ADS, SPEECH ACTS, MAXIM OF POLITENESS, AND READING POSITIONS

Summary

In this lecture, the speaker covers several essential concepts in discourse analysis, focusing on inference in advertisements, reading and writing positions, and speech acts. The discussion explores how advertisements subtly influence consumers through implied messages, how readers and listeners are positioned by writers and speakers, and how speech acts function in communication, such as assertives, directives, and expressives. The lecture also introduces politeness strategies and how to resist reading positions. By engaging with the content critically, learners are encouraged to understand, annotate, and form their own viewpoints on texts.

Takeaways

• 😀 In advertisements, the effectiveness relies on the ability of the audience to infer the desired message, such as acquiring social status or experiencing a certain atmosphere.
• 😀 Inference refers to understanding the implied message behind words, sentences, or utterances, often used in advertisements to communicate more than what is directly stated.
• 😀 Reading and writing positions refer to how a writer positions a reader within a text, influencing their perspective, which can be passive or active.
• 😀 A writer can adopt different positions in a text, shifting from a friend to a reviewer, to a counselor, or even a psychologist, based on the context.
• 😀 Speech acts are utterances or sentences that perform actions such as asserting, directing, promising, expressing feelings, or declaring changes.
• 😀 The three aspects of speech acts are: locutionary (the actual words spoken), illocutionary (the speaker's intention), and perlocutionary (the effect on the listener or reader).
• 😀 Indirect speech acts are used to convey requests or questions in a more polite or indirect manner, such as asking, 'The dog needs to be fed' instead of directly ordering someone to do it.
• 😀 When making requests, factors like the cost and benefit for both the sender and receiver should be considered, as well as the power dynamic between the speaker and listener.
• 😀 Politeness maxims, as proposed by Leech, guide human interactions by encouraging indirectness, optionality, and the use of deference and respect to maintain social harmony.
• 😀 In reading, individuals can resist the position a writer places them in by critically engaging with the text, such as annotating or noting disagreements with the content.
• 😀 Politeness maxims, such as giving options, showing modesty, and expressing sympathy, are important for maintaining politeness in various communicative situations, from requests to debates.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the lecture?

The main focus of the lecture is on discourse analysis, specifically covering topics like advertisements and inference, reading/writing positions, speech acts, and politeness maxim principles.

How does inference work in advertisements according to the lecturer?

Inference in advertisements involves the audience understanding the implied message behind the words or visuals. Advertisements aim to make viewers infer that by purchasing a product, they gain social status, a particular atmosphere, or additional benefits beyond the product itself.

What does the lecturer mean by 'reading and writing positions'?

Reading and writing positions refer to how writers position readers in specific roles through a text. The writer can adopt various positions (e.g., as a friend, counselor, reviewer, or psychologist) that influence how the reader engages with the content.

What are speech acts, and what are the different types?

Speech acts are utterances or sentences that perform an action. The types include: assertive (giving information), directive (telling someone to do something), commissive (making a promise), expressive (expressing feelings), and declarative (changing a state or condition, such as in a marriage ceremony).

Can you explain the difference between the locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary aspects of speech acts?

The locutionary aspect refers to the actual words spoken. The illocutionary aspect represents the intended meaning behind the words. The perlocutionary aspect is the effect of the speech act on the listener or reader, such as a change in behavior.

What is the role of indirect speech acts in communication?

Indirect speech acts are used for politeness or to avoid direct confrontation. For example, instead of directly commanding someone to do something, one might use a declarative sentence to imply the request, such as 'The dog needs to be fed,' which indirectly asks someone to feed the dog.

How do politeness maxims influence communication, according to the lecturer?

Politeness maxims guide how individuals structure their communication to maintain respect and avoid rudeness. These include strategies like indirectness, providing options, complimenting, expressing modesty, and agreeing partially to avoid confrontation.

What is meant by 'resisting reading positions'?

Resisting reading positions refers to the act of critically engaging with a text, disagreeing with its positioning of the reader, and expressing alternative viewpoints. This is often done by annotating or writing notes in the margins to reflect disagreement or offer additional thoughts.

How does annotating a text help with resisting reading positions?

Annotating a text allows the reader to actively engage with the content, question the author's stance, and provide their own perspective. This critical practice shows resistance to the positions imposed by the author and fosters a deeper understanding of the material.

Why is understanding speech acts important in discourse analysis?

Understanding speech acts is essential in discourse analysis because it reveals how language functions beyond just conveying information. By analyzing speech acts, one can understand the intentions behind language, how it influences others, and how people use language to perform actions like requesting, promising, or apologizing.