CogPsy - Chapter X Language in Context II Flashcards
Basic distinction of speech acts:
- direct
- indirect (“durch die Blume”)
Four basic ways of making indirect speech acts:
- asking or making statements about abilities
- stating a desire
- stating a future action
- citing reasons
5 categories of speech acts (after Searle):
- representative
- directive
- commissive
- expressive
- declaration (performative)
Representative:
conveying a belief
“It’s important for Jack to learn responsibility.”
Directive:
getting sby else to do sth
“Could you please help me shovel the snow?”
Commissive:
a commitment, promise etc.
“I am busy now, but I will help you in 5 min.”
Expressive:
statement about my psychological state
“I am glad, you could make it”
Declaration / Performative:
speech act itself changes environment
“You are fired”
“I hereby declare you …”
Pinker’s three part theory of indirect speech:
communication always a mixture of cooperation and conflict -> ambiguous requests -> listener can accept or decline without openly doing so
Pinker’s 3 purposes of indirect speech:
- plausible deniability (being indirect to allow later denial, e.g. of bribe)
- relationship negotiation (resolving one’s nature of relationship)
- language as a digital medium of indirect and dircet communication (something more, e.g. “The emporer is naked!”)
The 4 conversational postulates:
maximes of
- quality
- quantity
- relation
- manner
The cooperative principle underlies our efforts to ..
.. communicate in ways that make it easier for the listener to understand what we mean.
Nim Chimpsky:
Chimpanzee able to sign a lot of signs, but no preference for specific syntax.
Koko:
Seems to be able to express desires and thoughts, even humor and to create new signs.
Why study language in nonhuman animals (4 reasons)?
- simpler cognitive systems
- you can do invasive and amoral stuff
- full-time subjects
- evolutionary interesting
