ENG4118 – Pragmatics: Meaning, Communication and Cognition in English Language
Course content
Pragmatics is the attempt to understand how we can communicate with each other. We can (and often do) communicate something different from the meaning of the words that we utter. The founding question of pragmatics is: How is this possible? How can a speaker and her addressee coordinate on a meaning going beyond the linguistic code?
This course explores the most important theories that have been proposed, and shows how they are increasingly being tested in experimental and developmental work.
The topics covered include
- the distinction between sentence and utterance meaning
- the distinction between explicit and implicit meaning
- pragmatic principles
- the development of pragmatic abilities in children
In the second half of the course we look in depth at how the theory provides insight into one area of language use: for example we might look at figurative use, including metaphor and irony; or at polysemy and lexical modulation.
Learning outcome
After completing this course you will
- be familiar with the intellectual background of pragmatics, in particular Grice’s work on meaning and on conversation
- have extensive knowledge of modern pragmatics, in particular relevance theory`s account of communication
- have deep insight into the distinction between encoded meaning and what is communicated
- have deep insight into the explicit/implicit distinction in communication
- have extensive experience in analysing utterances in the terms of pragmatic theory
- know how pragmatic theory is tested by experimental and developmental work
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Recommended previous knowledge
It will be useful if students have taken ENG2152 – Varieties of English Texts, ENG4152 – Varieties of English Texts, ENG2157 – Semantics and Pragmatics, ENG4157 – Semantics and Pragmatics or an equivalent introductory course on semantics/pragmatics.
Teaching
The course is taught for ten weeks of the semester, with a two hour seminar per week: 20 hours in all.
Activities:
- The written work for the portfolio exam can be submitted as a draft and will be returned to the student with comments. Students then have the opportunity to revise the work before submitting.
- It is obligatory to show up for a minimum of 60% of the teaching. In this course you have to attend 6 of 10 seminars. The requirement is absolute.
The allowed absence limit will cover all absences, including illness. You will not be granted valid absences with documentation, even when the absence is due to something beyond your control.
If the course has in-person teaching, and you are signed up for an in-person seminar group, you are to attend the teaching in the location found in the schedule.
If the course has digital teaching, and you are signed up for a digital seminar group, you must attend via Zoom with your camera on.
In certain circumstances, i.e. serious or chronic illness, you could apply for special needs accomodations.
Fulfilled course requirements are only valid the semester you attend the course.
Examination
By portfolio: Two pieces of written work of 4-6 standard pages each. A standard page consists of 2,300 characters. The papers must be submitted in Inspera.
The grade is based on the portfolio as a whole.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.