What is Pragmatics?

Summary

This video script delves into the concept of pragmatics in linguistics, exploring how language goes beyond its structural components to convey meaning in context. It discusses the interpretation of phrases like 'son of a' as insults not due to their literal meanings but through extra-linguistic knowledge. The script explains how we understand language through both intra-linguistic (linguistic context) and extra-linguistic (situational context) knowledge, highlighting the importance of pragmatic confidence in language use. It also touches on pragmatic particles and the role of context in interpreting meaning, using the example of a homeless person asking for spare change.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script discusses the concept of language interpretation beyond its literal meaning, focusing on the phrase 'son of a' as an example of an insult that doesn't derive from the individual words themselves.
• 🔍 It introduces the idea that language has different levels of function, from phonemes to discourse, and that understanding the meaning of phrases like 'son of a' requires looking beyond these levels.
• 🎓 Pragmatics is highlighted as the branch of linguistics that deals with the practical aspects of language, including the extra-linguistic knowledge that influences how we interpret and convey meaning.
• 🌐 The script explains that language functions in two types of context: intra-linguistic (linguistic context) and extra-linguistic (situational context), both of which are crucial for understanding phrases like 'son of a'.
• 🤔 The importance of 'pragmatic confidence' is emphasized, which is the ability to deal with context within language structure and is necessary for effective communication.
• 🗣️ The role of pragmatic particles, such as 'uh', 'I mean', and 'sort of', is mentioned as a way to control the pragmatic nature of linguistic interaction.
• 💬 The script uses an example of a conversation between Al and Bob to illustrate how understanding can be achieved even when certain words or grammatical elements are omitted due to pragmatics.
• 👂 It points out that we can understand language even when it's used in a non-standard way, such as dropping verbs or pronouns, because of our extra-linguistic knowledge.
• 🧐 The video script touches on the concept that the meaning of a sentence can be influenced by the situational context, as demonstrated by the interaction with a homeless person asking for spare change.
• 🤝 Pragmatics is described as an area that intersects with semantics, sociolinguistics, and the extra-linguistic context, making it a complex and multifaceted aspect of language study.
• 📈 The script positions pragmatics as a modern linguistic concept that has evolved from being one of the three branches of semiotics to a more user-centric study of language in social interaction.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is the concept of pragmatics in linguistics, which deals with the practical aspects of language use and interpretation beyond the linguistic structure.

Why is the phrase 'son of a' typically considered an insult even though the individual words do not inherently have an insulting element?

The phrase 'son of a' is considered an insult due to the social and contextual interpretation that has been assigned to it over time, which is an example of pragmatics at work.

What are the minimal units of sound and meaning in language according to the script?

The minimal units of sound in language are phonemes, and the minimal units of meaning are morphemes.

How do phonemes and morphemes relate to each other in the structure of language?

Phonemes combine to form morphemes, which are then combined to create words. These words are further combined to form phrases, sentences, and larger units of language such as discourse.

What is the role of discourse analysis in linguistics?

Discourse analysis is a branch of linguistics dedicated to the study of language beyond the sentence level, focusing on the way language functions in larger units of communication.

What is the difference between intra-linguistic and extra-linguistic knowledge in the context of language use?

Intra-linguistic knowledge refers to the understanding of language structure and discourse, while extra-linguistic knowledge involves the understanding of the world and social context that aids in the interpretation and use of language.

Why is it possible to understand a conversation even if some words or grammatical elements are missing?

We can understand such conversations due to our extra-linguistic knowledge and pragmatics, which allow us to infer meaning from the context and the situational cues, even when certain words are omitted.

What is meant by 'pragmatic confidence' in the context of language use?

Pragmatic confidence refers to an individual's ability to effectively use and understand language by dealing with the context and social cues that are formally encoded outside the linguistic structure.

How does the concept of pragmatics help in understanding the meaning of a sentence beyond its literal interpretation?

Pragmatics helps in understanding the intended meaning of a sentence by taking into account the situational context, social norms, and the speaker's intentions, which may not be explicitly stated in the sentence itself.

What are 'pragmatic particles' and how do they function in language?

Pragmatic particles are words or phrases such as 'uh', 'I mean', or 'sort of' that are used in speech to control the pragmatic nature of linguistic interaction, often to convey tone, hesitation, or to soften a statement.

Can you provide an example from the script where pragmatics is used to interpret a sentence in a non-literal way?

An example from the script is when a homeless person asks for 'spare change'. The listener interprets this as a request for money due to the pragmatic understanding of the situation, rather than a literal inquiry about the contents of their pocket.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Pragmatics in Language Interpretation

This paragraph discusses the concept of pragmatics in linguistics, which deals with the practical aspects of language beyond its structural components. It explains how phrases that do not inherently contain insulting elements can be interpreted as insults based on extra-linguistic knowledge. The speaker introduces the idea that language functions at various levels, from phonemes to discourse, and emphasizes the importance of combining linguistic knowledge with situational context to understand and convey meaning. The paragraph also touches on the role of discourse analysis in understanding language use and the concept of 'pragmatic confidence' as an essential part of language comprehension and usage.

