PRAGMATICS Prepared by: Ahmad Ashari Alias Sharifah Ajlaa Syed Zulkifli
Dec 01, 2014
PRAGMATICSPrepared by:
Ahmad Ashari Alias
Sharifah Ajlaa Syed Zulkifli
WHAT IS PRAGMATICS?
What the writer or speaker of those words intended to convey.
The study of invisible meaning. How we recognize what is meant when it
isn’t actually said or written. The study of intended speaker meaning.
CONTEXT
Linguistics context (co-text) Put together with another word Homonym
physical context Location influences the interpretation
DEIXIS
Referring to people and thing Deixis + physical context = meaning
Person deixis ( I, you, him, her, them, etc) Place deixis (here, there, this, that, etc) Time deixis (now, then, yesterday, etc)
FREE BEER TOMORROW You will have to bring that back tomorrow
because they are not here now.
REFERENCE
An act by which a speaker uses language to enable listener to identify something. People things Things people
We saw Shakespeare in London and we enjoyed listening to Mozart last week.
ANAPHORA
Subsequent reference to an already introduced entity. Dr. Dang gave Mary some medicine after she
asked him for it. I was waiting for the bus but he just drove by
without stopping The connection between referent and
anaphora MAY NOT ALWAYS be direct.
PRESUPPOSITION
Commonly use in interrogation. An assumption made by the speaker. What a speaker ASSUMES is true or is known
by the hearer. Background beliefs of the speaker.
My cousin is not a boy anymore. Bob does not regret that he beat his dog. Bob has not stopped beating his dog.
SPEECH ACTS
Actions that are carried out through language. Requesting Commanding Questioning Informing
Indirect speech act: to perform a function other than listed beside it(in the same line)
There is a request behind the utterance.
CONT..SPEECH ACTS
Visitor: Excuse me, do you know where is the Ambassador Hotel is?
Passer by: Oh sure, I know where it is. (and walks away)
Dealing with ability to do something.
POLITENESS
Face threatening act Represent a threat to another person’s self
image. Use direct speech to order someone to do
something. Eg: Give me that paper. (as if you have the
power when you’re not) Face saving act
Lessen the possible threat Indirect speech Eg: Could you pass me that paper please?
CONT…POLITENESS
Negative face Need to be independent and freedom from
imposition. Positive face
Need to be connected, to belong and to be a member of the group.
REFERENCES
O’Grady, Dobrovolsky and Aronoff.(1997) Contemporary Linguistics 3rd ed. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Yule,G (2003) The Study of Language 2nd ed. Cambridge: University Press.
Brown, H.D. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching 4th ed. New York: Pearson Education