Pragmatics - Language Levels

Question 1

Pragmatics (long definition)

Answer 1

The branch of linguistics dealing with language in use and the contexts in which it is used, including such Deixis (form/expression) the taking turns in conversation, text, organisation, presupposition and implicature (action of implying).
4 types of Pragmatics: speech acts, conventional implicature, rhetorical structure, managing the flow of reference in discourse.

Question 2

What are the 4 types of Pragmatics

Answer 2

4 types of Pragmatics: speech acts, conventional implicature, rhetorical structure, managing the flow of reference in discourse.

Question 3

Pragmatics (short)

Answer 3

The Study of implied meaning. Meanings below the surface.

Question 4

Pragmatics

Answer 4

The Study of language in use and the contexts in which it is used in, the contextual factors that influence meaning.

Question 5

Linguistic Context

Answer 5

Context within words and grammar - what has been said before.

Question 6

Physical Context

Answer 6

Objects surrounding the communication as well as place and time.

Question 7

Utterance

Answer 7

A segment of speech

Question 8

Schema

Answer 8

A bundle of knowledge about a concept, person or event.

Question 9

Cooperative Priniciple

Answer 9

The general principle that people work together to communicate. (assumption)

Question 10

Conversational (Grice’s) Maxims

Answer 10

Explicit principle that provide a backdrop for conversation to take place so that speakers can easily understand one another.

Question 11

The Maxim of Quantity

Answer 11

Do not say too little or too much.

Question 12

The Maxim of Quality

Answer 12

Speak the truth - be honest.

Question 13

The Maxim of Relevance

Answer 13

Keep what is being discussed relevant to the topic at hand.

Question 14

The Maxim of Manner

Answer 14

Be clear, concise and avoid ambiguity.

Question 15

Flout

Answer 15

Openly disregard. In terms of Maxims ‘flout’ is used when a speaker breaks a maxim(s) either for a specific reason such as others will understand / for comedic effect.

Question 16

Implicature

Answer 16

An implied meaning that has to be inferred by a speaker as a result of knowing the maxims are being broken.

Question 17

Politeness Theory

Answer 17

Politeness assumes that we all have face, and we all have face wants and needs. There are different types of face threatened in various face-threatening acts, and sometimes the face threats are to the hearer or to the speaker. When a face is threatened it will change - affecting our language.

Question 18

Positive Face

Answer 18

Feels (or wants to) appreciated and valued.

Question 19

Negative Face

Answer 19

The desire to feel independent and not imposed on.

Question 20

What does a negative face feel when threatened?

Answer 20

They might feel offended or imposed upon.

Question 21

What does a positive face feel when threatened?

Answer 21

They might feel ashamed or embarrassed.

Question 22

A Face Saving Act

Answer 22

Saying something to lessen any threat to positive / negative face.

Question 23

Positive Politeness Strategy

Answer 23

Make the listener feel good about themselves and avoid conflict or offence by emphasising friendliness, courteousness & politeness. Shows that the speaker recognizes if the listener has a desire to be respected.
E.g. ‘I’m really sorry to ask you this but…’

Question 24

Direct Request

Answer 24

Commanding Request.
E.g. ‘Turn that music down!’

Question 25

Indirect Request

Answer 25

Flouts Maxims, avoids confrontational, creates implicature.
E.g. ‘This is a great book I’m reading’

Question 26

Negative Politeness Strategy

Answer 26

Attempting not to disrupt independence and aimed at the listener’s negative face and are meant to avoid any imposition on the listener.
E.g. ‘Can you turn the music down a little?’

Question 27

Hedging

Answer 27

We use hedging devices to soften a claim or to express uncertainty or certainty about it. E.g. believe, conceivably, presumably, perhaps, probably, possibly, maybe, and likely. E.g. ‘Erm, could you, erm perhaps, turn down the, erm, music?’

Question 28

Pessimism

Answer 28

The tendency to see the negative side of things or to expect the worst possible outcome from an event. E.g. ‘ I don’t suppose you could possibly turn down the music?’

Question 29

Indicating Deference

Answer 29

‘Excuse me, sir, would you mind if I asked you to turn down the music?’

Question 30

Apologising

Answer 30

‘I’m terribly sorry to put you out but could you turn down your music?’

Question 31

Impersonalising

Answer 31

‘The management requires you to turn the music down?’

Question 32

Deixis

Answer 32

Content - dependent language

Question 33

Deictic

Answer 33

A word or expression whose meaning is dependent on the context in which it is used.

Question 34

Personal Deixis

Answer 34

Names, personal pronouns and names of things/places.

Question 35

Temporal Deixis

Answer 35

Adverbs of time such as ‘today’, ‘yesterday’ and ‘tomorrow’ each of these both locates a speaker in and points from a particular deictic centre.

Question 36

Spatial Deixis

Answer 36

Adverbs of place such as ‘here’ and ‘there’ ; demonstratives showing location such as ‘this’ and ‘that’, orientational words such as ‘left’ and ‘right’ and deictic verbs such as ‘come’ and ‘go’

Question 37

Spatial Proximal Deixis

Answer 37

Refers to concepts, events or people close to the speaker. E.g. ‘This’

Question 38

Spatial Distal Deixis

Answer 38

Refers to concepts, events or people at a distance to the speaker. E.g. ‘that’.

Question 39

Demonstratives (DEM)

Answer 39

Are words, such as ‘this’ and ‘that’ used to indicate which entities are being referred to and distinguish from others. Their meaning cannot be understood without context.

Question 40

Deictic Verbs

Answer 40

Also known as Deictic motion verbs refer to any verb that marks the direction in which an entity is moving such as ‘come’ and ‘go’.