语言学教程第八章知识点

Chapter Eight

Pragmatics

⏹Definition

⏹Pragmatics is generally the study of natural language understanding, and

specifically the study of how context influences the interpretation of meanings. In another word it is the study of the relationship between symbols and their interpreters.

⏹In 1937,the American philosopher Charles William Morris introduced the

word “Pragmatics” into literature.

⏹莫里斯（C.Morris）和卡耐基（R.carnap）在1938年《符号基础理论》中

提出符号三分说：

⏹句法学（符号关系学）Syntactics 是研究符号与符号之间的关系；语义

学semantics是研究符号与符号所指对象的关系；语用学pragmatics则是研究符号与符号解释者的关系。

⏹Teaching Focus

⏹ 1. Some basic notions

⏹ 2. Speech act theory

⏹ 3. The theory of conversational implicature

⏹ 4. Post-Gricean Developments

⏹ 1. Some basic notions

⏹ 1.1 The definition of pragmatics

⏹ 1.2 Pragmatics and semantics

⏹ 1.3 Context

⏹ 1.4 Sentence and utterance

⏹ 1.1 The definition of pragmatics

⏹Various definitions:

⏹The study of how speakers of a language use sentences to effect

successful communication.

⏹The study of language in use.

⏹The study of meaning in context.

⏹The study o f speakers’ meaning,

utterance meaning,

& contextual meaning.

⏹ 1.2 Pragmatics and semantics

⏹Both semantics and pragmatics study the meaning of language.

⏹没有第一层次的研究，很难进行第二层次的研究

⏹语用意义不能脱离语言本身因有的内在意义

⏹语义学是对语言能力(competence)的研究

⏹语用学是对语言行为(performance)的研究

⏹语言行为是语言能力的具体体现actual realization

What essentially distinguishes them is whether in the study of meaning the context of use is considered.

⏹If it is not considered, the study is confined to the area of traditional

semantics (decontextualized);

⏹If it is considered, the study is being carried out in the area of

pragmatics. (contextualized)

⏹Semantics & Pragmatics

⏹Peter bought a car.

⏹It was Peter who bought a car.

⏹It was a car that Peter bought.

⏹What peter bought was a car.

⏹句法学：说明这些句子是同一深层经过不同转换的结果

⏹语义学：这些句子都是同义的。

⏹语用学：这些句子都是不同的。

恭喜你

⏹语音学家:分析其中每个字的发音以及整个句子的语调。

⏹句法学家:指出这是一个无主语的祈使句，有一个动词加一个代词组成。

⏹语义学家:这句话的意思：向某个人表示祝贺。

⏹语用学家:将结合具体语境，考虑说话人是谁，“你”又是谁，说话人在怎

样的情况下向“你”道喜，他是真的道喜，还是挖苦嘲讽，甚至是泄愤？

⏹ 1.3 Context

⏹Context is generally considered as constituted by the knowledge shared by

the speaker and the hearer. Various components of shared knowledge:

⏹About the language they use;

⏹About what has been said before;

⏹About the world in general;

⏹About the specific situation;

⏹About each other.

⏹Context determines the speaker's use of language and also the hearer’s

interpretation of what is said to him.