M. Ferenk Pragmalinguistics 2014 Strana 1

Pragmalinguistics

Introduction

Ch.Morris Foundations of the Theory of Signs (1938) the founding father of pragmatics

His theory of semiosis makes a tripartite distinction:

Syntax = relationships between signs and other signs arranged in a sequence with no recourse to the world of referents

Semantics = rel. bet. signs and referents/entities attempts to establish rel. bet. words and the world (= referents)

language sign = signifiant and signifi

Pragmatics = rel. bet. signs and users of the forms only here humans enter the sign

focuses on real peoples intended meanings, assumptions, purposes, goals, actions and their effects

cf. My glass is empty.

Pragmatics is:

- useful + exciting - how people make sense of each other

- sense-making

- challenging + frustrating: - we do not have direct access to peoples intended meanings

Language is a highly structured phenomenon offering resources for users to meet their

expressive and communicative objectives.

Language resources: Phonetics/phonology

Lexico-grammar Morphology

Syntax

Lexicon + semantics

Pragmatics another level?

No ANY linguistic resource can be studied from the viewpoint of its usage or

NO linguistic resource can be ignored by pragmatics:

Examples of pragmatically-relevant phenomena:

Phonology: Its wonderful. = statement, exclamation, appreciation, ironical remark dep. on prosody

pragmatic function of intonation

M. Ferenk Pragmalinguistics 2014 Strana 2

Morphology: derivational

kind, lawful = norm, standard, unmarked, basic

unkind,unlawful = marked, derived

cf. bad - *unbad > good

compounding

dog bite = an injury caused by dog

= an injury caused by sb. else on a dog (?)

near miss/*hit

A near miss = an unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness,

or damage but had the potential to do so.

Lexis: How old/*young is your baby-son?

How far/*close is it ... ?

old, far = norm

young, close = marked

Usage-related aspects of propositional meaning:

The X is on the Y The cat is on the mat horizontal The painting is on the wall vertical

The fly is on the ceiling under The painting is on the ceiling applied to

Syntax: Peter broke the vase The vase was broken The vase got broken. = progressive deagentivization/depersonalization

Pragmatics has no specific unit of analysis

is concerned with the full complexity of linguistic behaviour

is a link between the linguistics and the interdisciplinary studies focusing on

the functioning of humans in communication:

neurolinguistics

sociolinguistics

psycholinguistics

cognitive linguistics

anthropological linguistics ...

Definitions of Pragmatics:

= science of language seen in relation to its users (J.Mey)

= the science of language use (J.Verschueren)

=study of linguistic phenomena from the point of view of their usage properties and processes

(J.Verschueren)

Pragmatics deals with biotic aspects of semiosis (Morris)

= with psychological, biological, sociological phenomena involved in language use

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Cf. semantics and pragmatics:

Both are engaged in the study meaning, BUT:

Semantics Pragmatics

context-independent meanings context-dependent meanings

what morphemes, words, phrases, clauses mean what users mean by language

(grammar and lexicon)

meaning is dyadic triadic

X means Y Speaker means X by Y

componential analysis:

bachelor = [+male, -married]

compositional meaning:

He is a bachelor. He is a bachelor.

individual words + grammar

sentence meaning utterance meaning

Pragmatics = semantics + context

Context of utterance 1. spatio-temporal location

2.societal/cultural

3. textual = co-text

Meaning is not stable part of lingusitic expressions but is generated in communication

Language-in-use involves language in action by real, live people

What is language action?

Ex. A roundabout technique of saying you stole the book = a pragmatic act of requesting to return the book back to its place, done

implicitely, hint

indirect accussation

Q: Why do we call it pragmatic act?

A: Because we cannot explain it using normal linguistic means: the underlying principle is implicature = implied meaning

Note: this is reminiscent of a waste-basket theory of Pragmatics (Bar-Hillel): P is a waste-basket of linguistics

P = a throw-away dustbin of oddities, irregularities, inconsistencies, absurdities,

etc. which cannot be normally explained

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Pragmatics = a general cognitive, social, and cultural perspective on linguistic phenomena

in relation to their usage in forms of behaviour (Verschueren)

Core topics in pragmatics:

entailment, presupposition, implicature, reference, speech acts, deixis, politeness

Why study pragmatics?

get fuller and deeper understanding of how human mind works

humans communicate

behave towards one another

manipulate one another

Literature:

Mey, J. 1993. Pragmatics. Blackwell.

Peccei, J.S. 1999. Pragmatics. London and New York: Routledge.

Trnyikov, L.2000. Pragmatics. In P.tekauer (ed.) Rudiments of English Linguistics. Preov: Slovacontact.

Verschueren, J. 1999. Understanding Pragmatics. Arnold.

Yule, G. 1996. Pragmatics. OUP.