Lesson 1

This course will:
+ introduce the study of contextualized meaning in

Linguistics.
+ demonstrate how language as a social

phenomenon functions in practical social
situations.
+ attempt to show how speakers and writers make

language choices to achieve their intentions.
The overall aims of this course include:
to introduce you to the fundamental

definitions and theories of pragmatics
to demonstrate the various ways speakers

or communicators mean in different
social contexts
to illustrate how grammatical elements

may assume new meanings in some
definite situations
to explain the relationship between

pragmatics and other disciplines
DEFINITIONS AND BACKGROUND
1. Definition
• Yule (1996:127) - Pragmatics is “the study of the

relationships between linguistic forms and the
users of those forms.”
• Leech (1983:6) - Pragmatics is “the study of

meaning in relation to speech situations”. The
speech situation enables the speaker to use
language to achieve a particular effect on the
mind of the hearer.”
Example:
A: I have a 14 years old son.
B: Well, that’s right.
A: I also have a dog.
B: Oh, I’m sorry.
It would be hard to catch it, unless you know

that A is trying to rent an apartment from B
and B doesn’t accept pets.
PRAGMATICS
2. Background
• The term pragmatics was first coined in 1930 by

an American philosopher Charles W. Morris.
• Pragmatics was developed as a branch of

linguistics in the 70’s.
• Some of the most known philosophers in the field

of Pragmatics: Charles Morris; John Austin; John
Searle, Grice, Serper and Wilson, Geoffrey Leech,
Stephen Levinson and George Yule.
SENTENCES VS. UTTERANCES
Sentences:
- A string of words put together by the
grammatical rules of a language.
Utterances:
- The use of a sentence, in a particular
context.
- What you actually say.
Differences Between Semantics
And Pragmatics
SEMANTICS PRAGMATICS
Studies word,
phrase and sentence Studies utterance
meaning meaning
Context
Context dependent
independent
Focuses on the Focuses on the

literal meaning intended meaning
Differences Between Semantics And Pragmatics
Example 1:
Speaker: “It’s hot in here.”
▪ Semantic/ sentence meaning (semantics): The

temperature in the place where the speaker at is
above average (normal).
▪ Utterance/ speaker meaning (pragmatics):

Open the window, please! OR Turn on the fan!
OR let’s change the room! etc.
Differences Between Semantics And Pragmatics
Example 2:
Matt: “Do you want some cake?”

Chris: “I’m on a diet.”
▪ Semantic/ sentence meaning (semantics):
The speaker is trying to lose weight by eating
less food or specific food.
▪ Utterance/ speaker meaning (pragmatics):

I don’t want to eat cake.
What might be the functions of the
following utterances?
1. It’s so expensive for me. (You are in

a cloth shop)
2. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. (You are

on the way to your school.)
3. It’s a beautiful day today. (You are
on your vacation.)
PRAGMATICS
2. Regularity
It is a concept that derives from the fact that
people are members of social groups and follow
general patterns of behavior expected within the
group.
Example:
Speaker 1: “I found an old bicycle lying on the
ground. The chain was rusted and the tires were
flat.”
Speaker 2: “I found an old bicycle lying on the
ground. A bicycle has a chain. The chain was
rusted. A bicycle also has tires. The tires were flat.”
PRAGMATICS
2. Regularity
In a new, unfamiliar social setting, we are unsure

about what to say and worry that we might say
the wrong thing.
Example:
In Saudi Arabia questions about one’s health (How

are you?) should not be answered with details
(Fine, Okay), instead a phrase that had the literal
meaning of “Praise to God”.
PRAGMATICS
3. Pragmatics wastebasket
Pragmatics is called “wastebasket” because of its:

- utility in solving problems which other
disciplines cannot deal with.
- nature of being a collection of diverse matters
which given as a result a disconcerted
amalgam.
Example:
Student to teacher: “Give me the book and go home!”
PHYSICAL CONTEXT
▪ The location will influence interpretation.

▪ Understanding what we read or hear is related
to the aspects of the physical context. —
Example:
- I want that book (accompanied by pointing). —
- Be here at 9:00 tonight. (place / time
reference)
Example:
You’ll have to bring them back by

tomorrow, because they aren’t here now and
they need them.
▪ The sentence is vague
▪ It contains many expressions that rely on
the knowledge of the physical context.
DEIXIS AND DISTANCE
DEIXIS
1. Definition
- Deixis is a Greek word meaning pointing via
language.
- Deictic expressions or indexicals: are words or
phrases that are used to point to persons, time,
place and situation in which the speaker is
speaking.
Example: Speaker: “What’s that?”

Deictic expression (indexical): “that”
DEIXIS AND DISTANCE
DEIXIS
2. Types of indexicals
Example:
Speaker: “Meet us there tomorrow”
Person deixis Temporal

Spatial deixis
deixis
• I, you • here • now
• me… • there… • then…
DEIXIS AND DISTANCE
a. Person deixis
Person deixis is used to point to people
There are three forms of person deixis:
❖ Pronouns for first person (I)

I am leaving now
❖ Pronouns for second person (You)

Can you help?
❖ Pronouns for third person (he, she, it)

She's sitting next to you.
I. DEIXIS AND DISTANCE
b. Spatial deixis
Spatial deixis is used to point to locations e.g. here,
there, that, etc,
There are essentially two forms:
❖ Near the speaker
- This is a nice place.
- I am lucky to be here.
- These are wonderful.
❖ Far from the speaker
- I want to move there.
- That was a wonderful place to spend a holiday.
- I think those look good.
I. DEIXIS AND DISTANCE
c. Temporal deixis
Temporal deixis is used to point to time, e.g. now,
then, this evening, tomorrow etc.
There are two main types of temporal deixis:
❖ Adverbials
The obvious ones are items such as: tomorrow,
yesterday, the day before yesterday, next year, then,
now, afterwards, already, yet, the week before, etc.
❖ Tense forms
- She sold the house.
- I will be 35 next birthday.
- I have broken the lock.
THANK YOU

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This course will:

+ introduce the study of contextualized meaning in

+ demonstrate how language as a social

+ attempt to show how speakers and writers make

to introduce you to the fundamental

to demonstrate the various ways speakers

to illustrate how grammatical elements

to explain the relationship between

• Yule (1996:127) - Pragmatics is “the study of the

• Leech (1983:6) - Pragmatics is “the study of

It would be hard to catch it, unless you know

• The term pragmatics was first coined in 1930 by

• Pragmatics was developed as a branch of

• Some of the most known philosophers in the field

Focuses on the Focuses on the

Speaker: “It’s hot in here.”

▪ Semantic/ sentence meaning (semantics): The

▪ Utterance/ speaker meaning (pragmatics):

Matt: “Do you want some cake?”

▪ Utterance/ speaker meaning (pragmatics):

1. It’s so expensive for me. (You are in

2. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. (You are

In a new, unfamiliar social setting, we are unsure

In Saudi Arabia questions about one’s health (How

Pragmatics is called “wastebasket” because of its:

▪ The location will influence interpretation.

You’ll have to bring them back by

Example: Speaker: “What’s that?”

Person deixis Temporal

There are three forms of person deixis:

❖ Pronouns for first person (I)

❖ Pronouns for second person (You)

❖ Pronouns for third person (he, she, it)

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