Chapter 6 Pragmatics

Chapter 6 Pragmatics

6.1 Introduction6.1 Introduction

Review of semanticsReview of semantics Meaning in lg.Meaning in lg.

wordswords

MotherMother

vs.vs.

Mother-in-lawMother-in-law

sentence:sentence:

in, am, I, T-shirt, todayin, am, I, T-shirt, today

Review of semanticsReview of semantics

““I’m in T-shirt todayI’m in T-shirt today.”.”

What does the sent. meanWhat does the sent. mean??

↓↓ What does the What does the speakerspeaker mean mean??

What does the What does the utteranceutterance

meanmean??

Pragmatics Pragmatics

speaker mg.speaker mg.

semantics + pragmatics=study of semantics + pragmatics=study of

mg.mg.

““I’m in T-shirt todayI’m in T-shirt today.”.”

““Mum, Mum, I’m in T-shirt todayI’m in T-shirt today.”.”

Social norms

Belief

Motivation

Social setting

Lg. users

Time, space

Non-verbal

Pre-text

Context

speaker mg.: speaker mg.: dependent ondependent on ??? ???

Social norms

Belief

Motivation

Social setting

Lg. users

Time, space

Non-verbal

Pre-text

Context

speaker mg.: context-speaker mg.: context-dependentdependent

Physical

Social

Mental

PragmaticsPragmatics

= study of mg in = study of mg in

context;context;

use;use;

communication;communication;

What does the What does the speakerspeaker mean mean??

What does the What does the utteranceutterance mean mean??

PragmaticsPragmatics SemanticsSemantics ConcreteConcrete Implicit Implicit

AbstractAbstract Explicit Explicit

该来的没有来，不该走的倒走了。

Man: Do you love me?

Woman: Well, I like you.

conversational implicatureconversational implicature

Pragmatics Pragmatics

Waste basketWaste basket

Indispensable ‘basket’Indispensable ‘basket’

e.g.e.g.““Today is SundayToday is Sunday.”.”

Situation 1Situation 1 Situation 2Situation 2 …… Pragmatic mg.Pragmatic mg. conversational implicatureconversational implicature

SALE: BABY & TODDLER SALE: BABY & TODDLER p.142p.142

6.2 Micropragmatics6.2 Micropragmatics

Ss presentationSs presentation

real life instances real life instances the speaker means more the speaker means more

than what s/he saidthan what s/he said

Lead-in taskLead-in task

(3) (3) YouYou’ll have to bring ’ll have to bring thatthat back tomorrow, back tomorrow, because because theythey aren’t aren’t herehere nownow..

TB example p.144 TB example p.144 (1)(1) A: Where is the A: Where is the fresh saladfresh salad sitting? sitting?

B: B: HeHe’s sitting by the door.’s sitting by the door.

Lead-in taskLead-in task

p.146p.146

(6) When did you (6) When did you stop beatingstop beating your wife? your wife?

TB example p.145 TB example p.145 (4)(4) A: Can I borrow your dictionary?A: Can I borrow your dictionary?

B: Yeah, B: Yeah, itit’s on the table.’s on the table.

Discussion Discussion Keywords: Keywords: ReferenceReference DeixisDeixis AnaphoraAnaphora PresuppositionPresupposition

Ss’ exapmplesSs’ exapmples

Ss’ definitionsSs’ definitions

Discussion Discussion DeixisDeixis

– person deixis

– space/spatial/place deixis

– discourse deixis

– social deixis

CompareCompare

person deixis vs. social deixisperson deixis vs. social deixis

Discussion Discussion PresuppositionPresupposition

Features: Features:

What are presupposition triggers?What are presupposition triggers?

TB p.147TB p.147

Q: Does one sentence just allow for one Q: Does one sentence just allow for one presupposition?presupposition?

In-class activities In-class activities 1.1. video clip video clip (twice)(twice)

Sound of MusicSound of Music

Task: Task:

To identify specific reference, deixis, To identify specific reference, deixis, anaphora and presuppositions involvedanaphora and presuppositions involved

Comment and feedbackComment and feedback

In-class activities In-class activities 2.2. Brain teaser Brain teaser

““when 1+1=3?”when 1+1=3?”

Task: Task:

To identify the presupposition(s) involvedTo identify the presupposition(s) involved

Comment and feedbackComment and feedback

6.3 Macropragmatics6.3 Macropragmatics

lead-in taskslead-in tasks Act outAct out

Ss in pairs act out typical situations of Ss in pairs act out typical situations of apologizing, promising, commanding and apologizing, promising, commanding and congratulatingcongratulating

Find outFind out

the specific utterances perfroming these the specific utterances perfroming these actionsactions

Discussion Discussion Compare Compare

e.g. e.g. Mr Smith was mad with his secretary.Mr Smith was mad with his secretary. Vs.Vs.

e.g. e.g. Stop that nonsense, Joe.Stop that nonsense, Joe.

Find out differences in their com. valueFind out differences in their com. value

‘‘saying things’ saying things’

Vs.Vs.

‘ ‘doing things with words’doing things with words’

Discussion Discussion Speech act theorySpeech act theory

What?What?

