Pragmatics

Question 1

Pragmatics

Answer 1

The study of how language is affected by the situation in which it is used, of how language is used to get things or perform actions, and of how words can express things that are different from what they appear to mean

Question 2

Mitigating device

Answer 2

Expression used to soften an imposition,
‘could you please close the door’
‘please be quiet for a minute’

Question 3

FTA (face threatening act)

Answer 3

Utterance/action which threatens a person’s public image

Question 4

Positive politeness strategy

Answer 4

Showing solidarity with another (I really like the way you’ve done this) make individuals feel good about themselves, boost self-esteem of others -> liked back

Question 5

Negative politeness strategy

Answer 5

Appealing to the hearts negative, give illusion of choice

Basically anything focusing on ensuring the hearer’s freedom of choice can be a negative politeness strategy.

Question 6

Off-record

Answer 6

Involves indirectness and ambiguity, where the speaker implies their message rather than stating it explicitly

Question 7

Bald on-record

Answer 7

A direct speech act using an imperative construction without any, mitigation strategies.
[communicating in a direct and explicit manner, without using hedges, indirectness, or politeness strategies. The speaker conveys their message clearly and and straightforwardly,]

Question 8

Direct speech acts

Answer 8

SA where form corresponds with function

(sit down, did the boss arrive?)

Question 9

Indirect speech act

Answer 9

SA where form does not correspond with function

(would you like to take a seat? I wonder where put my keys)

Question 10

Generic

Answer 10

Expression, can be understand without context (here and there = anywhere, you = anybody)

Question 11

Deictic

Answer 11

pointing words

Question 12

Personal Deictic

Answer 12

Forms used to point to people:
I, you, she, them, it

Question 13

Temporal deixis

Answer 13

forms used to point to location in time:
now, then, today, last week, next Tuesday

Question 14

Spatial deixis

Answer 14

Forms used to point to a location in space

Question 15

Decitic centre

Answer 15

The reference point used to interpret the meaning of deictic terms, normally the speaker’s location (in time and space)

Question 16

Proximal

Answer 16

Near the speaker

Question 17

Distal

Answer 17

Far from the speaker

Question 18

Presuppostion

Answer 18

An unstated background assumption that assumes to be true (survives negotiation)

When did you stop playing tennis - the presupposition is the person did play tennis (what used to happen)

Question 19

Lexical

Answer 19

the assumption that, in using one word, the speaker can act as the other meaning (word) will be understood

• Mary stopped running (she used to run)
• Are you late again (you were late again)
• stop, again, still, before, are taken to presuppose another (unstated concept)

Question 20

Existential

Answer 20

An assumption that something exists

The car was broken, the book is new

Question 21

Factive

Answer 21

Assumption that information stated after certain words (know, realise, regret, glad, recall) is true

• She didn’t realise he was ill (he was ill)
• we regret telling him (we told him)
• I wasn’t aware that she was married (she was married

Question 22

Non-factive

Answer 22

The assumption that some information stated after certain words (dream, imagine, pretend) is not true

• he pretends to be ill (he is not ill
• we imagined that we were in London (we were not in London)

Question 23

Structural

Answer 23

the assumption associated with the use of certain structures

• WH-question constructions
• The listener perceives that the information is necessarily true or intended as true by the speaker

Question 24

Counterfactual

Answer 24

Assumption that what is presupposed is not only untrue, but is the opposite of what is true, or contrary to facts

• If you were my daughter, I would not allow you to do this (you are not my daughter)
• If I were rich, I would buy a Ferrari (I’m not rich)
• They wish they could go on vacation now (they cannot go on vacation now)
• I wish I had studied medicine (I did not study medicine)

Question 25

Entailment

Answer 25

Amending that follows logically from an utterance - I forgot to buy milk (what happens after, the consequence) (does not survive negation

Question 26

Sociopragmatic failure

Answer 26

mistakes in communication from understanding social and cultural norms. Leads to social misunderstandings

Question 27

Pragma lingusitic failure

Answer 27

refers to communication breakdowns caused by incorrect or inappropriate language used in specific contexts, despite knowing the grammar and vocabulary well

Question 28

Explicature

Answer 28

What is explicitly said

Question 29

Implicature

Answer 29

the hidden meaning (what is meant)

Question 30

Generalised implicature

Answer 30

can be understood without context, has one intended meaning

Question 31

Particularised implicature

Answer 31

need context since it can be interpreted in different ways (you will have to pay for that)

Question 32

Scalar implicature

Answer 32

a subtype of generalised implicature

Question 33

Conversational implicature

Answer 33

An addition unstated meaning that has to be assumed in order to maintain the cooperative principle

Question 34

Hedges

Answer 34

Cautious notes expressed about how an utterance is taken, e.g. as far as I know used when giving some information

Question 35

General conditions

Answer 35

participants understand that language, are not roleplaying

Question 36

Content conditions

Answer 36

For commissives (promises), a future event concerning the speaker

Question 37

Preparatory conditions

Answer 37

What needs to be the case, e.g. for a promise to be made

Question 38

Sincerity conditions

Answer 38

the speaker intends to carry out the promised activity

Question 39

Essential conditions

Answer 39

the speaker intends to create an obligation to carry out the action as promised

Question 40

Grice's cooperative principle

Answer 40

describes how people achieve effective conversational communication in common social situations

Question 41

Maxim of Quantity

Answer 41

Give the appropriate amount of information (A: I haven't seen you all day. What have you been up to? *B: Not much*)

Question 42

Maxim of Quality

Answer 42

Be sincere, do not intentionally lie As far as I know...needless to say

Question 43

Maxim of relation (relevance)

Answer 43

Make what you say relevant to the ongoing conversation. Oh, by the way, I'm not sure this is relevant but....

Question 44

Maxim of manner

Answer 44

avoid obscurity or ambiguity, be brief, be orderly

Question 45

Flouting

Answer 45

failing to follow a maxim on the surface (what is said, not much)

Question 46

Violating maxim

Answer 46

Intentionally misleading or failing act cooperatively (X: Excuse me do you know the time Y: Yes (end of convo) (none of your business))

Question 47

Commissive Speech Act

Answer 47

Committing the speaker to future action (I'll always e here you) I promise, I will do it

Question 48

Declaration

Answer 48

Statements, a speech act bringing in change by being uttered (words that are perform by their utterance (performatives)). I bet/I resign/I warn... I declare this tournament open

Question 49

Representatives

Answer 49

Words mean what speakers believe to be the case. I think that the exam will be easy, today is Tuesday

Question 50

Directives

Answer 50

Words intended to make addresses do something. Close the door, you cannot go in there, I suggest that you...

Question 51

Negation test

Answer 51

A way to test whether an inference is a presupposition or an entailment

Question 52

Assertive

Answer 52

Somebody, any, someone, somewhere

Question 53

Nonassertive

Answer 53

Anybody

Question 54

The Principe of optimal relevance

Answer 54

- The utterance is relevant enough to be worth the addressee's processing effort - And the utterance is the most relevant one compatible with the speakers current state of knowledge