1. EL1101E WEEK 10: PRAGMATICS Group members: Elaine Ong Ong Min Thakshayeni Skanthakumar Jeannie Poon

2. Question 1: Speech Act  An utterance that has performative function  Has three principle components 1. Locution: syntactic structure & linguistic meaning 2. Illocution: the speaker’s intention in making the utterance 3. Perlocution: the addressee’s behavioural response

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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)

10. 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)

11. 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)

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

13. 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.

14. Q3: Pragmatic Competence Illocution vs Perlocution

15. 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!”

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

17. 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.

18. Mother: Go ask your uncle what he wants to drink What she meant: Perlocutionary utterance 1) Go to Uncle 2) Ask him what drink he wants 3) Come back and tell me Q3: Pragmatic Competence

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

21. 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)

22. 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.)

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

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

25.  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. Question 4: Pragmatic Analysis of Apology in Singapore?