INTERPRETING DISCOURSE

Summary

This lecture focuses on interpreting discourse through key concepts such as schema, presupposition, propositional attitude, and irony. It explores how meanings are inferred using prior knowledge, highlights the power of advertisements in shaping ideas, and delves into message decoding methods. The speaker explains presuppositions—ideas that remain valid even when negated—and different types of presuppositions like existential and possessive. Additionally, irony, used to express disappointment or exaggeration, is discussed. The concept of schema is introduced as a mental framework that shapes understanding, influencing how we interpret messages in various contexts.

Takeaways

• 😀 Meanings cannot be obtained from the text alone; we infer the ideas better using our prior knowledge (schema).
• 😀 Schema refers to our prior knowledge about things, which helps us understand new information more clearly.
• 😀 Presuppositions are ideas that remain true even when a sentence is negated. For example, 'I parked my car at the basement' presupposes 'I have a car.'
• 😀 Propositional attitude refers to what the speaker or writer intends to convey or do with their language.
• 😀 In decoding methods, we recognize propositions, determine the speaker's attitude, and infer their intended message.
• 😀 Inferences are often made through context. For example, when someone says 'It's very hot here,' the inference is a request to turn on the AC.
• 😀 Irony is when a speaker says something they don't believe to be true, and they expect the listener to also understand it's not true.
• 😀 Examples of irony include someone arriving late and being sarcastically thanked for being 'on time' or a parent commenting on poor test results sarcastically.
• 😀 Advertisements use powerful techniques like presupposition to influence belief or perception, often shaping our views on products or ideas.
• 😀 A schema is a mental framework containing organized knowledge about a concept, helping us interpret messages accurately (e.g., the schema for a 'restaurant' involves ordering food, paying, etc.).
• 😀 Using the wrong schema can lead to misinterpretation. For example, misunderstanding the term 'library' as a place with books when it's actually a café.
• 😀 The decoding process involves recognizing the speaker's propositions, determining their attitude, and inferring their true intention.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind interpreting discourse?

Interpreting discourse involves understanding meanings beyond the text by using prior knowledge and inferences. The idea is that we don’t just get meaning from the words themselves but also from contextual clues, schemas, and presuppositions.

What is schema theory and how does it relate to discourse analysis?

Schema theory refers to the structured frameworks in our minds about things in the world, which help us interpret messages. When we encounter new information, we activate existing schemas to understand it. If the wrong schema is activated, the message may be misunderstood.

What is a presupposition in discourse analysis?

A presupposition is an idea that remains true or valid even when a sentence is negated. For example, saying 'I parked my car in the basement' presupposes that the speaker has a car, and this assumption holds even if the sentence is negated.

What is the difference between a proposition and propositional attitude in discourse?

A proposition refers to the basic idea expressed by a speaker, while propositional attitude refers to the speaker's intent or belief about the proposition. It’s about what the speaker wants to convey or accomplish with their words.

How does inference play a role in interpreting discourse?

Inference helps us understand implied meanings. For instance, if someone says 'It’s hot here,' you might infer they want the air conditioning turned on, even though they haven’t directly asked for it.

What are the different types of presuppositions?

Some types of presuppositions include existential presupposition (e.g., believing that something exists when mentioned), possessive presupposition (e.g., assuming ownership of something), and chains of state presuppositions (e.g., assuming a negative state before a positive outcome).

How does irony function in discourse?

Irony is used to express the opposite of what is literally said, often to highlight disappointment or exaggerate a point. The speaker says something that they don’t believe to be true, and they expect the listener to recognize this irony.

Can you give an example of irony from the transcript?

An example of irony from the transcript is when a group leader says to a latecomer, 'Thank you for coming on time, you have been so kind as to better keep us waiting.' The leader doesn’t believe this, but uses irony to express frustration.

What is the significance of propositional attitudes in understanding discourse?

Propositional attitudes help us understand the speaker’s intentions or beliefs behind their words. This can reveal underlying emotions or goals, such as using irony or metaphor to convey something more than what is stated literally.

Why is it important to recognize presuppositions in advertising and discourse?

Presuppositions are powerful because they subtly influence the audience’s beliefs. In advertising, they can shape the audience’s perception of a product by making them assume certain things about it without directly stating them.