Combining communication with cognitive linguistics, relevance theory argues that language communication is an ostensive-inferential process, where inference plays a vital role. 對人類交際的關聯理論進行探討，并結合話語交際實踐，提出語言交際是一個明示推理過程，是必須依靠推理來進行的新的語用學觀念。
Similarly, listening comprehension is a process in which listeners make pragmatic inference according to the context so as to achieve contextual effect and optimal relevance. 而聽力理解的目的就是從話語所提供的語境中進行語用推理，力求語境效果，尋求最佳關聯。
