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Key points
The definition of pragmatics Micropragmatics
difficulties
Reference Deixis Anaphora presuppostion
6.1 Introduction
Pragmatics is the study of the
relationships between linguistic forms and the users of those forms. In this threepart distinction, only pragmatics allows humans into the analysis. The natural realization is that grammatical analysis alone is not enough.
6.2 Micropragmatics
Phenomena such as reference, deixis,
topics in this field.
Definition of macropragmatics
The studies look deep into the
mechanisms by which speakers writers encode their message in skillful ways and how hearers\readers arrive at the intended meanings in spite of the differences between the literal meaning and the intended meaning. This approach of study is called macropragmatics.
6.2.1 Reference
Words themselves dont refer to anything,
people refer. Reference is thought as an act in which a speaker, or writer, uses linguistic forms to enable a listener, or reader, to identify something.
Three-dimensional diagram
Speakers------ reference------ intention Listeners------ inference-----interpretation Sense---reference---referent Word---meaning---entity
6.2.2 Deixis
Deixis means pointing via language. Any
linguistic form used to do this pointing is called a deictic expression. Words like here, there, this, that, now and then, as well as most pronouns, such as I, we, you, he, her and them are deictic expressions.
Deictic center: the time of the utterances time; the place of the utterances place, the person just giving the utterance
(1) Youll have to bring that back tomorrow, because they arent here now.
sentence because it contains a number of expressions such as you, that, tomorrow, they, here and now which depend for their interpretation on the immediate physical context in which they were uttered.
Classification of deixis
Deixis:
person deixis Spatial deixis Temporal deixis Discourse deixis Social deixis
person: me, you, him and them. (2) Time deixis: words used to point to a time: now, then, tonight, last week and this year (3) Space/spatial/place deixis: words used to point to a location: here, there and yonder (4) Discourse deixis: any expression used to refer to earlier or forthcoming segments of the discourse: in the previous/next paragraph, or Have you heard this joke? (5) Social deixis: honorifics (forms to show respect such as Professor Li)
Cataphora
Cataphora: I turned the corner and
almost stepped on it. There was a large snake in the middle of the path.
Antecedent
anaphor
6.2.4 Presupposition
A presupposition is something the
speaker assumes to be the case prior to making an utterance, symbolized by >>. Speakers, not sentences, have presuppositions.
presupposition triggers
In any language, there are some
expressions or constructions which can act as the sources pf presuppositions. This kind of expressions or constructions is called presupposition triggers.
The following are some examples, where the presupposition triggers themselves are italicized
(1) Definitive descriptions John saw the man with two heads >> There exists a man with two heads. (2) Factive verbs John realized that he was in debt >> John was in debt. (3) Change of state verbs Joan began to beat her husband >> Joan hadnt been beating her husband. (4) Iteratives The flying saucer came again >> The flying saucer came before. (5) Temporal clauses While Chomsky was revolutionizing linguistics, the rest of social science was asleep >> Chomsky was revolutionizing linguistics. (6) Cleft sentences It was Henry that kissed Rosie >> Someone kissed Rosie. (7) Comparisons and contrasts Carol is a better linguist than Barbara >> Barbara is a linguist. The negative form of the above sentences has the same presupposition.
Assignments
I. Define the following terms briefly: (1) pragmatics (2) deixis (3) reference (4) anaphora (5) presupposition II. What are the deictic expressions in the following utterance? Im busy now so you cant do that here. Come back tomorrow. III. What are the anaphoric expressions in the following utterance? Dr. Dang gave Jane some medicine after she asked him for it. IV. What is one obvious presupposition of a speaker who says: (1) Where did he buy the beer? (2) Your watch is broken. (3) We regret buying that car.