From bd1f6b5eefe15c8f5fa73da2d1fc4b36705bfe0e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: JJ Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2024 15:20:09 -0700 Subject: meow --- ling/pragmatics.md | 40 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 40 insertions(+) create mode 100644 ling/pragmatics.md (limited to 'ling/pragmatics.md') diff --git a/ling/pragmatics.md b/ling/pragmatics.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d1b181a --- /dev/null +++ b/ling/pragmatics.md @@ -0,0 +1,40 @@ +--- +layout: linguistics +title: linguistics/pragmatics +--- + +# pragmatics + +Pragmatics is the study of **context**. + +How do we convey meaning not explicitly expressed?
+How can we unambiguously understand ambiguous sentences?
+How does the listener *reconstruct* the speaker's intended meaning? + +## Basic Principles + +### Cooperation + +The *Principle of Cooperation* states that **language is a fundamentally collaborative action**. When we speak to one another, we attempt to convey the pure notion of meaning through the fallible medium of words. Success of such speech requires both the speaker and the listener to operate under shared assumptions, in order to reconstruct intentions not explicitly communicated. + +The Principle of Cooperation is composed entirely of several sub-principles. +- **quantity**: Say as much as necessary. Do not say more than necessary. +- **quality**: Do not say that which you believe false. Do not say that which you lack evidence. +- **relation**: Be relevant. +- **manner**: Avoid obscurity. Avoid ambiguity. Be brief. Be orderly. + +These principles are also referred to as *Grice's Maxims* (named such after Paul Grice, a strong candidate for being the single most influential person on the field of pragmatics) can be arguably all bundled up into one core notion of **relevance**. (This is a hot topic of debate in the philosophy side of pragmatics, though). + +As in all of linguistics: The Cooperative Principle is an *observation*, meant to *model* language's implicatures. It is not a hard and fast rule (in so much as hard and fast rules even exist in a descriptive framework), but even as rules go, it's not particularly strict: it can be violated, and indeed, often is. + +The ways in which speakers can behave in a conversation, relative to the Principle of Cooperation, fall into the following categories: +- One can **observe** the principle, directly conforming to it +- One can **violate** the principle, subtly and misleadingly violating it +- One can **flout** the principle, clearly and straightforwardly violating it +- One can **opt out** of the principle, directly expressing an intention to not play by the rules of conversation. + +## References + +- Introduction to Pragmatics +- [Analyzing Meaning](https://langsci-press.org/catalog/book/231) +- [Invitation to Formal Semantics](https://eecoppock.info/bootcamp/semantics-boot-camp.pdf) -- cgit v1.2.3-70-g09d2