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PRAGMATICS:WHAT & WHY

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DEFINITION

Studies of the use of language in human communication as determined by the conditions of society (Mey, 1993:6).

The systematic study of meaning by virtue of, or dependent or the use of language (Huang, 2007:2).

The study of those relations between language and context that are grammaticalized, or encoded in the structure of a language (Levinson, 1983:9).

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The study of the relations between language and context that are basic to an account of language understanding (Levinson, 1983:21).

The study of ability of language users to pair sentences with the contexts in which they would be appropriate (Levinson, 1983:24).

Meaning in use or meaning in context (Thomas, 1995:1-2).

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the study of speaker meaning (Yule, 1996:3). the study of contextual meaning (Yule,

1996:3). The study of how more gets communicated

than is said (Yule, 1996:3). The study of the expression of relative

distance (Yule, 1996:3). solving problems in a realistic way which

suits the present conditions rather than obeying fixed theories, ideas or rules (Cambridge Advance Learner’s Dictionary).

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SO…

Pragmatics is the study of meanings behind the utterances.

-- an utterance is not just utterance, it always has a “hidden agenda” --

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WHY PRAGMATICS?

Pragmatics is needed if we want a fuller, deeper and generally more reasonable account of human language behaviour (Mey, 1993:12).

Pragmatic look at the problems of endangered languages tells us not just to go out there and describe, but to fight what has been called “linguistic genocide” (Skutnabb-Kangas and Phillipson in Mey, 1993:15).

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Linguistic underdeterminacyThe linguistically encoded meaning of a sentence radically underdetermines the proposition the speaker express when he or she utters that sentence (Huang, 2007:5).

Simplification of Semantics and SyntaxIts inclusion can effect a radical simplification of other core components in an overall theory of linguistic ability (Huang, 2007:7)

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The advantage of studying language via pragmatics is that one can talk about people’s intended meanings, their assumptions, their purposes or goals, and the kind of actions (i.e. requests) that they are performing when they speak (Yule, 1996: 4).

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Pragmatics as the study of language use or, better, language to do things.

how does communication work? How do you understand what I mean to convey? And do you understand it in exactly the way I want to convey to you? And, finally, will you respond to me in the way I expect and hope?

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SO…

Pragmatics is needed to aid in deciphering the true feelings behind what others are saying.

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THANK YOU