Introduction to Pragmatics: Study of Language in Context
1. Definitions and Background
Pragmatics: Concerned with the study of meaning as communicated by a speaker (or writer) and interpreted by a listener (or reader). In essence, pragmatics is the study of speaker meaning. This involves interpreting what people mean in a particular context and how that context influences what is said. Therefore, pragmatics is also the study of contextual meaning. It explores how listeners infer meaning from what is said to understand the speaker’s intended message.
Read MoreDecoding Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot’: Absurdity and Meaning
Decoding ‘Waiting for Godot’: Absurdity and Meaning
Discuss the main characteristics of Waiting for Godot, with clear references to examples from the text.
Samuel Beckett’s most famous work, Waiting for Godot, was first written in French and translated into English in 1955. The play centers on waiting, in the eternal hope of a better tomorrow. This work is a prime example of the Theatre of the Absurd, expressing a sensibility and attitude toward the world shaped by the times in which Beckett lived.
Read MoreDiscourse Analysis and Pragmatics: Key Concepts
Key Concepts in Discourse Analysis and Pragmatics
Questions and Answers
1) Which of the following would NOT be an area of interest for someone doing discourse analysis?
a) The relationship between language and socio-cultural contexts around it
b) The study of the sound patterns that occur within languages
c) The effects of language use upon social identities
d) The mechanisms language has to present different worldviews and understandings
2) After decades of formalist understandings of language, researchers
Read MoreSemantics and Pragmatics: Presupposition, Entailment, Implicature
Implied Meanings: Presupposition and Entailment
Semantics vs. Pragmatics
Semantics
- Study of words and their meaning in a language.
- Focuses on meaning.
- Language internal.
- Studies what expressions mean.
- Studies what is said.
Pragmatics
- Study of words and their meaning in a language in context.
- Focuses on use.
- Language external.
- Studies what speakers mean.
- Studies what is implied.
Presuppositions and Entailment
A presupposition is information assumed to be true by the speaker of an utterance prior to its production.
Brown and Levinson’s Politeness Theory: Strategies
Brown and Levinson’s Politeness Theory
Brown and Levinson’s study examines verbal interaction strategies from a cross-cultural perspective. They establish that strategies for conducting interaction are superficially culture-specific, based on a universal principle of politeness. Conventions are often reasons for doing things, which is the outcome of rational choices made by individuals.
To explain why speakers often use certain strategies, Brown and Levinson introduce the concept of “face.” Face
Read MoreDiscourse Analysis: Key Concepts and Projects
Key Considerations in Discourse Analysis
1. Planning a Discourse Analysis Project
When planning a discourse analysis, consider the following:
- Actual research question: Does it contain a good, researchable idea?
- Well-focused question: This is the key to a good research project.
- Identifying information: Determine what kind of information each approach can supply.
2. Evaluating a Discourse Analysis
The following issues are crucial when evaluating a discourse analysis:
- Reliability: The consistency of the results