pragmatics seminar3 2011 a

7/30/2019 Pragmatics Seminar3 2011 A

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3rd YEAR PRAGMATICS

GRICEAN PRAGMATICS. THE COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLE , MAXIMS

AND CONVERSATIONAL IMPLICATURES

1. Give an implicature of Bs utterance in each of the situations below.a) A : Come to my cheese-and-wine party, please! Of course, you dont

drink, do you?B: Well, we dont not drink.

b) A : Did you buy bread?B : I tried to. I run short of money

c) A : Do you love me?B : Im quite fond of you.

d) A : Was there a fiddle at the bar last night?B : There was a man scraping a bow across a violin. Yes and it was abad performance

e) A : Do you like my new carpet?B: The wallpapers not bad.

2. Fill in an appropriate utterance for B, so that what B utters yieldsthe provided implicature:

a) A : Lets try the new Arab restaurant round the corner.B: we should better go somewhere where is served vegetarian foodImplicature : Arab restaurants are unlikely to serve vegetarian food.

b) A : Meet me at Piccadilly Circus at midnight.B :Implicature: Piccadilly Circus is not a safe place to be at midnight.

c) A : Do you use your local swimming pool?B : Im allergic to salt waterImplicature: Bs local swimming pool has salt water.

d) A : How much do I owe you now?B:Implicature : As debts to B are large and complicated to work out.

3. Point out instances of non-observance of maxims (flouting ,violation, infringing, opting out) in the following dialogues. Specifywhen the an interlocutors intention fails to be inferred correctly bythe other participant in the conversation :

Patient (who seems to be pregnant): I'm a virgin, so is my fianc.House: "I believe him."

Cuddy: "Is that Vicodin?"

House: "Breath mint. Thought you were going to kiss me."

House: "There's a bullet in his head."


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Cameron: "He was shot?"

House: "No ... somebody threw it at him." Infringing a maxim

Wilson: "How'd you get here?"House: "By osmosis."

Chase: "Her heart's fragile after that last attack! The chances of tachycardia are ..."

House: "You have my permission to blame Foreman in any negligence trial."

Cameron: "What are you looking for?"

House: "Same as you. Love, acceptance, a solid return in investment." (flouts the maxims of

quality, relation and manner)

HOUSE: You come for my feelings?[Cameron is about to say something.]'Cause I left them in my other pants.

(House M.D.)

1.(Eric walks in still wearing Donnas shirt and in his underwear as Fez walks behind him)

Kelso:(looks at Eric) Ooh! Forman, just because theres a sale at Pennys doesnt mean you gotta

buy everything

Hyde: Hey, Fez, youre supposed to bring your date home and then take her pants off

3. (Red has just had a stroke and is in hospital)

Red: Come on, Kitty, lets get the hell out of this weird place . . . I think some of these nurses arestealing drugs

Kitty: Red, I am a nurse here (laughing to Doctor)

Red: I stand by my statement

4. Doctor: What you need to do is focus on things that make you happy

Eric: Okaaaay, . . . But . . . I dont know where were gonna find a boat load of dead commies

(That 70s Show)

Colin Firth (on accepting the 2011 Oscar):"I'm afraid I have to warn you that I'm experiencing stirringssomewhere in the upper abdominals which are threatening to formthemselves into dance moves which, joyous as they may be for me, itwould be extremely problematic if they make it to my legs before I getoff stage."


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4. Imagine short exchanges and provide utterances meant to express:

a) disapproval towards interlocutors opinion on an Oscar-winning

movie by flouting the a) Quality Maxim

a) Manner Maxim

b) refusal to comment on ones marital life by flouting the QuantityMaxim

c) doubt as to somebodys truly deserving praise for their allegedmerits by flouting the Quality and manner Maxims

d) reluctance to supply information about a blind date by flouting the

Quantity and relation Maxims

e) rejecting an invitation by flouting the Quantity and manner maxims

5. Translate into Romanian:

Kelly: Bud, look at yourself. Face the ugly truth. They dont have woods deepenough to grow the kind of girls that would be willing to date you. I mean,maybe youre aiming too high. You know, a live girl. See, your problem is,youve got caviar taste, and a pizza face. Aim a little lower. Hey, logs cantrun away! And then theres the dead. You know, a girl whos been dead longenough might even think that youre a good catch. Hey, I know, how about a

nice department store mannequin? I mean, theyre used to being undressedby sexless boys.Bud: Thanks for the help, Bleached Blanket Bimbo.Kelly: They may call me bimbo, but at least they call me.

