It is not only suitable for the understanding of the surface meaning, but also suitable for the understanding of the implied meaning. This thesis therefore systematically analyzed the issue of how to understand conversational implicature in line with the relevance theory. As the results have demonstrated, when interpreting conversational implicature, contextual assumptions should be conbined with the new information to find the relevance; sometimes the optimal relevance must be sought so as to achieve the best contextual effect; what’ more, cognitive context.which includes both linguistic knowledge and non-linguistic knowledge also helps to facilitate the understanding of conversational implicature.
Key words: relevance theory, conversational implicature, contextual assumption，new information, optimal relevance, cognitive context
Contents
1.    Introduction    1
2.    Demonstration    2
2.1 Theory review    2
2.1.1 Relevance theory    2
2.1.2 Conversational implicature    2
2.1.2.1 Generalized conversational implicature    3
2.1.2.2 Particularized conversational implicature    3  
2.1.3 The function of relevance theory in understanding conversational implicature    4
2.2. The understanding of conversational implicature based on relevance theory    4
2.2.1 Through the relevance between contextual assumptions and the new information 5
2.2.1.1 New information strengthens contextual assumptions    5
2.2.1.2 New information excludes contextual assumptions    6
2.2.1.3 New information combines with contextual assumptions and produces new contextual implication    6
2.2.2 Through optimal relevance    6
2.2.2.1 Information relevance    7
2.2.2.2 Situation relevance    7
2.2.3 Through cognitive context    8
2.2.3.1 Linguistic knowledge    9
2.2.3.2 Non- Linguistic knowledge    10
3. Conclusion    11
Works Cited    13
Bibliography    14