Semantics and pragmatics theories 3201-3SMPNOP
For a long time, semantics was treated as a branch of philosophy. It was not until later that it was established as a sub-discipline of linguistics, first as a branch of historical-linguistic theory of meaning. Structuralists developed an interest in synchronic semantics relatively late and initially restricted themselves to word meaning; generativists, who researched language at the level of phrases, preferred semantic analysis of phrase connectors. It is only modern semantics that has been searching for a comprehensive theory of meaning that includes and explains all aspects and manifestations of meaning. The most important approaches, including critical proposals from pragmatics will be the subject of this course.
The aim of the course is to give students an overview of the present state of research in modern semantics and pragmatics. The following themes will be dealt with:
1.The concept of meaning
2.Semantic relations
3.Theory of reference
4.Theory of word fields
5.Theory of prototypes
6.Theory of semantic features
7.Cognitive semantics
8.Formal semantics
9.Semantics vs. pragmatics
10.Speech acts theory
11.Implicatures theory (H.P. Grice)
12.Politeness theory (Brown & Levinson)
All these themes will at first be presented in the form of a lecture and afterwards elaborated on through exercises in semantic analysis of words, sentences and texts as well as in semanto-pragmatic analysis of discourses. This may be followed by a wider-ranging discussion of controversial issues or urgent tasks for future research.
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
The student who attended the course:
knowledge:
- knows the most important concepts and theories in the field of semantics and pragmatics
skills:
- can employ the acquired theoretical tools and concepts in the analysis of linguistic data
attitudes:
- shows increased linguistic sensitivity and awareness of the potential layers of utterance meaning
Assessment criteria
written final test
Bibliography
Brown, P./Levinson, S. C., 2007. Gesichtsbedrohende Akte [reprint: Face-threatening acts, 1987]. In: S. K. Herrmann/S. Kraemer/H. Kuch (eds.), Verletzende Worte. Die Grammatik sprachlicher Missachtung. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag, 59-88.
Busse, D./Niehr, Th./Wengeler, M., (eds), 2005. Brisante Semantik. Tübingen: Niemeyer.
Grewendorf, G., (ed.), 1979. Sprechakttheorie und Semantik. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp.
Grice, H. P., 1975. Logic and Conversation. In: Cole, P.7Morgan, J. L., (eds), Syntax and Semantics 3. Speech acts. New York: Academic Press, 41-58.
Grice, H. P., 1989. Studies in the Way of Words. Cambridge/Mass.: HUP.
Grzegorczykowa, R., 20013. Wprowadzenie do semantyki językoznawczej. Warszawa: Wyd. Nauk. PWN.
Kußmaul, P., (ed.), 1980. Sprechakttheorie. Ein Reader. Wiesbaden: Athenaion.
Lappin, Sh., (ed.), 1997. The Handbook of Contemporary Semantic Theory. Oxford: Blackwell.
Levinson, S. C., 1983. Pragmatics. Cambridge: CUP.
Levinson, S. C., 2000. Presumptive Meanings. The Theory of Generalized Conversational Implicature. Cambridge et al.: MIT.
Linke, A./Nussbaumer, M./Portmann, P. R., 19942. Studienbuch Linguistik. Tübingen: Niemeyer (Kap. 4).
Löbach, B., 2000. Semantikerwerb. Ein Beitrag zu einer empiristisch-naturalistischen Bedeutungstheorie. Tübingen: Niemeyer.
Löbner, S., 2003. Semantik. Eine Einführung. Berlin et al.: de Gruyter.
Lohnstein, H., 1996. Formale Semantik und natürliche Sprache. Einführendes Lehrbuch. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
Lyons, J., 1977. Semantics. 2 Volumes. Cambridge: CUP.
Meibauer, J., 20012. Pragmatik. Eine Einführung. Tübingen: Stauffenburg.
Mey, J. L., (ed.), 1998. Concise Enciclopedia of Pragmatics. Oxford/New York: Pergamon Press.
Rolf, E., 1994. Sagen und Meinen. Paul Grices Theorie der Konversations-Implikaturen. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
Rolf, E., (ed.), 1997. Pragmatik. Implikaturen und Sprechakte. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
Sadock, J. M., 1978. On Testing for Conversational Implicature. In: Cole, P. (ed.), Syntax and Semantics 9. Pragmatics. New York: Academic Press, 281-298.
Searle, J. R., 1982. Ausdruck und Bedeutung. Untersuchungen zur Sprechakttheorie. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp.
Schwarz, M., 19962. Einführung in die kognitive Linguistik. Tübingen: Francke.
Schwarz, M./Chur, J., 20044. Semantik. Ein Arbeitsbuch. Tübingen: Narr.
Topczewska, U., 2006. Zur Abgrenzbarkeit der Griceschen Implikaturenarten. Kwartalnik Neofilologiczny 3, 201-207.
Vater, H., 20024. Einführung in die Sprachwissenschaft. München: Fink (Kap. 5 und 6).
Vater, H., 2005. Referenzlinguistik. München: Fink.
Additional information
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