Monographic lecture: Theoretical and practical aspects of verbal communication 3301-2ST-WM-JF001
The lecture is an overview of selected issues in pragmatics, whose understanding broadens one’s knowledge about the process of verbal communication and makes social communication more effective. It raises awareness of the potential problems in communication resulting from the distinction between the literal meaning of language and the speaker-intended meaning (implicatures, metaphor, irony, etc.). It introduces the tools indispensable to analyse this meaning, thus improving one’s interpretive and rhetorical skills, and facilitating interpersonal communication. Two models of communication will be introduced: the theory of conversation (Grice) and Relevance Theory (Sperber and Wilson), which is a development and modification of Grice’s theory from the cognitive point of view. Apart from the classical theory of implicature by Grice, other theories of implicature, both rooted in Grice, will be presented (Horn, Levinson). It also teaches the principles of linguistic politeness understood as a pragmatic strategy employed by a speaker to promote/maintain harmonious relations or avoid a conflict situation, with a special focus on intercultural differences (theories of politeness by G. Leech and by P. Brown and S. Levinson). It also deals with the phenomenon of banter viewed as an instance of phatic communication and with the pragmatic accounts of metaphor and irony. The lecture presents strategies of verbal manipulation and examines the notion of lying, which results in the ability to resist fake news and propaganda in the media. The cognitive strategy of utterance interpretation is applied to analyse everyday speech, political speech, the language of media and advertising.
The lectures will be interactive and accompanied by a group discussion and class assignments (a workshop format).
Topics to be discussed:
1. Introduction - pragmatics (definitions, history).
2. Basic notions in semantics and pragmatics (sentence, utterance, proposition, linguistic underdeterminacy, context, truth value, truth condition, entailment).
3.Classical Gricean theory of conversation and conversational implicature (the Co-operative Principle, conversational maxims, observing/flouting/violating/opting out of the maxims, types of implicature).
4. Classical Gricean theory of conversation and conversational implicature - practical application to data analysis.
5. Neo-Gricean pragmatic theories of conversational implicature (the Hornian system, the Levinsonian system).
6. Pragmatics and cognition: Relevance Theory (ostensive-inferential communication, the Cognitive Principle of Relevance, the Communicative Principle of Relevance,).
7. Pragmatics and cognition: Relevance Theory (relevance-theoretic comprehension procedure, logical form, explicature, higher-level explicature, implicature, conceptual/procedural meaning, practical application).
8. Models of politeness (Leech – The Politeness Principle and its attendant maxims).
9. Models of politeness (Brown and Levinson – positive/negative face, face-threatening acts).
10. Banter and phatic communication.
11. Lexical pragmatics and metaphor.
12. The pragmatics of irony.
13. Truth, lying and misleading. Verbal manipulation .
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the classroom is governed by the rules set forth in Resolution No. 16 of the Teaching Council for the programs English Studies, English Studies – Linguistics, and English Studies – Literature and Culture of 9 December 2025
https://ia.uw.edu.pl/fileadmin/ilustracje/dokumenty/2026/RD_IA_2025_UCHWALA_nr16_narzedzia_AI_nowelizacja_ZAL2_EN.pdf
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
Students will have in-depth familiarity with:
K_W01 advanced terminology, theory and research methods corresponding to the state of the art in the discipline of linguistics, in accordance with their chosen specialization (and educational path), with a special focus on pragmatics and verbal communication on the basis of contemporary Anglo-American linguistic literature
K_W04 concepts and principles concerning the protection of intellectual property and copyright
Abilities
Students will be able to:
K_U01 apply the advanced terminology, theories and methods of linguistic research to solve complex and original research problems in accordance with his/her chosen specialization (and educational path) within the English studies, with a special focus on issues in pragmatics and verbal communication
K_U04 apply the concepts and principles of intellectual property protection and copyright law
Social competences