05:02

🤔 Pragmatics and Everyday Language Use

The second paragraph delves into the practical application of pragmatics in everyday language use. It illustrates how understanding the situational context is crucial for interpreting the intended meaning of utterances, as demonstrated by a brief conversation between two individuals discussing plans for the evening. The paragraph also explains the role of pragmatics in interpreting indirect speech acts, such as a homeless person asking for spare change, which is understood as a request for money rather than a literal inquiry about one's possessions. The speaker highlights the importance of pragmatic confidence in navigating the social and contextual aspects of language, and mentions 'pragmatic particles' as a linguistic tool that influences the pragmatic nature of communication.

Keywords

💡Insult

An insult is a form of verbal aggression intended to demean or offend someone. In the video, the phrase 'son of a' is used as an example of how a combination of words, which individually may not be offensive, can collectively be interpreted as an insult due to social and contextual understanding.

💡Phonemes

Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in language that can distinguish meaning. The script discusses phonemes in the context of how they combine to form morphemes, which are the basic units of meaning, and are foundational to the construction of language from the most basic to the complex levels like discourse.

💡Morphemes

Morphemes are the smallest meaningful units in language. The video explains that morphemes are formed by the combination of phonemes and are essential in forming words, which in turn create phrases, sentences, and larger linguistic structures.

💡Discourse

Discourse refers to language beyond the sentence level, encompassing larger units of language use in communication. The script mentions discourse analysis as a branch of linguistics dedicated to understanding language structure beyond individual sentences, highlighting its importance in the interpretation of meaning.

💡Pragmatics

Pragmatics is a branch of linguistics concerned with the practical aspects of language use, focusing on how context influences meaning. The video emphasizes pragmatics as the key to understanding how phrases like 'son of a' are interpreted as insults, despite their literal meanings.

💡Intra-linguistic Context

Intra-linguistic context, or linguistic context, refers to the internal structure and rules of language that influence meaning. The script contrasts this with situational context, explaining that understanding language involves both the internal rules and the external knowledge of the world.

💡Situational Context

Situational context is the external knowledge about the world that aids in the interpretation of language. The video uses the example of a brief conversation to illustrate how situational context helps in understanding implied meanings that are not explicitly stated in the words used.

💡Semantics

Semantics is the study of meaning in language. The script positions semantics as one of the traditional branches of semiotics, alongside syntactics and pragmatics, and discusses its relationship with pragmatics in the interpretation of language.

💡Syntactics

Syntactics, or syntax, is the study of the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in language. The video briefly mentions syntactics as part of the traditional triad in semiotics, indicating its role in the structural aspect of language.

💡Pragmatic Particles

Pragmatic particles are words or phrases that contribute to the pragmatic nature of language, often used to manage conversational interaction. The script gives examples like 'uh' and 'I mean', explaining their role in speech and their contribution to the overall pragmatic meaning of an utterance.

💡Linguistic Confidence

Linguistic confidence refers to one's knowledge and ability to use the structural aspects of language. The video introduces the concept of pragmatic confidence as a complement to linguistic confidence, suggesting that understanding and using language effectively requires both an understanding of language structure and the ability to interpret context.

Highlights

The phrase 'son of a' is not inherently insulting, yet it's universally understood as such due to extra-linguistic factors.

Language is composed of phonemes, morphemes, words, phrases, sentences, and discourse.

Discourse analysis is a branch of linguistics focusing on the analysis of language beyond the sentence.

Pragmatics is the study of language from the user's point of view, focusing on the practical use of language.

Language interpretation relies on both linguistic and extra-linguistic knowledge, known as situational context.

Understanding language involves engaging with both intra-linguistic (linguistic context) and extra-linguistic (situational context).

Pragmatics helps explain how brief, incomplete sentences can still convey complete meanings.

The concept of 'pragmatic confidence' is crucial for understanding and using language effectively.

Pragmatic particles, such as 'uh', 'I mean', and 'sort of', are used to control the pragmatic nature of linguistic interaction.

The interpretation of a homeless person asking for 'spare change' as a request for money is an example of pragmatics in action.

Pragmatics bridges the gap between semantics, sociolinguistics, and the extra-linguistic context.

The video discusses how language functions at different levels, from phonemes to discourse.

The process of interpreting a phrase as an insult involves more than just the linguistic structure.

The understanding of language is not solely based on its structure but also on extra-linguistic knowledge.

The video explains the importance of situational context in language interpretation and communication.

