Podcast Beta
Questions and Answers
Pragmatics is “the investigation into that aspect of meaning which is derived not from the formal properties of words, but from the way in which ______ are used and how they relate to the context in which they are uttered.”
utterances
Pragmatics is “the study of meaning in relation to ______ situations”. The speech situation enables the speaker use language to achieve a particular effect on the mind of the hearer.”
speech
Pragmatics is “the study of those aspects of the relationship between language and context that are relevant to the writing of ______.”
grammars
Leech & Short (1981) - Pragmatics is “the investigation into that aspect of meaning which is derived not from the formal properties of words, but from the way in which ______ are used and how they relate to the context in which they are uttered.”
Signup and view all the answers
Leech (1983) - Pragmatics is “the study of meaning in relation to ______ situations”. The speech situation enables the speaker use language to achieve a particular effect on the mind of the hearer.”
Signup and view all the answers
Levinson (1983) – Pragmatics is “the study of those aspects of the relationship between language and context that are relevant to the writing of ______.”
Signup and view all the answers
Pragmatics is “the study of intended speaker ______.”
Signup and view all the answers
Language use focuses on language in actual ______ situations.
Signup and view all the answers
Pragmatics analysts seek to explain what communicators actually “do” with ______.
Signup and view all the answers
Participants in a conversation/discourse situation, their roles, relationship, and identities have some influence on how meanings are ______ and interpreted.
Signup and view all the answers
Interactants do not rely only on their knowledge of the language system when they interpret meaning but also their knowledge of the ______, cultures, conventions or world view.
Signup and view all the answers
In stressing utterances in communication rather than structural sentences, a pragmatics analyst seeks to explain what communicators actually “do” with ______.
Signup and view all the answers
Jide seemingly asks two ______: “what’s up.” and “do you have some change on you.”
Signup and view all the answers
Mark immediately understands that Jide is not asking a yes or no question, rather a request for money to pay his taxi fare, so he gives an ______ answer.
Signup and view all the answers
“What’s up” is a form of greeting rather than a ______.
Signup and view all the answers
Jide right assumed that mark would interpret his “questions” ______.
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Definition of Pragmatics
- Pragmatics is the investigation into the aspect of meaning derived from the way words are used and how they relate to the context in which they are uttered.
- Pragmatics is the study of meaning in relation to speech situations.
- Pragmatics is the study of those aspects of the relationship between language and context that are relevant to the writing of utterances.
Key Concepts
- Language use focuses on language in actual speech situations.
- Pragmatics analysts seek to explain what communicators actually “do” with language.
- Participants in a conversation/discourse situation, their roles, relationship, and identities influence how meanings are constructed and interpreted.
Contextual Factors
- Interactants rely on their knowledge of the context, cultures, conventions, or world view to interpret meaning.
- Knowledge of the language system is not enough to interpret meaning, contextual knowledge is also necessary.
Example of Pragmatics in Action
- Jide's questions "what's up" and "do you have some change on you" are not meant to be taken literally, but as a request for money.
- Mark immediately understands the intention behind Jide's "questions" and gives a relevant answer.
- "What's up" is a form of greeting rather than a question.
- Jide rightly assumed that Mark would interpret his "questions" correctly.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Explore the nature, principles, and scope of pragmatics with this quiz. Learn about different definitions of pragmatics according to language scholars like Leech & Short (1981) and deepen your understanding of this aspect of meaning.
