Linguistics, Pragmatics

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Linguistics, Pragmatics Natural Grammar

• Chen Lin
• Beijing Foreign Studies University

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I The Trend

• 1. The branches, or disciplines, under the
  general title of LINGUISTICS as a science
• 1) General Linguistics
• Theoretical Linguistics
• Applied Linguistics

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• 2) Sociolinguistics
• Historical Linguistics
• Anthropological Linguistics
• Psycholinguistics

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• 3) Grammar
• Syntax
• Lexicon / Lexicology
• Phonology / Phonetics
• Semantics / Morphology
• Stylistics / Rhetoric
• Corpus Linguistics

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• 4) Pragmatics
• The study of the use of language in
  communication, particularly the relationship
  between sentences and the contexts and situation
  in which they are used.

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• Pragmatics includes the study of
• a. How the interpretation and use of
  UTTERANCES depends on knowledge of the real world
• b. How speakers use and understand SPEECH
  ACTS
• c. how the structure of sentences is
  influenced by the relationship between the
  speaker and the hearer.

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• Pragmatics is sometimes contrasted with
  SEMANTICS, which deals with meaning without
  reference to the users and communicative
  functions of sentences.

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• The general trend today in the study and research
  of Linguistic Science is
• 1. More emphasis tends to be put on Applied
  Linguistics
• 2. While different scholars continue to
  pursue their studies in different individual
  disciplines each in his own way, many are trying
  to coordinate the studies of the various
  disciplines for the one general purpose of
  improving the way languages are taught, that is,
  teaching methodology.

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• 3. Hence more and more scholars of
  Linguistics, particularly language teachers, are
  turning their attention to the study of
  Pragmatics and its application to the classroom
  teaching of foreign languages.

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• In other words, more and more language teachers
  are turning to be more and more pragmatic, paying
  more attention to enabling the students to
  acquire the real Integrated Language Capability,
  to use the language in real, meaningful
  communi-cation, instead of just spoon-feeding
  them with sheer language knowledge, as many did
  in the past.

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II. Natural Grammar

• What is Grammar?
• Grammar is the description of the
  structure of a language and the way in which
  linguistic units such as words and phrases are
  combined to produce sentences in the language.

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• Language is used to express ideas. When you
  have an idea, you think of words first, for it is
  words that express the idea. But how are words
  organized ? That is Grammar.

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• In other words, Grammar is how words are
  combined in a certain pattern to communicate an
  idea. When you use a word, you are obliged to
  choose from the particular grammar patterns
  associated with the word.

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• Hence, we can choose from the vocabulary of a
  language a certain number of the most frequently
  used words and study how they are used in
  patterns, collocations and set phrases.

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• As Professor John Sinclair puts it
• Learners would do well to learn the
  common words of the language very thoroughly,
  because they carry the main patterns of the
  language.

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• Lets take the word for as an example
• I. Patterns
• 1. for N(noun, or NP, noun phrase)
• This talk is for teachers.
• 2. for NP (period of time)
• Ive talked for half an hour.
• 3. for -ing
• I use PPT for explaining my points.
• 4. verb NP for -ing
• I dont blame you for not
  understanding me.
• 5. For NP to-infinitive
• The talk is for you to comment.
• 6. Be adj. for N to-infinitive
• The talk might be difficult for the
  students to understand.
• 7. NP for NP to-infinitive
• Theres no need for you to agree with
  me.

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• II. Collocations
• 1. Phrasal verbs arrange for, ask for,
  bargain for, care for, fall for, long for, look
  for, plan for, prepare for, provide for, settle
  for, etc.
• 2. Nouns frequently followed by for time,
  room, soace, need, desire, hope, chance,
  opportunity, reason, purpose, case, argument,
  plan, arrangement, search, cure,use, etc.
• 3. Adjectives often followed by for good,
  bad, suitable, ready, famous, sorry, responsible,
  thankful,useful, late, right, wrong, hard,
  difficult, easy, dangerous, usual, unusual,
  possible, etc.

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• III. Set Phrases
• for ages, for long, for now, be all
  for, for all, but for, as for, for the time
  being, for Gods sake, what for (for what)? etc.

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• The promoters of this way of learning the
  English Grammar call it NATURAL GRAMMAR, for they
  believe one can learn the English language
  naturally, through its most frequently used
  words.

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• However, the argument will be Can we
  BEGIN our learning of the English grammar in this
  way? Perhaps not. The teaching of Natural Grammar
  should be well coordinated with the teaching of
  Traditional Grammar (School Grammar) and
  Lexical-Functional-Grammar. For the students who
  have had a systematic training in Traditional
  Grammar would benefit well in the learning of
  Natural Grammar as an effective consolidation.