Pragmatics in speech implied meaning and sub-text

Learning Objectives 1. To understand the difference between semantic and pragmatic meaning and 2. To explore the concepts of context, implication and inference through implied meanings

How does it work?

Pragmatics
Communication works and relies upon shared understanding of implied meanings (i.e. social codes that we understand) Pragmatics is about the implied meanings, the everyday codes and the taken-for-grantedness that are the essential features of communication (language in use and the contexts in which it is used) In some utterances there is a meaning beyond the literal Humour is often based on deliberately creating misunderstanding of such implied meaning

Text W

WELCOME TO

Heathrow Zoo
Private terminal at Luton. New York 999 fly SILVEJET.com

Consider the above advert found in a broadsheet Sunday newspaper what is odd about it? What can you understand about it?

Iniitally something odd about a text welcoming would be travellers to a zoo

Text W

Heathrow is an airport (those that dont know that may struggle to understand the meaning being conveyed)

WELCOME TO

Heathrow Zoo
Private terminal at Luton. New York 999 fly SILVEJET.com

At the time of production, Heathrow was receiving great deal of bad press about delays, lost luggage and protest

Text relies on shared knowledge between text producer and text receiver, otherwise implied meaning is lost. Implication is that Heathrow airport is chaotic and zoo-like

Context, Implication and Inference

Much of what is understood arises less from the literal semantic value of words than from the contexts in which they are produced and understood Implied meaning (beyond literal) relies on the ability of reader or listener to infer This relationship, however, is not always straightforward and not all implied meanings are understood as intended

What is inference? (When we infer, we ) What is deduction? (When we deduce information, we ) Neither are explicitly stated. This is reading between the lines. e.g. When Paul is present, he contributes in his own unique way to the class. His exercise book is a tribute to his artistic talent, however in English this is not always appropriate. His easygoing nature means that at times he is creative with deadlines.

Comedy
Much of comedy relies on shared implied meanings to be successful Watch and listen to the following clips and think about what shared understandings we need to find it funny and what implied meanings are present

Ali G Drugs Interview

What shared understanding do we need to find it funny? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pux4oC03ewA

Bob Newhart: The Driving Instructor

What shared understanding do we need to find it funny? (although it may not be our style of humour)

Subtext in Conversation
Q. How does the structure of the conversation and features of spontaneous speech re-enforce the subtext?

Subtext in Conversation
T: right Gemma (.) let s have a look (.) how far have you actually got S: Well (.) I understood all about (.) you know (.) what we did in class T: you mean the analysis we did of the speech S: yeah (.) but (.) but I can t seem to do it with the homework T: Ok (2) have you got the framework (.) you know the questions we were using S: yeah (5) T: so first you need to read the whole of the passage ok S: yeah T: then start to ask yourself some (.) questions on the sheet