Pragmatics is defined as the study of language from the user's perspective, focusing on choices, constraints, and effects in social interaction.

The video uses the example of a conversation to illustrate how pragmatics helps us understand implied meanings.

The concept of 'linguistic confidence' is expanded to include 'pragmatic confidence', which deals with context within language structure.

Transcripts

[Music]

foreign

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if I say that that's not polite it's

considered to be an insult and it is

almost always you could say always

because the words in this noun phrase if

you take them separately son of a

even has a technical meaning which

is a female dog but then when we say son

of a we don't interpret it as the

male offspring of a female dog we

interpret it automatically and

immediately as an insult

but have you ever thought what is the

process that goes into this

interpretation how is it that we have a

set of words none of which necessarily

have an insulting element in them but we

use the entire phrase to as an insult

if you have been following my videos

especially if you go back and watch the

videos about phonology and the way

language functions at different levels

we already know that language consists

of minimal units of sound which are

phonemes and minimal units of meaning

which are called morphemes so basically

phonemes combine to form morphemes and

morphemes combine to form words and

words are combined to form phrases and

sentences

but there is another level beyond that

we combine sentences to form bigger

units of language which are called

discourse so language goes all the way

from phonemes to discourse

and there is actually a branch of

linguistics which is dedicated entirely

to the analysis of discourse and

surprise surprise is called discourse

analysis

therefore language functions at a

mechanical they could say linguistic

level starting from phonemes and going

all the way up to discourse but again at

none of these levels the phrase son of a

should be interpreted as an insult

unless there is something else beyond

that linguistic interpretation or

linguistic structure and that's the

topic of today's video which is on

pragmatics so you see what we're doing

here there is something practical about

language which is not entirely about the

mechanics inside the language that is in

a way part of the way we interpret and

convey meaning in language

it's kind of funny because it is

language that we're using to communicate

but that knowledge is not in the

structure of the language it is outside

the language in other words it is extra

linguistic extra meaning outside so

there is this extra linguistic knowledge

that we have but it goes along with our

linguistic knowledge that enables us to

interpret these phrases for example as

an insult

in a way if you want to understand this

I can put it in these words when we use

language we engage in two kinds of

context

one is what is inside language

intra-linguistic which is called the

linguistic context or it is the

discourse that we engage in

and then there is the knowledge about

the world the knowledge outside language

the extra linguistic knowledge that

enables us to make use of language the

way we do and that is called the

situational context

foreign

[Music]

you can understand them even if they

drop verbs if they don't mention the

direct object if they drop the pronouns

if they speak telegraphically we still

understand each other this is possible

because not just because we know how to

combine rules of grammar and discourse

but it is also about the knowledge

outside language

Al and Bob are having a conversation

short conversation at that coming down

to the pub tonight I've got to finish a

piece of work

how does this conversation make sense if

you just stick to every word that is

actually mentioned without referring to

words that are not mentioned obviously

we don't think there's something wrong

with this brief conversation because we

understand we infer that what Bob is

saying that he has some work to do

therefore he doesn't have time to go to

the pub tonight he's not free to go to

the public

this explanation and interpretation of

this short conversation is possible

because of pragmatics in other words

knowledge of the aspects of meaning that

are dependent on the situational context

here there's something Beyond these

words

[Music]

traditionally pragmatics along with

semantics and syntactics was considered

to be one of the three branches of

semiotics however in modern Linguistics

pragmatics is a term applied to the

study of language from the user's point

of view pragmatics is about the choices

in language use one makes the

constraints one faces in using language

and social interaction and the effects

one's use of language has on the other

participants during communication

pragmatics is an area that is somewhere

in between semantics

sociolinguistics and the context outside

language that is the extra linguistic

context

is not always easy to draw a line

between these different domains though

[Music]

we had linguistic confidence in

chomsky's model of language here you can

add to that pragmatic confidence

in other words linguistic confidence

alone is not enough to use or understand

language you need pragmatic confidence

as well because pragmatic confidence is

your ability to deal with formally

encoded aspects of context in the

structure of language and question

there are certain terms used in

pragmatics for example there's a term

called pragmatic particles which

explains the use of words such as uh I

mean sort of these words are commonly

used in speech and control their

pragmatic nature of linguistic

interaction

[Music]

[Music]

when you're walking on the street you're

going into the subway and a homeless

person asks you do you have any spare

change

you don't interpret that as a technical

question about your what you actually

have in your in your pocket you don't

interpret it as a fiduciary inquiry you

interpret it as a request for money on

the part of the home homeless person and

the way you understand this sentence

which is the meaning he intends to

convey using that sentence is possible

because of pragmatics you know this is a

homeless person you know about his a

standing in society and in the broader

world and then when he says that to you

you interpret it as a request

such things can be explained only using

pragmatics

[Music]