Pragmatics

Pragmatics

1. The study of how much gets communicated than what is said.

2. Context

   • It is the set of words used in a phrase or sentence that helps us understand the meaning of certain aspects. Ex: When we say "the bank is overgrown" we're talking about the bank of a river not the financial institution.

3. Deixis: When we previously point at someone (antecedent) to know who we are talking about.

   • Person deixis: to point to things (it, this, these) or people (him, them, those idiots).
     • Spatial deixis: to point to a location (here, there, near that).
       • Temporal deixis: to point to a time (now, then, last week).

4. Reference: When we use proper nouns or even made up words to refer to something in specific. Ex: Is your Chomsky still on the table?

5. Inference: When we use names associated with things to refer to people. Ex: Jennifer is wearing Calvin Klein.

6. Anaphora: It is a later reference to an already introduced entity (antecedent). Ex: We saw Mary last week in the mall. Mary was standing next to the coffee shop.

7. Presupposition: what the speaker assumes is known by the listener. Ex: Why did you fall asleep? (the speaker assumes the person fell asleep).

8. Speech acts: we use them to describe actions such as "requesting", "commanding", "questioning" or "informing".

   • - Did you eat the pizza? (interrogative/question); - Eat the pizza (please) ! (imperative/command (request) ; You ate the pizza (declarative/statement).

9. Politeness: Showing awareness and consideration for another person's face (their public image). We can do this by using an indirect speech act to request something instead of performing face-threatening acts that represent a threat to a person's image (like using the imperative).

   • Negative face: It's the need to be independent from an imposition.
   • Positive face: the need to be connected or be the member of a group.
   • Face-saving act: we should solidarity by emphasizing a person's positive face.