Lecture SixLecture Six

PragmaticPragmaticss

I.I. IntroductionIntroduction

1.1. Definitions: Definitions:

Pragmatics is the study of how speakers of a lPragmatics is the study of how speakers of a language use sentences to effect successful coanguage use sentences to effect successful communication. It studies the following topics: mmunication. It studies the following topics: deixis (deixis ( 指示功能指示功能 ), speech acts, indirect langu), speech acts, indirect language, conversation, politeness, cross-cultural cage, conversation, politeness, cross-cultural communication, and presupposition. (Dai & Hommunication, and presupposition. (Dai & He, 2002, p. 84)e, 2002, p. 84)

Pragmatics is the study of speaker meaning, cPragmatics is the study of speaker meaning, contextual meaning, how more gets communiontextual meaning, how more gets communicated than is said, the expression of relative dcated than is said, the expression of relative distance. (Yule, 2000, p. 3)istance. (Yule, 2000, p. 3)

2.2. The originThe origin

SemanticsSemantics

Context considered Context Context considered Context unconsideredunconsidered

Pragmatics Traditional Pragmatics Traditional semantics semantics

3.3. ContextContext

Speaker A

Speaker B

Knowledge of language

What has been said before

Knowledge about the world

Knowledge about the situation

Knowledge about each other

Example: Example:

A suggestionA suggestion

Today is Sunday. DemandToday is Sunday. Demand

RequestRequest

… …

(He, 1988, pp. 3-4)(He, 1988, pp. 3-4)

4.4. Sentence and Sentence and utteranceutterance

The relation: Meaning of a sentence is The relation: Meaning of a sentence is abstract and decontextualized while abstract and decontextualized while meaning of an utterance is concrete and meaning of an utterance is concrete and context-dependent. The meaning of an context-dependent. The meaning of an utterance is based on a sentence utterance is based on a sentence meaning and the realization of the meaning and the realization of the abstract meaning of a sentence in a real abstract meaning of a sentence in a real situation of communication.situation of communication.

Example: Example: My bag is heavyMy bag is heavy. (utterance . (utterance meaning: a statement, indirect or polite meaning: a statement, indirect or polite request, declining someone’s request for request, declining someone’s request for help)help)

II.II. Speech act theorySpeech act theory

1.1. Austin’s model of speech actsAustin’s model of speech acts

Speech act theorySpeech act theory: a : a philosophical explanation of the philosophical explanation of the nature of linguistic nature of linguistic communication. It aims to communication. It aims to answer this question: “What do answer this question: “What do we do when using language?”we do when using language?”

Austin’s three speech actsAustin’s three speech acts::

Traditional philosopher’s view: true value, state a fact or describe a staTraditional philosopher’s view: true value, state a fact or describe a state of affairste of affairs

Austin’s “constatives” (Austin’s “constatives” ( 述事话语述事话语 ) and “performatives” () and “performatives” ( 行事话语行事话语 )) (Austin’s classical examples: assuring marriage, naming, bequeathing a(Austin’s classical examples: assuring marriage, naming, bequeathing a

nd betting)nd betting)

Three speech acts: locutionary, illocutionary and perlocutionaryThree speech acts: locutionary, illocutionary and perlocutionary (Example: (Example: You have left the door wide openYou have left the door wide open. See related part on page 8. See related part on page 8

9.)9.)

Definitions of the three speech Definitions of the three speech acts:acts:

Locutionary act: act of uttering Locutionary act: act of uttering words, phrases, clauseswords, phrases, clauses

Illocutionary act: the act of Illocutionary act: the act of expressing the speaker’s intentionexpressing the speaker’s intention

Perlocutionary act: the act Perlocutionary act: the act performed by or resulting fro saying performed by or resulting fro saying something, the consequence of the something, the consequence of the utteranceutterance

2.2. Searle’s classification of speech Searle’s classification of speech actsacts

RepresentativesRepresentatives: stating or describing, : stating or describing, saying what the speaker believes to be true. saying what the speaker believes to be true. The speaker is making a statement or giving The speaker is making a statement or giving a description which he himself believes to a description which he himself believes to be true. Stating, believing, swearing, be true. Stating, believing, swearing, hypothesizing are the typical hypothesizing are the typical representatives.representatives.

(I swear) I have never seen the man before.(I swear) I have never seen the man before.

(I state) The earth is a globe.(I state) The earth is a globe.

