What-is-pragmatics

Whatispragmatics?Whatispragmatics,comparedwithsyntaxandsemantics?Syntax:–Studyingtherelationshipbetweenlanguageforms;–Mary,duck,the,to,up,ran–Studyingtherulesthatdeterminethecorrectstructureandexcludeincorrectorderings.–TheduckranuptoMaryand__lickedher.–ThebottleofketchupranuptoMary.Semantics(I):–Studyingtherelationshipsbetweenlanguageformsandtheentitiesintheworld;–TheduckranuptoMary.–*ThebottleofketchupranuptoMary.–Establishingtherelationshipsbetweenverbaldescriptionsandstatesofaffairsintheworldastrueornot(studyingtruth-conditionsofpropositionsexpressedinsentences).–TheduckranuptoMaryandlickedher.–p&qSemantics(II)–Logically,p&q=q&p–MarylikesJohnandJohnlikesMary.–TheducklickedMaryandranuptoher.Compare:TheduckranuptoMaryandlickedher.–Thesequenceofthetwoeventsbeingdescribedshouldbereflectedintheorderofmention.Notarule,butageneraltendencyorpragmaticprinciplethatmaynotapplyinsomesituations.–Therearethingsthatsemanticscan’thandle.Pragmatics:–Studiestherelationshipsbetweenlanguageformsandtheusersofthoseforms;–Allowshumansintotheanalysis.–Advantageofstudyinglanguageviapragmatics:Onecantalkaboutpeople’sintendedmeanings,theirassumptions,theirpurposesorgoals,andthekindsofactions(e.g.requests)thattheyareperformingwhentheyspeak.–Disadvantage:Theanalysiscouldnotbeveryconsistentorobjectiveoncehumanfactorsareconsidered;Frustratingbecauseitrequiresustomakesenseofpeopleandwhattheyhaveinmind.AcloserlookatpragmaticsandsemanticsPragmaticfailures:–ScenarioI:Father:Wedon’tDOthat.Daughter:IKNOW,Daddy.Youdon’tWEARdresses.–ScenarioII:Alittleboycomesinthefrontdoor.Mother:Wipeyourfeet,please.–What’stheproblem?Knowledgeofvocabularyorgrammar?Semanticsandpragmaticsbothlookattheknowledgeweusetoextractmeaningwhenwehearorread,andtoconveymeaningwhenwespeakorwrite.Thedividingline?–Semanticsconcentratesonmeaningthatcomesfrompurelylinguisticknowledge;–Pragmaticsconcentratesonaspectsofmeaningthatcannotbepredictedbylinguisticknowledgealoneandtakesintoaccountknowledgeaboutthephysicalandsocialworld.Belowareseveralconversationalextractswhereparticipantsarediscussingmeaning.Foreachextractdecideifthemeaningtypeunderdiscussionwouldbeprimarilytheconcernofsemanticsorpragmatics:–(a)Mike:That’saninterestinghat.–Annie:Whatdoyoumeanbythat?–(b)Steve:Listentothis.‘NoanimalbirdorreptileshallbekeptintheFlatoranyotherpartofthebuildingwithoutthepriorwrittenconsentoftheLessorwhich(ifgiven)shallbedeemedtobebywayoflicenserevocableatwill.’–Jane:Thatjustmeanstenantscan’thavepetswithoutthelandlord’swrittenpermissionandthatevenifhedoesgivepermission,hecantakeitbackanytimehewantsto.–(c)Parent:Whereareyourshoes,youngman?–Child:Undermybed.–Parent:WhenIaskedwhereyourshoeswere,Iwantedyoutoputthemon.–(d)Ed:Lugubrious?–Faye:Youknow,sortofmournful,notverycheerful.–(e)Dave:WhatdidMacbethmeanwhenhesaidthatlifewasataletoldbyanidiot?–Sarah:Iguesshethoughtthatlifedidn’tmakeanysense.Growingupishardtodo!Analyzethepragmaticdifficultiestheseyoungpeoplehavegotthemselvesinto.–(a)ApupilwasaskedtocommentonthelineThechildisthefathertothemanandanswered:ThiswaswrittenbyShakespeare.Heoftenmadethiskindofmistake.–(b)Child:Mommy,Iwantmoremilk.–Parent:Isthatthewaytospeak?–Child:Please.–Parent:Pleasewhat?–Child:Pleasegimmemilk.DefinitionsofpragmaticsBelowarefourdefinitionsofpragmatics.Whatelementsdotheyhaveincommon?Doyounoticeanydifferencesinemphasis?–(a)Pragmaticsstudiesthefactorsthatgovernourchoiceoflanguageinsocialinteractionsandtheeffectsofourchoiceonothers.–(b)Pragmaticscanbeusefullydefinedasthestudyofhowutteranceshavemeaningsinsituations.–(c)Pragmaticsisthestudyofhowmoregetscommunicatedthanissaid.–(d)Thereisadistinctionbetweenahearer’sknowledgeofherlanguageandherknowledgeoftheworld.Inthissection,Ishallarguethatitisthisdistinctionthatunderliesthedistinctionbetweensemanticsandpragmatics.Hereisanexampleofacontextwherethreedifferentutterancescouldpotentiallyhavesimilarpragmaticmeanings,eventhougheachofthemhasadifferentsemanticmeaning.Amotherwalksintoaverymessyroomandaddressestheteenageinhabitant:–Thisroomisapigsty!HowmanytimeshaveItoldyouaboutthisroom?Cleanthisroomup.Nowprovidethreealternativesfortheunderlinedutterancebelow.–(a)Matt:Doyouwantsomecake?–Chris:I’monadiet.–(b)Ed:Howwastheparty?–Faye:Don’task!–(c)Matt:Lendmeapen.–Chris:Here.Butit’srunningoutofink.Howwouldinterpretthefollowingutterances?–(a)ThefollowingisasigninthewindowofaseafoodrestaurantintheUSA:WeserveshrimpsandcrabsAndtallpeopleandnicepeopletoo–(b)我们都是原告，我们也都是被告。（白岩松）–JohnisaHitler.–GolfplaysJohn.–Boysareboys.–旅行就是和自己私奔。–梦想，我早就戒了。