Framework 2: Pragmatics

Framework 2: Pragmatics

1. What is pragmatics?

   • shared knowledge between the text producer and receiver
   • Language and meaning rely on shared knowledge, contextual information, implication and inference

2. Context, implication and interference

   • this can be demonstrated by asking "what have you done?" in these sentences:
     • 1) asking a friend about their homework
       • actually asking
     • 2) confronting a sibling about moving you stuff
       • rhetorical question
   • relationship between context and implied meaning
   • 3) your friend shows you an impressive change to their house
     • exclamation
   • 4) your friend shows you some horrifying changes to their house
     • implying it looks bad

3. Grice's Maxims

   • Another way of explaining how implied meanings work
   • 1) QUANTITY
     • Use an appropriate amount of detail
   • 2) QUALITY
     • Speak the truth
   • 3) RELEVENCE
     • Keep what is being discussed relevant to the topic
   • 4) MANNER
     • Avoid vagueness and ambiguity

4. Deixis

   • Shared context: "i'm here now" means little when used out of context
   • Personal deixis- I, me, you
   • Spatial deixis- here, there, left, right
   • Temporal deixis- now, there, today, tomorrow
   • Dectic centre:
     • Distal- that, those, there, then
     • Proximal- this, there, here, now