Identify and discuss different categories of Speech Acts

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Reference no: EM132419492

Pragmatics Assignment -

Objectives - By the end of this week you should be able to:

Demonstrate a broad understanding of what aspects of language use are studied in pragmatics.

Identify and discuss different categories of Speech Acts.

Demonstrate understanding of the notion of 'face' in Politeness Theory, and how people manage face threatening acts in interaction.

Understand the role of intonation in pragmatics.

Task 1 -

Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow:

You have a question about last week's seminar tasks on grammar. During the break in the lecture, you walk up to Robbie and show him your answers. Robbie says: "Why did you decide to do it like that?"

What is the locutionary speech act here?

What is/are the possible illocutionary speech act(s) here?

What is the difference between the locutionary speech act and possible illocutionary speech acts that could be inferred from what Robbie says? What problems might be caused by this?

Task 2 -

Read the following examples and answer the questions that follow. The questions refer to the underlined part of each example:

Example A: Yen: Are you going to the party? Ann-Marie is going.

Huahui: I have to work

Example B: Tag: what time is it?

Loreto: you'll still make it to the lecture

What are the locutionary speech acts?

What are the illocutionary speech acts?

What problems might illocutionary acts like these produce for second language learners?

Task 3 -

Each of the following scenarios involves a face threatening act (FTA). How would you deliver the FTA? What variables affect how you respond to each scenario (i.e. whether you are direct/indirect or appeal to positive/negative face).

1. You are in a university lecture. You need to borrow a pen in order to take some notes. A female friend is sitting next to you and you know your friend has a spare pen. What would you say to your friend?

2. You are writing a difficult paper for Professor Hill. You need some help with the paper but Professor Hill is away for a month. A friend of yours has suggested you go and see Professor Watson. Although you do not know Professor Watson and Professor Watson is extremely busy, you have decided to ask Professor Watson to look through your long paper before you hand it in the next day. What would you say to Professor Watson?

3. You need to post a letter but do not have time to go to the post office before your next lecture. You decide to ask your friend to mail the letter. What would you ask your friend?

Task 4 -

Try and give the following utterance as many different meanings as you can by changing intonation. (It might help to imagine how you would say it in different contexts)

I think it was the dog that bit the cat first

Look at the cartoon (attached). Which type of face threatening act (positive or negative) is being ridiculed here? What makes the cartoon funny?

Attachment:- Pragmatics Assignment File.rar

Reference no: EM132419492

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