Chapter 10: Pragmatics Flashcards
pragmatics
the study of what speakers mean, or “speaker meaning”; the study of “invisible” meaning, or how we recognize what is meant even when it is not actually said or written.
physical context
the situation, time or place in which words are used
linguistic context (co-text)
the co-text of a word is the set of other words used in the same phrase or sentence. (e.g. if the word bank is used with other words like steep or overgrown, we know what bank is meant)
deictic
expressions such as tomorrow and here; from the Greek word deixis, which means “pointing” via language.
person deictic
us, them, those idiots
spatial deictic
here, over there
temporal deictic
now, last week
reference
an act by which a speaker (or writer) uses language to enable a listener (or reader) to identify something.
inference
is additional information used by the listener to create a connection between what is said and what must be mean (e.g. Picasso is in the museum, we saw Shakespear in London)
anaphora
use of pronouns (it) and noun phrases with the (the puppy) to refer back to something already mentioned.
antecedent
the first mention of someone or something later referred to via anaphora
cataphora
similar to anaphora, but reversing the antecedent-anaphora relationship, often beginning with a pronoun and a descriptive noun phrase later
presupposition
when we talk about an assumption made by the speaker (or writer)
constancy under negotiation
a test for presuppositions that involves comparing a sentence with its negative version and identifying which presuppositions remain true in both
pragmatic markers
they can be used to mark a speaker’s attitude to the listener or to what is being said. (e.g. you know, I mean, well, I don’t know)
face (in pragmatics)
your public self-image
politeness
as showing awareness and consideration of another person’s face.
face-threatening act
if you say something that represents a threat to another person’s self-image.
“Give me the paper!” making a powerful social command to another person when you don’t actually have that social power.
face-saving act
whenever you say something that lessens the possible threat to another’s face
“Could you pass me the paper” removes the assumption of power
Negative face
the need to be independent and free from imposition
positive face
the need to be connected, to belong, to be a member of the group.
speech acts
“requesting” , “commanding”, “questioning”, or “informing”
the action performed by a speaker with an utterance
direct speech act
when an interrogative structure such as Did you…?. Is she…? or Can you…? is used with the function of a question; Can you ride a bike?
indirect speech act
Can you pass the salt?
In this example, we are not really asking a question about someone’s ability. We are using an interrogative structure to make a request.