Students will be ready to:
K_K01 critically appraise their knowledge and content obtained from various sources
K_K02 recognize the importance of knowledge in solving cognitive and practical problems; consult experts when required
*** Applies to students who began their studies in the year 2022/2023 ***
Knowledge
Students will have in-depth familiarity with:
K_W01 Identify and characterize on an advanced level the place and status of linguistics within the humanities
K_W02 Describe on an advanced level the current trends in linguistic research within English studies, with a special focus on pragmatics and verbal communication on the basis of contemporary Anglo-American linguistic literature
Abilities
Students will be able to:
K_U01 Apply advanced terminology and notions pertinent to the discipline (linguistics), with a special focus on pragmatics and verbal communication
K_U03 Apply knowledge obtained during the course of studies to account for and solve a problem, thereby completing a research task related to the discipline linguistics, with a special focus on issues in pragmatics and verbal communication
K_U04 Analyze linguistic, literary and cultural phenomena and draw generalizations on their basis in the context of societal, historical and economic factors on an advanced level
K_U05 Discern alternative methodological paradigms within a discipline
K_U08 Participate in group projects, collaborate with others and be a team leader in conducting collaborative research, presentations and other tasks included in the curriculum
K_U09 Present knowledge in a coherent, precise and linguistically correct manner in English on level C2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, ensuring an appropriate register and form
Social competences
Students will be ready to:
K_K02 Apply knowledge and skills obtained during the course of studies to undertake lifelong learning, as well as personal and professional development
K_K03 Take responsibility for performing one’s professional duties, with due respect for the work of others, obey and develop the ethical norms in professional and academic settings related to the disciplines included on the curriculum of English studies
K_K04 Assess critically one’s own knowledge and skills related to the studies
The graduate:
1. has in-depth familiarity with advanced terminology in the domain of pragmatics and can apply this knowledge to describe and analyse data;
2. understands verbal communication as a communicative situation going beyond the semantic meaning of language and dependent on context and speaker’s intentions;
3. knows and can compare main theories of verbal communication;
4. knows basic mechanisms of conversational analysis and can illustrate them with examples;
5. knows the difference between the literal and non-literal meaning of linguistic expressions;
6. is prepared to extend his/her knowledge of semantics, pragmatics and verbal communication.
Assessment criteria
- Short written and oral class assignments (verification of outcomes: W, U, K).
- Final written test - closed-ended and open-ended questions (verification of outcomes: W, U).
Bibliography
Brown, P. & S. C. Levinson. "Politeness: some universals in language usage", in: A. Jaworski & N. Coupland (eds). 1999. The Discourse Reader. London and New York: Routledge. 321-335.
Clark, B. 2013. Relevance Theory. Cambridge University Press. (wybrane rozdziały).
Grice, P. "Logic and conversation", in P. Grice. 1989. Studies in the Way of Words. Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA.
Huang, Y. 2007. Pragmatics. Oxford University Press.
Kisielewska-Krysiuk, Marta. 2017. “Lying and misleading within the philosophy of language: a relevance-theoretic perspective”. Anglica. An International Journal of English Studies 26.2: 79-100.
Leech, G. 1983: Principles of Pragmatics. Penguin. (wybrane rozdziały).
Sperber, D. & D. Wilson. 1998. "Relevance and irony", in: R. Carston & S. Uchida. 1998. Relevance Theory: Applications and Implications. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 283-93.
Wilson, D. & Sperber, D. 2004. “Relevance Theory”. In L. Horn & G. Ward (eds.) The Handbook of Pragmatics. Oxford, Blackwell. 607-632.
Wilson, D. 2004. "Relevance and lexical pragmatics". UCL Working Papers in Linguistics 16.
Žegarac, V. 1998. “What is phatic communication?”, in: Current Issues in Relevance Theory, edited by V. Rouchota and A. H. Jucker. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 327-361.
Notes
|
Term 2025Z:
Attendance is obligatory. 3 absences are allowed. |
Term 2026Z:
Attendance is obligatory. 3 absences are allowed. Highly appreciated are: |