Pragmatics: meaning in context

Aims

Aims

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the study of pragmatics in talk-in-interaction, ie., do speakers mean what they say, or say what they mean.

In this module you will: 

• Become familiar with some of the major theoretical perspectives underpinning research in linguistic pragmatics
• Learn how to understand the interrelationship between linguistic theory and the analysis of naturally-occurring spoken data
• Learn how to recognize patterns and form generalizations through qualitative data analysis
• Be able to critically evaluate linguistic theories
• Be able to analyse data from different theoretical standpoints

This module will be capped at 30.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites

Students must have successfully completed:

• L140 Elementary semantics

Programme

Programme

Contact hours

The course is taught for 2 hours a week: 2-hour seminar/directed-discussion groups.

Teaching programme

Instead of lectures, students will be led  through discussions of the reading and encouraged to consider and apply alternative and competing theories of pragmatics to data. Student participation is key to a successful learning experience in this module.

The course will cover some of the basics of major pragmatic theories, including some or all of the following: speech act theory, Gricean and neoGricean pragmatics, Relevance theory, emergentist approaches of meaning with an emphasis on how (or if) these ways of thinking can be applied to the analysis of naturally-occurring talk-in-interaction. Some of the topics to be covered are: some of the history of the semantics/pragmatics distinction in linguistics; inferencing; the analysis of linguistic structures primarily concerned with building meaning (e.g. deixis, anaphora); the place of pragmatics within linguistic theory

Teaching materials

Levinson, Stephen. (1983). Pragmatics. Cambridge: CUP.

Assessment and feedback

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on formative work

Students will submit a 500-word critique of an assigned theoretical approach (this can vary from year/year) at the end of week 6. Written feedback will be provided by the end of week 9 to facilitate revision for the open paper/summative assessment.

Summative assessment and feedback

• Open paper to be submitted by Friday of Week 1, Spring Term.
  • Weight: 100%

Students will analyse a provided bit of data using 2 opposing pragmatic theories, including a comparison and evaluation of the chosen theories. 3000 words.

Skills

Transferable skills developed in this module

All modules provide an opportunity to work on general oral/written communication skills (in class and in assessments) and general self management (organising your studies), alongside the specific skills in language or linguistics that the module teaches.

In addition, this module will allow you to particularly develop skills in social and intercultural awareness. In this module you will explore how and why speakers act in the way they do, from the point of view of different theoretical approaches; balancing different ways of interpreting human behaviour is a skill that will transfer readily to many workplaces.

Follow this link to hear how past students use transferable skills from their degree in their current jobs.