(Married With Children)

The dating world is not a fun world... its a pressure world, its a world oftension, its a world of pain... [U1] Lets face it: a date is a job-interview thatlasts all night. [U2] The only difference between a date and a job-interviewis: at not many job-interviews is there a chance youll end up naked at theend of it... [U3] Ya know: Well, Bill, the boss thinks youre the man for theposition, why dont you strip down and meet some of the people youll be

workin with?. [U4]

(Seinfeld- Good News, Bad News )

I think the best part of a relationship is when youre sick. [U1] And the bestpart of being sick is when youre in a relationship. [U2] And if I was to getmarried, you know all those vows; for richer or for poorer, for better or forworse, all I need is the sickness. [U3] That, to me, is the most important one.
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[U4] Do you take this man in sickness? [U5] Thats the only time I needsomebody there. [U6] Rest of the time, go out, have a ball, do whatever youwant, but if I get the sniffles, you better be there. [U7] (The Alternate Side)

[Cut to the dinner where House is giving his speech. House is sitting up on

stage, Vogler is behind the podium.]

Vogler: But hey, why listen to me? (U1) I own the company, Im certainlynot to be trusted, right? (U2) Dr. Gregg House, on the other hand, has areputation. (U3) For integrity, among other things. (U4) [Crowdchuckles. Quick shot of Wilson, Cuddy, Chase and Cameron sitting at atable in the audience.] Ladies and gentlemen, Dr. Gregg House. (U5)[House stands up and walks to the podium to applause. The PPTH tablelooks slightly apprehensive, as if their jobs were riding on what is tohappen next. We see Foreman for the first time, leaning against adoorway. House adjusts the microphone, and]

House: [reading off a paper, very monotone] Eastbrook Pharmaceuticalsextraordinary commitment to research excellence is exemplified by theirnew ACE inhibitor, a breakthrough medical approach that will protectmillions from heart disease. (U6) [He looks up at the crowd, stuffs thepaper in his pocket, and starts to walk away.]Vogler: Thats not a speech. (U7)House: I thought it was pithy. (U8) You got enough for a press release,anyhow. (U9)Vogler: Foreman or Cameron? (U10) [House gives a little smile and goesback to the podium.]House: A few things I forgot to mention. (U11) Ed Vogler is a brilliantbusinessman. (U12) A brilliant judge of people, and a man who has

never lost a fight. (U13) You know how I know the new ACE inhibitor isgood? (U14) Because the old one was good. (U15) The new one isreally the same, its just more expensive. (U16) [Vogler does not lookhappy.] A lot more expensive. (U17) See, thats another example ofEds brilliance. (U18) [At this point, Wilson looks mildly interested,Cuddy looks mad, and Chase and Cameron look like the worlds about toend.] Whenever one of his drugs is about to lose its patent he has hisboys and girls alter it just a tiny bit and patent it all over again. (U19)Making not just a pointless new pill, but millions and millions of dollars.(U20) Which is good for everbody, right? (U21) [Cuddy is now shakingher head in disbelief, and Wilson is staring pointedly.] The patients,pish. (U22) Who cares, theyre just so damn sick! (U23) God obviously

never liked them anyway. (U24) [Cuddy is furious; Chase downs hiswhole glass of wine, and Cameron is staring at the tables centerpiece.]All the healthy people in the room, lets have a big round of applause forEd Vogler! (U25) [House claps, Foreman shakes his head, the rest of theroom stays silent. Vogler doesnt look happy at all. As House handsVogler the paper -- ] I threw in a joke. (U26)

(Season 1,Episode 17)


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