Scribd
Upload
6 views25 pages

GROUP-1-DISCOURSE-PPT

The document discusses the role of context in pragmatics and discourse analysis, highlighting how language is used to communicate and achieve goals. It defines key concepts such as speech acts, implicature, and the importance of social context in shaping meaning. The relationship between pragmatics and discourse is emphasized, focusing on speaker intention and language use in social situations.

Uploaded by

heartjeahryller
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
6 views25 pages

GROUP-1-DISCOURSE-PPT

The document discusses the role of context in pragmatics and discourse analysis, highlighting how language is used to communicate and achieve goals. It defines key concepts such as speech acts, implicature, and the importance of social context in shaping meaning. The relationship between pragmatics and discourse is emphasized, focusing on speaker intention and language use in social situations.

Uploaded by

heartjeahryller
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 25

The Role of Context in

Interpretation
Understanding Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis.
Objectives
1 Define Pragmatics 2 Distinguish
As used in discourse. Pragmatics and discourse.

3 Discuss Field
Pragmatics in discourse.
What is Pragmatics?
Study of language use to communicate and achieve goals.

Communication
How people use language.

Goals
Achieving objectives through language.
Key Concepts in Pragmat
1 Context-Variable Meaning

2 Speech Acts

3 Implicature

4 Inference
What is Discourse Analysis?
Study of language use to create meaning in social contexts.

Language Social Contexts


Used to create meaning. Meaning in social situations.
Key Concepts in
Discourse Analysis
Language in Use

Social Context

Text and Talk

Social Transaction
Relationship Between Pragmatics and Dis
Language in ContextMeaning Speaker Intention Language in Use

Both examine Focus on meaning Pragmatics focuses Discourse analysis


language in social and on speaker focuses on
contexts. communication. intention. language in use.
Speech Acts
Actions performed through language.

Austin (1969) argued that


there are three kinds of act
which occur with everything Illocutionary Act
2
we say.
These are:
Locutionary Act 1

Perlocutionary Act
3
Types of Speech Acts
1. _Phonetic Act_: Physical utterance of words
- Example: Paul says "Please sit down"

2. _Phatic Act_: Utterance of vocables or words


- Example: Paul utters the words "Please sit down"

3. _Rhetic Act_: Use of words with a certain sense and reference


- Example: Paul uses "please" to show politeness

4. _Lecutionary Act_: Act of saying something


- Example: Paul says "Please sit down" to Jean

5. _Illocutionary Act_: Act performed in saying something


- Example: Paul asks Jean to sit down

6. _Perlocutionary Act_: Effect of saying something


Context and Intention
Interconnected
1

2 Intention

3 Context

Context is vital to pragmatics. Intention is crucial to pragmatics.


A. ILLOCUTIONARY ACT
Illocutionary acts are types of speech acts that convey a specific
intention or purpose.

Assertives — aim to get addressees to form or attend to a belief.


Ex: predictions, notifications, confessions, denials
Directives — aim to get addressees to do something.
Ex: requests, commands, suggestions, questions.
Commissives — commit the speaker to a future action.
Ex: promises, offers.
Expressives — express psychological feelings toward the addressees.
Ex: thanking, greeting, congratulating, apologizing.
Declaratives — affect an institutional state of affairs.
Ex: appointing, promoting, firing, indicting, pardoning.
B. SPEAKER'S MEANING

• Speaker's meaning refers to the proposition or intention


conveyed by a speaker through their words, actions, or signals.

• Speaker's meaning is a type of intention that involves


reflexivity and linkage between the speaker's intention and the
hearer's recognition of that intention.
Types of Meaning

Natural Meaning — refers to the connection between events or states in the world and
their natural consequences. (e.g., "Those black clouds mean rain.")

Nonnatural Meaning — refers to the connection between a person's action and its
intended consequences.

Subtypes of Nonnatural Meaning:


Signal Meaning — refers to the meaning of signals, such as words or gestures. (e.g.,
"The word 'up' can mean happy.")
Speaker's Meaning — refers to the intention or proposition conveyed by a speaker
through their words, actions, or signals. (e.g., "In uttering 'Please sit down,' Paul meant
that Jean was to sit down.")
C. IMPLICATURES
D. THE COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLE
E. THE CONTEXT OF SITUATION
Understanding the Role of Context in Shaping Meaning

• Context plays a crucial role in interpreting sentences.


• Linguists face a methodological problem in distinguishing
between meaning and context.
• Relevant facts of the context of utterance need to be specified.

Firth's Context of Situation

• J.R. Firth emphasized the importance of social context in


shaping meaning.
• He proposed a schematic construct for describing contexts.
- Key categories include:
- Participants (persons, personalities)
- Verbal action
- Non-verbal action
F. THE CO-ORDINATE
Specifying the Features of Context

• Hymes (1964) specifies features of context relevant to speech events


• Firth's approach is reminiscent, focusing on persons participating in the speech
event
• Addressor (speaker/writer) and addressee (hearer/reader) are key roles
• Knowledge of addressor and addressee constrains expectations of language
form and content

Lewis' Index of Co-ordinates


for Specifying Contextual Factors
• Lewis (1972) proposes an index of co-ordinates to determine sentence truth
• Co-ordinates include:
- Possible-world co-ordinate
- Time co-ordinate
- Place co-ordinate
- Speaker co-ordinate
- Audience co-ordinate
- Indicated object co-ordinate
- Previous discourse co-ordinate
- Assignment co-ordinate
G. HEDGES
Words or phrases used to indicate uncertainty or incompleteness in our
statements.
Examples
- Sort of / kind of (e.g. "His hair was kind of long")
- As far as I know...
- Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but...
- I'm not absolutely sure, but...
- I think / it's possible / may or could (e.g. "I think it's possible that Jackson may
be guilty")

Purpose
To show concern for the quality maxim and avoid potential conflict or
misunderstanding.
H.
Conclusion
Summary of key points.

Pragmatics Discourse
Language use in Meaning in social contexts.
communication.

Context
Vital for interpretation.

Implicature

Implied meaning that goes beyond the literal


interpretation of words, relying on context, inference,
and shared knowledge between speaker and listener.

You might also like