EL1101E Week 10: Pragmatics
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Transcript of EL1101E Week 10: Pragmatics
EL1101EWEEK 10: PRAGMATICS
Group members:Elaine Ong
Ong MinThakshayeni Skanthakumar
Jeannie Poon
Question 1: Speech Act
An utterance that has performative function Has three principle components
1. Locution: syntactic structure & linguistic meaning
2. Illocution: the speaker’s intention in making the utterance
3. Perlocution: the addressee’s behavioural response
Direct vs Indirect Speech ActsDirect
Syntactic form of the utterance = intenti.e. an interrogative sentence to
questionIndirect
Syntactic form ≠ intenti.e. an interrogative sentence to request
Performative Verb verbs carried out simply by means of
uttering them aloud Example: apologizing
By saying we apologize, we perform an expressive act simultaneously with the naming of that expressive act
Speech Act a) QuestionDirect:
I question the witness’ reliability. Is the witness lying?
Indirect I wonder if the witness is telling the truth.
**Expressive speech act form
Speech Act b) RequestDirect:
I request that you wear something else for the party
Please wear something else for the party
Indirect I don’t think you should wear that for the
party.**Verdictive speech act form
Speech Act c) PromiseDirect:
I promise to attend tonight’s party. I will attend tonight’s party.
Indirect I am free. (In response to an invitation to
attend tonight’s party)**Representative speech act form
Question 2: Gricean Maxims of Conversation There are four cooperative Maxims:
1) Maxim of Quantity (say enough) 2) Maxim of Quality (don’t lie) 3) Maxim of Relation (say something
relevant) 4) Maxim of Manner (don’t mislead)
Question 2: Gricean Maxims of Conversation
Professor A: His statements are based on unfounded
opinions Never backs up his statements with
anything factual
Violates: Maxim of quality (lacks adequate
evidence for what he says)
Question 2: Gricean Maxims of ConversationProfessor B:
1) Every sentence is about a million words longViolates: Maxim of quantity (Too much information within a
single sentence) 2) She uses all this complicated vocabulary, and she
never defines any of the wordsViolates: Maxim of manner (Obscurity of expression results in
distractions, students are unable to understand the meaning of the sentences)
Question 2: Gricean Maxims of Conversation
Professor C: Interrupt himself with a story about what
his son did at breakfast this morning He goes off on so many tangentsViolates: Maxim of relevance (Irrelevant
information) Maxim of quantity (There is no fixed
focus in his lectures, he says too much)
Question 2: Gricean Maxims of Conversation
Professor D: Does not give thorough answers to the
questions
Violates: Maxim of Quantity (Too little information)
Q3: PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE
Story:Mother: Go ask your uncle what he wants to drinkChild goes to Uncle.Child: Uncle, uncle, what you want to drink?Child goes to her room.
Q3: Pragmatic Competence
Illocution vs
Perlocution
Illocution Intention of the speaker with an
utterance 3 forms
Declarative: “Apples grow on trees” Interrogative: “So apples grow on trees?” Imperative “One apple, please!”
Perlocution Effect of utterance on hearer 3 forms
Declarative: “You are under arrest.” Interrogative: “Can you stop crying?” Imperative: “Get me salt”
Q3: PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE
Story:Mother: Go ask your uncle what he wants to drinkChild goes to Uncle.Child: Uncle, uncle, what you want to drink?Child goes to her room.
Mother: Go ask your uncle what he wants to drink
What she meant: Perlocutionary utterance1) Go to Uncle2) Ask him what drink he wants3) Come back and tell me
Q3: Pragmatic Competence
What about the Uncle?Assumption:Uncle: Milo.
What he could have said:Uncle: Get me milo.
Question 4: Pragmatic Analysis of Apology in Singapore?
Case study I sincerely apologise if I have offended or hurt
anyone with my comment. It was indeed uncalled for. Upon further reflection, I realise how insensitive I was, the comment wasn’t meant to hurt anybody. I would like to apologise to Cindy and her family. I will learn from this and be very mindful of my comments and behaviour on social media. Once again, to everyone who I have offended by this post, I sincerely apologise.
Miss Jesslyn Tan (Miss Universe Singapore)
Question 4: Pragmatic Analysis of Apology in Singapore?
Felicity conditions for apology Condition 1: Admission of fault (not fulfilled; she denies
responsibility for the comment she made; I sincerely apologise if I have offended or hurt anyone with my comment. It was indeed uncalled for + the comment wasn’t meant to hurt anybody)
Condition 2: Sincere expression of remorse (fulfilled; “I sincerely apologise” “I would like to apologise to Cindy and her family.”)
Condition 3: Promise of non-recurrence (fulfilled; “I will learn from this and be very mindful of my comments and behaviour on social media; she won’t do this again.)
Question 4: Pragmatic Analysis of Apology in Singapore?
But, was the apology effective overall?
Must depend on the situation in which the apology is made!
Question 4: Pragmatic Analysis of Apology in Singapore?
We feel that it was not effective overall. Use of apology words(yes) But she did not explain why it was her
fault Private venue; her apology was made
behind the computer even though she is a public figure
Insincere; it is possible that she is not remorseful.
Question 4: Pragmatic Analysis of Apology in Singapore?