EL1101E Week 10: Pragmatics

EL1101EWeek 10: Pragmatics Group members: Elaine Ong Ong Min Thakshayeni Skanthakumar Jeannie Poon

Question 1: Speech Act • An utterance that has performative function • Has three principle components • Locution: syntactic structure & linguistic meaning • Illocution: the speaker’s intention in making the utterance • Perlocution: the addressee’s behavioural response

Direct vs Indirect Speech Acts Direct • Syntactic form of the utterance = intent i.e. an interrogative sentence to question Indirect • Syntactic form ≠ intent i.e. an interrogative sentence to request

Performative Verb • verbs carried out simply by means of uttering them aloud • Example: apologizing By saying we apologize, we perform an expressive act simultaneously with the naming of that expressive act

Speech Act a) Question Direct: • I question the witness’ reliability. • Is the witness lying? Indirect • I wonder if the witness is telling the truth. **Expressive speech act form

Speech Act b) Request Direct: • I request that you wear something else for the party • Please wear something else for the party Indirect • I don’t think you should wear that for the party. **Verdictive speech act form

Speech Act c) Promise Direct: • I promise to attend tonight’s party. • I will attend tonight’s party. Indirect • I am free. (In response to an invitation to attend tonight’s party) **Representative speech act form

Question 2: Gricean Maxims of Conversation • There are four cooperative Maxims: • 1) Maxim of Quantity (say enough) • 2) Maxim of Quality (don’t lie) • 3) Maxim of Relation (say something relevant) • 4) Maxim of Manner (don’t mislead)

Question 2: Gricean Maxims of Conversation Professor A: • His statements are based on unfounded opinions • Never backs up his statements with anything factual Violates: • Maxim of quality (lacks adequate evidence for what he says)

Question 2: Gricean Maxims of Conversation Professor B: • 1) Every sentence is about a million words long Violates: • Maxim of quantity (Too much information within a single sentence) • 2) She uses all this complicated vocabulary, and she never defines any of the words Violates: • Maxim of manner (Obscurity of expression results in distractions, students are unable to understand the meaning of the sentences)

Question 2: Gricean Maxims of Conversation Professor C: • Interrupt himself with a story about what his son did at breakfast this morning • He goes off on so many tangents Violates: • Maxim of relevance (Irrelevant information) • Maxim of quantity (There is no fixed focus in his lectures, he says too much)

Question 2: Gricean Maxims of Conversation Professor D: • Does not give thorough answers to the questions Violates: • Maxim of Quantity (Too little information)

Q3: Pragmatic Competence Story: Mother: Go ask your uncle what he wants to drink Child goes to Uncle. Child: Uncle, uncle, what you want to drink? Child goes to her room.

Q3: Pragmatic Competence Illocution vs Perlocution

Illocution • Intention of the speaker with an utterance • 3 forms • Declarative: “Apples grow on trees” • Interrogative: “So apples grow on trees?” • Imperative “One apple, please!”

Perlocution • Effect of utterance on hearer • 3 forms • Declarative: “You are under arrest.” • Interrogative: “Can you stop crying?” • Imperative: “Get me salt”

Q3: Pragmatic Competence Story: Mother: Go ask your uncle what he wants to drink Child goes to Uncle. Child: Uncle, uncle, what you want to drink? Child goes to her room.

Mother: Go ask your uncle what he wants to drink Q3: Pragmatic Competence What she meant: Perlocutionary utterance • Go to Uncle • Ask him what drink he wants • Come back and tell me

What about the Uncle? Assumption: Uncle: Milo. What he could have said: Uncle: Get me milo.

Question 4: Pragmatic Analysis of Apology in Singapore? Case study • I sincerely apologise if I have offended or hurt anyone with my comment. It was indeed uncalled for. Upon further reflection, I realise how insensitive I was, the comment wasn’t meant to hurt anybody. I would like to apologise to Cindy and her family. I will learn from this and be very mindful of my comments and behaviour on social media. Once again, to everyone who I have offended by this post, I sincerely apologise. Miss Jesslyn Tan (Miss Universe Singapore)

Question 4: Pragmatic Analysis of Apology in Singapore? Felicity conditions for apology • Condition 1: Admission of fault (not fulfilled; she denies responsibility for the comment she made; I sincerely apologise if I have offended or hurt anyone with my comment. It was indeed uncalled for + the comment wasn’t meant to hurt anybody) • Condition 2: Sincere expression of remorse (fulfilled; “I sincerely apologise” “I would like to apologise to Cindy and her family.”) • Condition 3: Promise of non-recurrence (fulfilled; “I will learn from this and be very mindful of my comments and behaviour on social media; she won’t do this again.)

Question 4: Pragmatic Analysis of Apology in Singapore? But, was the apology effective overall?

Question 4: Pragmatic Analysis of Apology in Singapore? Must depend on the situation in which the apology is made!

Question 4: Pragmatic Analysis of Apology in Singapore? • We feel that it was not effective overall. • Use of apology words(yes) • But she did not explain why it was her fault • Private venue; her apology was made behind the computer even though she is a public figure • Insincere; it is possible that she is not remorseful.

EL1101E Week 10: Pragmatics