Who?Who?

performative actperformative act

e.g. TB p.149 e.g. TB p.149

Trichotomy= Trichotomy=

locution+illocution+perlocutionlocution+illocution+perlocution

A. A. Locutionary actLocutionary act: the act of saying, the : the act of saying, the literal meaning of the utterance;literal meaning of the utterance;

B. Illocutionary act:B. Illocutionary act: the extra meaning of the extra meaning of the utterance produced on the basis of its the utterance produced on the basis of its literal meaning;literal meaning;

C. Perlocutioanry actC. Perlocutioanry act: the effect of the : the effect of the utterance on the hearer, depending on utterance on the hearer, depending on specific circumstances.specific circumstances.

(18) a. Husband: (18) a. Husband: That’s the phone.That’s the phone.

b. Wife: b. Wife: I’m in the bathroom.I’m in the bathroom.

c. Husband: c. Husband: Okay.Okay.

Analysis: Analysis:

In-class activities In-class activities

brainstormbrainstormTask: Task:

To brainstorm five sorts of situations where To brainstorm five sorts of situations where the speaker:the speaker:

states a fact, states a fact, makes a suggestion, makes a suggestion, turns down a offer,turns down a offer, express an attitude and express an attitude and delivers a declarationdelivers a declaration

In-class activities In-class activities

Classification ofClassification of illocutionary actsillocutionary acts RepresentativesRepresentatives DirectivesDirectives CommissivesCommissives ExpressivesExpressives DeclarationsDeclarations

DemonstrationDemonstration Ss offer examples for directivesSs offer examples for directives Identify the degrees of indirectness Identify the degrees of indirectness Compare forms and functions Compare forms and functions

indirect speech acts indirect speech acts

What?What?

TB (p.152-3) TB (p.152-3)

6.3.2 The Cooperative

Principle 6.3.2 The Cooperative

Principle

lead-in taskslead-in tasks Act outAct out

Ss in pairs strike a short conversation in Ss in pairs strike a short conversation in whatever way as they wish. (two groups whatever way as they wish. (two groups present)present)

Find outFind out

whether there are principles governing the whether there are principles governing the conduct of conversation conduct of conversation

Discussion Discussion Ss comment on four aspects of conversation: Ss comment on four aspects of conversation: qualityquality quantityquantity relationrelation mannermanner

Discussion Discussion the Cooperative Principle: the Cooperative Principle:

For what?For what?

By whom?By whom?

Maxims: Maxims: Maxim of qualityMaxim of quality Maxim of quantityMaxim of quantity Maxim of relationMaxim of relation Maxim of mannerMaxim of manner

Discussion Discussion the Cooperative Principle: the Cooperative Principle:

Observing Observing

Flouting Flouting

conversational implicatures:conversational implicatures:

TB examples (33, 40, 41, 42) TB examples (33, 40, 41, 42)

In-class activities In-class activities

CP-based analysis CP-based analysis Data: Data:

verbal jokesverbal jokes

Task: Task:

to identify conversational implicatures to identify conversational implicatures derived from non-observance of certain derived from non-observance of certain CP maximsCP maxims

In-class activities In-class activities

CP-based analysis CP-based analysis Data: Data:

metaphor, irony or tautology metaphor, irony or tautology

Task: Task:

to account for their meanings on the ground to account for their meanings on the ground of CP of CP

6.3.3 The Politeness

Principle 6.3.3 The Politeness

Principle

lead-in taskslead-in tasks pick uppick up

Ss watch the comedy clip (Ss watch the comedy clip (bu chaqianbu chaqian 《《不不差钱差钱》》 , picking up 5 utterances , picking up 5 utterances conveying conversational implicatures conveying conversational implicatures

Find outFind out

why speakers always bother with implicit and why speakers always bother with implicit and indirect ways of saying things indirect ways of saying things

Discussion Discussion

evaluate Ss’ accounts evaluate Ss’ accounts Approach the weakness of the CP Approach the weakness of the CP

In-class activitiesIn-class activities

Fulfill the goalFulfill the goalTask:Task:

Ss design a situation where they: Ss design a situation where they: show disagreement with your manager show disagreement with your manager borrow money from your bad-tempered borrow money from your bad-tempered

brother Maxim of relationbrother Maxim of relation let your kids know that you cannot stay let your kids know that you cannot stay

with them for the coming Xmas with them for the coming Xmas

In-class activitiesIn-class activities Ss presentationSs presentation Are there politeness considerations?Are there politeness considerations? The Politeness Principle The Politeness Principle (TB p. 158)(TB p. 158)

Who?Who?

For what?For what?

Maxims Maxims

Puzzle sessionPuzzle session

Big Q:Big Q:Are there culture-specific differences between Are there culture-specific differences between

Chinese and westerners (e.g. English and Chinese and westerners (e.g. English and Americans) in what counts to be politeness Americans) in what counts to be politeness of verbal behaviors? of verbal behaviors?

Exercises and Discussion Exercises and Discussion QuestionsQuestions

TB (p. 161-2)TB (p. 161-2)extended exercisesextended exercises