Microaggression or misunderstanding? Implicatures, inferences and accountability

This paper contributes a pragmatic perspective to the complex question of how classify microaggressions that are committed via linguistic means. Given often communicated implicitly, two key questions arise: (i) on what grounds is recipient licensed infer microaggression has been committed, and (ii) extent can speaker claim they have misunderstood hence deny responsibility for having microaggression? These addressed through discussion nature implicature, inferences accountability, highlighting challenge lies in fact microaggressive content typically not part representational achieved interaction. • Microaggressions misunderstandings mutually exclusive concepts. function speakers' intentions their prejudices. Misunderstandings only due misinterpreted intentions. Indeterminacy makes them identify. Lack discourse prominence make difficult respond to.