Han 2 Flashcards
The Organon model
Karl Bühler describes language as a tool, “Organon”,
which people use in order to communicate with one another. The Organon model has had a major impact on the way language is dealt with in discourse studies.
What Butler states?
Bühler states that a sound can only qualify as a linguistic sign if a three-fold relationship exists connecting the sound to a sender, a receiver, and an object that is being referred to. Each linguistic sign (S) has three functions simultaneously:
So my hero what is the signs?
- A sign functions as a symptom as it says something about a sender, for example, whether the sender is female or male or what the intention of the utterance is.
- A sign is a symbol because it refers to objects and states of affairs.
- A sign serves as a signal because a receiver must interpret it or react to what has been said.
Have you heard that strange story about the drunk who decided to play barber and cut off his friend’s ear?
By asking this question, the speaker indicates that he wants information from the person who is being addressed. By using the word “strange”, the speaker is also expressing an opinion. This is the symptom aspect. In the utterance a reference is made to a story, a real event. That is the symbol aspect. The question is an appeal to a listener. A listener is not expected to just answer “yes” or “no and change the topic. Something along the line of “No, tell me about it” or “Yes” followed by the listener’s own reaction is expected. This is the signal aspect.
Thus, the basic assumption of the Organon model is that language is an instrument with which objectives can be achieved and that this instrument cannot be considered to be separate from speakers and listeners, or writers and readers, in performing communicative acts.
Discourse is a two-way instrument, an instrument for a speaker and listener or a writer and a reader.
If two parties use an instrument for an “activity”, then such an activity can only be successful if both parties adhere to general rules or principles and thereby utilize certain strategies.
If two parties use an instrument for an “activity”, then such an activity can only be successful if both parties adhere to general rules or principles and thereby utilize certain strategies.
Correct
Adhere means sticked
A non-linguistic example:
Two people want to hang a painting (activity) so they use a hammer, nails and a ladder (instruments) and they have to coordinate their actions. There will have to be some form of cooperation; while one is standing on the ladder, the other can hand the tools to the first, etc. Rules concerning politeness will also have to be followed; while one person is on the ladder, the other should not try to push the first off.
So we must gives the discourse it is size
One general principle of collective activity is cooperation and an often-used strategy to achieve this is politeness.
Communicators have to perform their communicative acts on the basis of this cooperation principle and guided by politeness strategies. So, what are those communicative acts?
Speech act theory
Speech act theory
Speech act theory
Speech act theory has had a strong influence on the field of discourse studies as this theory focuses on the question of what people are doing when they use language.
In speech act theory, language is seen as a form of acting. → an utterance in a dialogue is an ACTION
People perform speech acts such as (types of speech acts):
Verdictives (e.g. estimating, assessing, describing);
• Exercitives (ordering, appointing, advising);
• Commissives (promising, betting);
• Behabitives (apologizing, congratulating, thanking);
• Expositives (arguing, insisting).
Example:
1. It’s raining.
2. I promise that I will give you one hundred dollars tomorrow.
Statement (1) may or may not be true (i.e. can be true or false). However, in statement (2) it is not possible to say that it is true or that it is not true (i.e. cannot be true or false). With
However, it can be argued that an act is being performed in the case of constative utterances as well; a warning given or a statement made as in the case of (1).
3
This led Austin to the conclusion that all expressions of language must be viewed as acts. He distinguishes three kinds of actions within each utterance:
a. Locution: the physical act of producing an utterance (i.e. the actual words which the speaker is saying).
b. Illocution: the act that is committed by producing an utterance (by uttering a promise, a promise is made; by uttering a threat, a threat is made) → the intention of the speaker.
c. Perlocution: the production of an effect through locution and illocution (e.g. the execution
of an order by the addressee) → the effect of the utterance on the hearer. verbs such as promise, not only is something being said, more importantly, something is being done. In (2) an act is being performed through an utterance. By saying “I promise…”, a promise is made. However, saying “It’s raining” does not make it rain.
Austin (1976) used the terms constative and performative to describe this difference: Constative: something is stated about reality (see 1).
Performative: an act is being performed by the utterance itself (see 2).
Locution
the physical act of producing an utterance (i.e. the actual words which the speaker is saying).
Illocution
the act that is committed by producing an utterance (by uttering a promise, a promise is made; by uttering a threat, a threat is made) → the intention of the speaker
Locution of the speaker @
There’s a good movie
Illocution:
Invitation Advice Excuse Offer
Uptake by the listener:
O.K. let’s go
O.K. I will go there Never mind
Thank you!
So you must be careful
Felicity conditions
the propositional content
In the case of ‘promising’, the act that the speaker commits himself to (the proposition) must be a future act to be carried out by the speaker himself. One cannot make a promise for someone else or promise to do something that has already been done.
