to develop knowledge and understanding of pragmatics and the role of context in language use and learning.

By the end of the session, you will: be able to define pragmatics

discuss how context influences linguistic choice, and

how meaning is created in interaction

describe the relationship between form and function

Pragmatics: the study of meaning resulting from the combination of language and situation (context) Pragmatics is the study of how language is used and interpreted by its users in real world situations. Thornbury (2006: 174)

Pragmatics studies the factors that govern our choice of language in social interaction and the effects of our

choice on others. David Crystal

Semantics: the study of meaning

The characteristic of a competent language user [is] not the ability to speak and write according to the rules of the academy and the social etiquette of one social group, but the adaptability to select those forms of accuracy and those forms of appropriateness that are called for in a given social context of use. Kramsch (1988, p. 27)

Pragmatic competence Being able to understand, construct, and convey meanings which are a) accurate b) appropriate for the social/cultural situations

in which communication occurs

Husband and wife are in the living room. The woman goes to the radiator, touches it and looks at her husband and says: Its cold in here. Can you put the heating on?

Husband and wife are in the kitchen. The husband asks his wife whether shed like to eat dinner in the dining room or the kitchen. She replies: Its cold in here. Lets eat in the dining room.

You address a colleague with a car: Ive got a flat tyre. Can you give me a lift home? OR Have you got a jack?

Your friend asks for a lift and you say: Ive got a flat tyre. Im sorry, I cant give you a lift. OR Im sorry, I cant help you. OR Can you help me change the wheel?

Its the middle of the night. Two burglars are standing at the back door of a house. One turns to the other and says: Can you open the door? What sort of lock is it? OR You said you could do it.

Your hands are full and you turn to one of your students: Can you open the door? My hands are full.

What do the dialogues on the previous slide show about the relationship between the linguistic form and and its communicative function/purpose?

What helps us identify the function of an

utterance?

A language function/speech act is its communicative purpose e.g.

Thank you for the present

Thank you for not smoking

There is no one-to-one match between form and function

FORM + FUNCTION

One form can have many functions: e.g. Thank you for.. One function can have many forms (exponents) e.g. advice If I were you, I would You should.. Why dont you..

A. Whats this?

B. Oh, sorry.

A. Why dont you put it in your bag? B. I forgot

Complaint Apology Suggestion/Rebuke Excuse/apology/explanation?

Suggesting Asking for information Complaining Giving advice Apologising Requesting Warning Greeting people Interrupting Offering Inviting Agreeing Disagreeing

Consider interrupting. How many exponents can you list which express this function?

1. Do you think that you could possibly open the door? 2. Would it be possible for you to open the door? 3. I was wondering if you could open the door. 3. Would you mind opening the door? 5. Could you open the door, please? 6. Could you open the door? 7. Can you open the door? 8. The door, please. 9. Open the door. 10. Open it!

Function: Requests

What grammatical and lexical devices make an expression more polite? Vocabulary: possibly, possible, trouble, wondering, please, etc.; the longer the sentences, the more the message is wrapped up to avoid offending the other person.

Grammar: tentativeness by using modal verbs (can, could, would), distancing by using the past tense.

How is politeness expressed in other languages?

Learners have to be aware of the fact that the realisation and interpretation of speech acts/functions in English may often be very different from what they experience in their first language.

Teaching learners conventional expressions of various functions and pronunciation patterns associated with particular expressions enables learners to learn lexical chunks that can be used in a wide range of real-life situations.

A: What a beautiful dress!

B: Thank you. Im glad you like it.

B: Really? This old rag? I got it at the Salvation Army for $2.00!

B: Youre the third person today whos complimented me on it. I must have done something right!

CARLA, 2015

Look at 2-3 of the coursebooks provided (choose different levels). To what extent do the books include a focus on language functions?

Which functions are included? How do the functions and exponents included

vary from level to level?

Choose one language function. Make a list of exponents for this function.

How could you teach this function?

What context would you use to present the language?

What kind of practice activities could you use?

CARLA. (2015). Why should speech acts be taught?. Retrieved from http://www.carla.umn.edu/speechacts/why.html

Kramsch, C. (1988). The cultural discourse of foreign language textbooks. In A. Singerman (Ed.), Towards a new integration of language and culture (pp. 63-68). Middlebury, VT: Northeast Conference.