Pragmatics, Part I

1
Pragmatics, Part I

• Weber State University
• Spring 2007

2
Pragmatics

• Pragmatics concerns the explanatory gap between
  speakers meaning and sentence meaning.
• The primary focus of pragmatics is utterances,
  usually within the context of conversation.

3
Six Functions of Pragmatics

• Referential conveys information about some
  definite referent
• Expressive conveys information about feelings
  or emotions
• Conative intends to elicit some behavior from
  the addressee
• Phatic builds a relationship between both
  parties in a conversation
• Metalingual references to first-order language
  and
• Poetic focuses on text independent of reference.

4
Austins Functions

• Locutionary Act the surface meaning of an
  utterance.
• Perlocultionary Act any speech act that amounts
  to getting someone to do something.
• Illocutionary Act a verbal utterance where (1)
  the speaker must make it clear to the listener
  that the speech act is performed and (2) the
  performance of which involves the notion of
  conventional consequences.

5
Illocutionary Acts

• Suppose that Wimpy promise to pay you two-dollars
  Wednesday for a hamburger today.
• In order to successfully perform a promise, Wimpy
  must make it clear to the audience that the
  promise occurs and undertake an obligation to do
  the promised thing.

6
Descriptions

• Descriptions are interpretable.
• Britney flashes crowd
• Descriptions have the ability to shape our
  perceptions of the subject.

7
Asymmetrical Descriptions

• Asymmetrical description when members of one
  group are described in ways that would not be
  used for a different group.
• Angelina Jolies lips

8
Denotation and Connotation

• Denotation the dictionary definition of a term.
• Connotation a set of associations attached to
  the word in question.

9
Social Context

• The employment of some concepts depend on social
  context.
• Different cultures could define uses of language
  differently.