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A brief history of pragmatics Definitions of pragmatics Two basic notions in pragmatics Business English in general

speaker hearer context communication

Definition of pragmatics Pragmatics studies how the speaker produces and how the hearer understands what is said in a certain context of language use.

Mr. Johnson: Do you know Tom’s phone number? Bob: Yes, I do. Mr. Johnson: Can you tell me then? Bob: Yes, I can. Mr. Johnson: So, what’s that? Bob: 135……

甄嬛传：第14集 （28:40——32:00） 甄嬛传：第20集 （17:30——21:46）

Speech Act Theory (I) 1 2 3 Development of Speech Act Theory Classification of Speech Acts 3 Types of Speech Act

Speech act theory is one of the most important research subjects in pragmatics. The term was first put forward by John Austin in the set of lectures on How to Do Things with Words 《论言有所为》. There are 3 important stages in its development

Stage 3 Austin's puzzle(truth value 真值条件) Austin's new model Austin's classification of illocutionary act Austin's classification of Constatives and Performatives Searle's classification of Searle's indirect speech act

Sentences are used to either state a fact or describe a state of affairs. Austin's puzzle: not all the sentences are... Some are... others are...

constatives表述句: to state a fact or to describe a state of affairs performatives施为句: to do something e.g.: I do. I name the ship Elizabeth. I give and bequeath my watch to my brother. I bet you sixpence it will rain tomorrow. John Austin (1911-1960)

Austin's new model locutionary act言内行为: literal meaning illocutionary act言外行为: intended meaning perlocutionary act言后行为: effect on the hearer

Oh, it’s raining! locutionary act illocutionary act perlocutionary act

→ W: That's the phone. H: I'm taking a shower. W: Okay. → → Would you please answer the phone? → W: That's the phone. H: I'm taking a shower. W: Okay. → I couldn't since... In this case, I will go and get it. → I feel extremely cold.

Classification of speech acts

Our leisure time!

Let's listen to the English song!

曲名：Sealed With A Kiss 歌手：威廉 专辑：听威廉的歌 歌名:Sealed With A Kiss - 以吻封笺 歌手:The Lettermen - 莱特曼合唱团 专辑:听威廉的歌 Though we gonna say goodbye for the summer 虽然我们在夏季就要告别。 Darling I promise you this 宝贝,我向你保证。 I‘ll send you all my love 我会向你倾诉我对你的爱意。 Everyday in a letter. sealed with a kiss 在每一天的信里,以吻封箴。 Guess it’s gonna be a cold lonely summer 是的,这将是一个阴冷孤寂的夏天。 But I‘ll fill the emptiness 我感到如此空虚寂寞。 I’ll send you all my dreams 我会向你倾诉我对你的所有梦想。 Everyday in a letter, sealed with a kiss 在每一天的信里,以吻封箴。 I‘ll see you in the sunlight 我们将会在阳光下再次相遇。 I’ll hear your voice everywhere 你的声音将会绕着我。 I‘ll run to tenderly hold you 我将会向你奔去,温柔的抱你。 But darling you won’t be there 但宝贝你不在那里。 I don‘t wanna say goodbye for the summer 我不想在夏季就告别。 Knowing the love we’ll miss 知道我们的爱将错失。 Oh! Let us make a pledge 哦!让我们定下一个誓言 To meet in September 让我们相约在九月吧。 Sealed with a kiss 以吻封箴。 Guess it‘s gonna be a cold lonely summer 是的,这将是一个阴冷孤寂的夏天。 But I’ll fill the emptiness 我感到如此空虚寂寞。 I‘ll send you all my love 我会向你倾诉我对你所有的爱。 Everyday in a letter sealed with a kiss 在每一天的信里,以吻封箴。 Sealed with a kiss 以吻封箴。 Sealed with a kiss 以吻封箴。

Searle's classification representatives 阐述类 e.g.: I'm an English major. directives 指令类 e.g.: What about closing the door? commissives 承诺类 e.g.: I'll take you to the zoo this sunday. expressives 表达类 e.g.: May you succeed! declarations 宣告类 e.g.: I now declare the meeting open.

Specific acts that fall into each type share the same illocutionary point, but differ in their strength. (P82 in Linguistics) representatives/assertives: stating or describing, saying what the speaker believes to be true (stating, believing, swearing, hypothesizing are...) directives: trying to get the hearer to do something (inviting, suggesting, requestin, advising, warning, threatening, ordering...) commissives: committing the speaker himself to some future course of action (promising, undertaking, vowing...) expressives: expressing feelings or attitude towards an existing state (apologizing, thanking, congratulating...) declarations: bringing about immediate changes by saying something

1. Mr. Darcy is always polite. 2. I will never see her again. representative 1. Mr. Darcy is always polite. 2. I will never see her again. 3. I thank you for explaining it so fully. 4. Lady Catherine threatens her by declaring: Do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends. 5. You ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room, or the number of the couples. commissive expressive declaration directive

The five general functions of speech acts (P105) Propositional content Direction of fit S=speaker, X=situation Declarations words change the world S causes X Representatives make words fit the world S believes X Expressives S feels X Directives make the world fit words S wants X Commissives S intends X

Searle's indirect speech act primary speech act 首要言语行为 goal, end secondary speech act 次要言语行为 means

E.g.: A: What do you think of my new coat? B: Sorry, I do not have an eye for beauty. means I don’t think it fits you. goal

Types of Speech Act 常见的言语行为类别 the speech act of request the speech act of refusal the speech act of persuasion the speech act of apology “请求”言语行为 “拒绝”言语行为 “劝说”言语行为 “致歉”言语行为 ...

A summary What can you learn from the development of SAT, concerning how we can do research?

Assignment: Try to collect some data on "the speech act of pursuasion", and get yourself familiar with it.(including literal review of this topic, relevant data, and the analysis of your data etc.) OR: you can try to design an advertisement to arouse English majors' interest in NECCS).