Pragmatics Language in Use Part 2 PDF

Pragmatics Language in Use Part 2 Language of Linguistics ppt 2 Speech acts  utterance used to perform an act ◦ requesting, commanding, questioning, informing, promising I’ll be there at six ◦ locution  the proposition itself  producing a m...

Pragmatics Language in Use Part 2 Language of Linguistics ppt 2 Speech acts  utterance used to perform an act ◦ requesting, commanding, questioning, informing, promising I’ll be there at six ◦ locution  the proposition itself  producing a meaningful linguistic expression ◦ illocution  the extra communicative force the utterance can have (diff. with context, speaker’s int.) ◦ perlocution  the possible effect on the hearer I’m gonna find you. Austin, J.L. 1962. How to do things with words. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2 Searle, J. 1969. Speech Acts. An Essay in the Philosophy of Language. CUP Direct Speech Acts  when form and function match It’s cold outside (declarative used to make a statement) ◦ I hereby tell you about the weather.  Can you ride a bicycle? ◦ interrogative used to put a question Indirect speech acts  when form and function do not match It’s cold outside (declarative used to make a request) ◦ I hereby request of you that you close the door.  Can you pass the salt? ◦ interrogative used to make a request You left the door open. 3 Misunderstanding, failing to recognize the S’s intent Visitor: Excuse me. Do you happen to know where the city centre is? Passer-by: Oh sure. I know where it is. (and walks away) Tourist: Excuse me. Is this the Peach-flower Street? Are we at the right place? Resident: You ARE at the right place but this is not the Peach-Flower Street. 4 The co-operative principle Cooperation and implicature  speakers and listeners (participants) cooperate Paul Grice – Co-operative Principle “Make your conversational contribution such as is required, at the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchange in which you are engaged.”  expectations, starting point, norm Grice, H. P. 1975. Logic and Conversation. In Cole, P. and J. Morgan, eds. Syntax and Semantics 3: Speech Acts. New York: Academic Press. Pages 118-119 and 129-131 5  A: How do you like your hamburger? B: A hamburger is a hamburger. ◦ logically, no communicative value ◦ too obvious ◦ the listener assumes cooperation though ◦ the Speaker means more than what she said B: A hamburger is a hamburger. +> not worth talking about implicature  meaning-nn (non-natural meaning) ◦ meaning-n (natural meaning) 6 Carol: Are you coming to the party tonight? Lara: I’ve got an exam tomorrow. (Yule, 2006: 131)  How does the answer RELATE to the 1st turn??  Carol assumes cooperation ◦ Lara must mean something else ◦ exams tomorrow involves study tonight ◦ study tonight excludes party tonight +> no, probably not 7 Maxims: Quantity, Quality, Relation and Manner The maxim of Quantity  Make your contribution as informative as is required (for the current purposes of the exchange).  Do not make your contribution more informative than is required. The maxim of Quality  Try to make your contribution one that is true  Do not say what you believe to be false.  Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence. 8 The maxim of Relation (Relevance)  Be relevant The maxim of Manner  Be perspicuous  Avoid obscurity of expression.  Avoid ambiguity.  Be brief (avoid unnecessary prolixity).  Be orderly. 9