Pragmatic and discourse development Flashcards
importance of pragmatics
- they need to have that web of connections
- don’t have pragmatic awareness adults may have
- to understand pragmatics children must have a comprehension of implicatures (understanding of implied meaning)
implication
what we mean rather than what we say
inference
interpreting what others mean
politeness
- using selected words and phrases to be polite
- one of earliest developments
- please and thank you
- asking not demanding
- not raising voice / taboo
conversational management
knowing when and how long to speak
Topic maintenance
understanding to stay on topic and contributing relevantly to the conversation
Denotation
literal meaning
connotation
associated meaning
locution
literal speech act
‘can I go outside?’
‘it’s raining’
illocution
the implied meaning
‘can I go outside?’
‘no, you can’t
perlocution
the perceived meaning
‘can I go outside?’
‘I am not allowed to go outside’
Paul Grice’s maxims, 1975
- ‘co-operative principle’
- unconsciously will be conversationally cooperative and abide by certain maxims
- children struggle to use maxims / make errors and flout the maxims
maxim of quality
- should tell the truth
- should have evidence for statements made
Maxim of quantity
- contribution should be as much as required
- should be neither too little nor too much
Maxim of relevance
- speakers contributions should relate to purpose of conversation
Maxim of manner
contributions should be clear, avoiding ambiguity
Goffman
- the face theory