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2016/17 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

LING5241M Pragmatics

30 creditsClass Size: 24

Module manager: Dr Bethan Davies
Email: b.l.davies@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

Pragmatics is concerned with the gap between literal meaning and intended meaning, and how speakers and addressees negotiate this gap. We will look at how 'we do things with words', and how we create implicit meanings which our addressees are intended to recover. We will then look at language in a broader way, taking account of social and physical context, considering areas such as (im)politeness and deixis. The final part of the module returns to the key issue of common ground, and how this can be studied in a psycholinguistic as well as a pragmatic context.

Objectives

This module aims to increase students' critical awareness of major themes within the field of linguistic pragmatics. Students will be introduced to key texts in order to understand both the development of the discipline and the roots of current debates.

Learning outcomes
On the completion of this module, students will:

- understand the theoretical concerns of pragmatics as a sub-discipline of linguistics:
(i) What are the roles of linguistic content and social context in the formulation of a message?
(ii) How can linguists understand the role of context and identify its various elements?
(iii) How can linguists balance the cognitive and sociocultural aspects of message interpretation?

- have gained insights into the roots of pragmatics as a discipline, and how this has affected its development
- have gained understanding of the potential relationship between pragmatics and other areas of linguistics, such as sociolinguistics, semantics and psycholinguistics
- be able to demonstrate a sound knowledge of core aspects of the subject and relate this to current theoretical discussions in the literature.


Syllabus

This module will introduce the student to the core areas and issues in pragmatics. It begins by investigating the philosophical roots of the discipline, covering such areas as speech act theory, implicatures and presupposition. Current focal areas in pragmatics, such as deixis, relevance theory and (im)politeness are then considered.

The final part of the module extends the scope to a more social and psychological view of discourse, including Clark?s Collaborative Theory, and the work of Potter & Weatherell.

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Lecture102.0020.00
Seminar101.0010.00
Private study hours270.00
Total Contact hours30.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)300.00

Private study

- 90 hours seminar preparation
- 100 hours general background reading
- 80 hours assessment preparation.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Progress will be monitored via two methods:

1) The module leader's assessment of student contribution via presentation and input to discussion.
2) First coursework essay, to be submitted before Easter.

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Essay1 x 3,000 word essay to be submitted at the end of the semester.50.00
Essay1 x 3,000 word essay to be submitted in week 8.50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 14/06/2016

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