Language Methods Pragmatics.

Question 1

Define Pragmatics.

Answer 1

The study of how language is affected by the situation in which it is used, context, of how words can express things that are different from what they appear to mean.

The study of the contribution of context to meaning.

Question 2

Define Mode.

Answer 2

Refers to whether a text is spoken or written, with ordinary spontaneous conversations at one extreme and formal written documents at the other.

Question 3

Define Tenor.

Answer 3

This refers to the participants in a discourse, their relationship to each other and their purpose.

Question 4

Define Field.

Answer 4

This refers to a particular branch of study or sphere of activity or interest.

Question 5

Define the four areas of context.

Answer 5

Physical context.
Epistemic context.
Linguistic context.
Social context.

Question 6

Define physical context.

Answer 6

This includes where the conversation is taking place, what objects are present, what actions are occurring and anything else in the immediate area which might affect the conversation.

Question 7

Define epistemic context.

Answer 7

The epistemic context refers to what the speaker knows about the world. For example, what background knowledge is shared by the speakers.

Question 8

Define linguistic context.

Answer 8

Refers to what has already been said in the utterance. For example, if I begin a discussion by referring to Jane Smith and in the next sentence refer to ‘ her’ as being an elite runner, the linguistic context lets me know that the person the pronoun refers to is Jane Smith.

Question 9

Define Social context.

Answer 9

Refers to the social relationship amongst speakers.

Question 10

Define a performative sentence,

Answer 10

Speech acts in which making the utterance causes something to happen.
Must take place in the present and use first person pronouns.
E.g. ‘I now declare you husband and wife’.