context and culture ch6 part1

7/29/2019 Context and Culture Ch6 Part1

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CONTEXTANDCULTURE


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DOYOUREMEMBERTHIS?

Hymes suggests that in order to be able to

communicate language, a person should acquire

four types of knowledge:

1. Possibility

2. Feasibility

3. Appropriateness

4. attestedness


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CONTEXTANDCULTURE

Hymes has led the study of language in a different

direction. His theory views language analysis

through the account of other factors other than the

words themselves.

These factors are many. All of the following might

be involved in interpreting a real encounter:

Tone of voice and facial expression; the relationship between

speakers; their age, sex, and social status; the time and place;

and the degree to which speakers do or do not share same

cultural background.


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CONTEXTANDCULTURE

All the previous factors are known as context, andthey are all relevant to whether a particular action

or utterance is appropriate.


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SYSTEMIZING CONTEXT: DISCOURSEANALYSIS

Linguists has claimed that the meaning of language

in context is so messy and subjective that it is

beyond the reach of systematic enquiry.

However, in order to systemize this area of

language, applied linguistics developed discourse

analysis (the study of how stretches of language in

context are perceived as meaningful and unified by

their users).


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DISCOURSEANALYSIS

There are three areas of study that contribute to the

field of discourse analysis:

Paralanguage Pragmatics

genres


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PARALANGUAGE


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PARALANGUAGE

Any meaningful nonlinguistic behavior whichaccompanies linguistic communication, e.g.

gestures and intonation in speech, or pictures and

font in writing

Example: Gestures in an interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNSW1-f5j54&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNSW1-f5j54&feature=related


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PARALANGUAGE

Convincing research suggests that paralinguistic

messages can outweigh linguistic ones, especially

in establishing and maintaining relationships.

For this reason, understanding of paralanguage is

relevant in any professional activity involved with

effective communication, ordeveloping effective

communication in others, such as media training,

speech therapy, and language teaching.


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WHATABOUTWRITING?

Writing has paralanguage too.

Words can be scribbled, printed, or painted, and

their meaning can be amplified or altered by layout,

accompanying pictures, and diagrams.


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WHATIFWEHAVEAMIX?

At this time where technology is used to mix writing

with visual effects in ways which can be altering

fundamentally the nature and process of

communication, there is a pressing need to

integrate the findings of the role of speech(psychology) and the role of writing (typography).

The study ofvisual communication and computer-

mediated communication are growing areas inapplied linguistics.


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PRAGMATICS


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PRAGMATICS

Pragmatics:

is the discipline which studies the knowledge andprocedures which enables people to understand

each others words. Its main concern is not the

literal meaning, but what speakers intend to do with

their words.


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EXAMPLE

How are you?

In language it is an interrogative sentence; taking

literally it asks about someone

s health. However. It can be answered differently depending

on the context

Mind your own business

dont make me sick

Deeply depressed

Thanks be to God


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GENRES


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GENRES

Meaning also changes with the kind of

communicative even which words belong to.

Example:

Describe a person according to the following

situation.

Gossiping about that person Writing a job reference

Introducing him/her to a friend


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GENRES

Genres is a term defined by the applied linguist

John Swales as a class of communicative events

which share some set of communicative purposes.

Examples

Conversations

Consultations

Lessons

E-mails

News bulletins

Stories

Jokes


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COMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCE

In conclusion, all these elements of discourse-interpreting paralanguage, understanding pragmatic

intention, and distinguishing different genres- are

part of a persons communicative competence.

context and culture ch6 part1

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