Pragmatics

Yule, G., 2006, The Study of Language (Third Edition), Cambridge, Cambridge University Press

Pragmatics
-is conceptual meaning and the relationships between words; context and the communicative intentions of speakers; the study of what speakers mean or ‘speaker meaning’; is the study of ‘invisible’ meaning, or how we recognize what is meant even when it isn’t actually said or written.
Linguistic content (co-text) is the set of other words used in the same phrase or sentence
Physical context is the time and place
Deixis-physical context
-means ‘pointing’ via language, such as it, this, these boxes
-person deixis such as him, them, those students
-spatial deixis such as here, there, near that (location)
-temporal deixis such as now, then, last week (time)
Reference such as my friend, he, the blue thing, Jennifer
-When words themselves don’t refer to anything, we have to define reference as an act by which a speaker uses language to enable a listener to identify something.
Inference is additional information used by the listener to create a connection between what is said and what must be meant.
Ex. “Can I look at your Chomsky?” “Sure, it’s on the shelf over there.”
Anaphora is the first expression such as a boy
Antecedent is the second referring expression such as the boy
Presupposition is the type of action performed by a speaker, such as the function of requesting, commanding, questioning, informing, promising or statement.
Direct speech act
“Can you ride a bicycle?”-interrogative structure with the function
“You left the door open.”-declarative structure with the function of statement
Indirect speech act
“Can you pass the salt?”-interrogative structure with the function of requesting
“You left the door open.”-declarative structure with the function of requesting
Face is your public self-image.
Politeness shows awareness of and consideration for another person’s face.
Face-threatening act is a threat to another person’s self-image.
Ex. “Give me that paper!”-direct speech act with the assumption of social power
Face-saving act
Ex. “Could you pass me that paper?”-indirect speech act without the assumption of social power
Negative face is the need to be independent and free from imposition.
Positive face is the need to be connected, to belong, to be a member of the group.
“I’m sorry to bother you…; I know you’re busy, but…”-A face-saving act that emphasizes a person’s negative face will show concern about imposition.
“Let’s do together…; You and I have the same problem, so…”-A face saving act that emphasizes a person’s positive face will show solidary and draw attention to a common goal.