Specialisation seminar in linguistics: Explorations in Linguistic Pragmatics

genuine interest in linguistics and linguistic pragmatics

5 ECTS (125h)

30 contact hours

25h – individualized instruction in smaller groups with active assistance of the teacher

25h – filling out the work-sheet

25h – preparation for the test

25h – self-study in the library

The student has in-depth knowledge of the pragmatic aspects of English in use in various social and regional situations (K_W01)

The student has in-depth knowledge of linguistic pragmatics (K_W06).

The student is able to search for, analyze, evaluate, select, and apply information using various sources regarding the pragmatics of English in use to formulate critical opinions based thereon. (K_U01)

The student is able to use various communication channels and techniques to communicate with experts in the domain of pragmatics (K_U05)

The student is able to integrate knowledge from various disciplines and match it against the knowledge of linguistic pragmatics (K_U06)

The student understands longer utterances and lectures on topics related to their field of linguistic pragmatics (K_U19)

Tutorial, discussion, analytical tasks, filling out work-sheets

- wykład konwersatoryjny

- projektu
- seminaryjna

The Seminar under the label of Explorations in Linguistic Pragmatics: Issues of Meaning Construction in Semiotic/Textual Spaces is designed to integrate the students’ knowledge in functional realms of language use (that are dealt with by text linguistics, cognitive linguistics discourse analysis, linguistic pragmatics) and practical implementation of these phenomena: (a) analytical skills in identifying them in the interpersonal space, including public space (e.g. in advertising and commercials, political and legal discourse, journalism etc., (b) creative experimentation in the process of message creation

· Language as a semiotic system

· The relations between structure vs. function in language.

· Structural levels of linguistic organization.

· The semantics v. pragmatics distinction.

· Language Variation: regional, social, stylistic, etc.

· Design features of language.

· Functions of language in various typologies.

· Textual criteria (constitutive principles).

· Conversation structure

· Cognitive Grammar: imagery, construals

· Cognitive Semantics: categorization, mappings selective projections

· Inferential processes: entailments, presuppositions, conversational implicatures.

· The Speech Act Theory (typology and felicity conditions).

· The Co-operation Principle and Conversational Maxims.

· The Relevance Theory.

· Theories regarding directness and politeness.

· Linguistic Pragmatics II (in summer term – extension based on Meaning in Interaction by J. Thomas – student presentations in selected areas

· Linguistic Pragmatics III: Pragmatics: selected articles for exploration, presentation and discussion.

· Discursive formations and cross-cultural aspects of meaning construction and interpretation based on Australian theorists: Textual Spaces & Translating Lives

· OBLIGATORY

· Stilwell - Peccei, Jean. 1999. Pragmatics. Routledge. London and New York.

· Thomas, Jenny. 1995. Meaning in Interaction. Longman. London and New York.

· Besemeres, Mary and Anna Wierzbicka (eds.). 2007. Translating Lives: Living with Two languages and Cultures. University of Queensland Press.

· OPTIONAL/RECOMMENDED

· Chandler, Daniel. 2002. Semiotics: The Basics. Routledge. London.

· Muecke, Stephen. 2005 [1992]. Textual Spaces. API Network. Sydney.

Skrzypczak, Waldemar. 2006. “On Text Linguistics: some terminological distinctions.” NKJO w Toruniu, Silva Rerum. Nr 6/7, 63-71.

Graded credit on the basis on:

Graded credit based on:

Involvement (30%)

Analytic tasks, essays and work-sheets (30%)

Final test (40%)

Very good – 91-100% (5.0)

Good plus – 86-90% (4+)

Good – 76-85% (4.0)

Satisfactory plus – 70-75% (3+)

Satisfactory – 60-69% (3.0)

Fail – 0-59% (2)

N/A