DirectivesDirectives: Trying to get hearer to do : Trying to get hearer to do something. Inviting, suggesting, something. Inviting, suggesting, requesting, advising, warning, requesting, advising, warning, threatening, ordering are the typical threatening, ordering are the typical ones.ones.

Open the window!Open the window!

You’d better go to the clinic.You’d better go to the clinic.

Your money or your life! Your money or your life!

Would you like to go to the picnic with Would you like to go to the picnic with us?us?

CommissivesCommissives: Committing the : Committing the speaker himself to the future course speaker himself to the future course of action. Promising, undertaking, of action. Promising, undertaking, vowing are the most typical cases.vowing are the most typical cases.

I promise to come.I promise to come.

I will bring you the book tomorrow without I will bring you the book tomorrow without fail.fail.

ExpressivesExpressives: Expressing feelings or : Expressing feelings or attitude towards an existing state. attitude towards an existing state. Typical ones: apologizing, thanking, Typical ones: apologizing, thanking, congratulating.congratulating.

I’m sorry for the mess I have made.I’m sorry for the mess I have made.

It’s really kind of you to have thought of It’s really kind of you to have thought of me.me.

DeclarationsDeclarations: bringing about : bringing about immediate changes by saying immediate changes by saying something. They are like Austin’s something. They are like Austin’s classical examples. More examples:classical examples. More examples:

I now declare the meeting open.I now declare the meeting open.

I appoint you chairman of the I appoint you chairman of the committee.committee.

I fire you!I fire you!

All the acts that belong to the same All the acts that belong to the same category share the same purpose but category share the same purpose but differ in their strength or force.differ in their strength or force.

Close the door.Close the door.

Will you close the door!Will you close the door!

Can you close the door!Can you close the door!

Do you mind closing the door?Do you mind closing the door?

I would be very grateful if you could close the I would be very grateful if you could close the door!door!

The door is open!The door is open!

The door please!The door please!

III.III. Principles of conversation and Principles of conversation and flouting of the conversation flouting of the conversation maximsmaxims

The maxim of quantityThe maxim of quantity Make your contribution as informative as Make your contribution as informative as

required. No more and no less.required. No more and no less. The maxim of qualityThe maxim of quality Do not say what you believe to be false and Do not say what you believe to be false and

do not say what you lack evidence for.do not say what you lack evidence for. The maxim of relationThe maxim of relation Be relevantBe relevant The maxim of mannerThe maxim of manner Avoid obscurity, ambiguity. Be brief and Avoid obscurity, ambiguity. Be brief and

orderly.orderly.

Flouting of the conversation maxim and revealingFlouting of the conversation maxim and revealing conversation implicatureconversation implicature

A: When is Susan’s farewell party?A: When is Susan’s farewell party? B: Sometime next month.B: Sometime next month. — — (flouting the maxim of quantity)(flouting the maxim of quantity)

A: Would you like to join us for the picnic on A: Would you like to join us for the picnic on Sunday?Sunday?

B: I’m afraid I have got a class on Sunday.B: I’m afraid I have got a class on Sunday. — — (flouting the maxim of quality)(flouting the maxim of quality)

A: How did the math exam go today, Jonnie?A: How did the math exam go today, Jonnie? B: B: We had a basketball match with the other class and we We had a basketball match with the other class and we

beat them.beat them.

— — (flouting the maxim of relation)(flouting the maxim of relation)

A: Shall we get something for the kids?A: Shall we get something for the kids? B: Yes. But I veto I-C-E-C-R-E-A-M.B: Yes. But I veto I-C-E-C-R-E-A-M. — — (flouting the maxim of manner)(flouting the maxim of manner)

ReferencesReferences

Dai, W. D & He, Z. X. (2002). Dai, W. D & He, Z. X. (2002). A new concise course A new concise course on linguistics for students of Englishon linguistics for students of English. Shanghai: . Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.

He, Z. R. (1988). He, Z. R. (1988). A survey of pragmaticsA survey of pragmatics. Changsha: . Changsha: Hunan Education Press.Hunan Education Press.

Yule, G. (2000). Yule, G. (2000). PragmaticsPragmatics. Shanghai: Shanghai . Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.Foreign Language Education Press.

TaskTask

Do the following as written exercise:Do the following as written exercise:5.5. According to Austin, what are the three acts a According to Austin, what are the three acts a

person is possibly performing while making an person is possibly performing while making an utterance. Give an example.utterance. Give an example.