Language and Discourse: A Comprehensive Review of Key Concepts
Review of Linguistic Concepts: Language and Discourse (2008-2009)
Name:
1. According to some authors:
- Text is: a theoretical unity, abstract
- Discourse is: practical implementation (oral or written)
And their boundaries are those that are given by the speaker’s intention.
2. What are the characteristics of a text? Sense, completeness, and consistency.
3. What is the fundamental difference between cohesion and coherence?
- Cohesion is a textual feature that refers to the links and connections that exist within a text.
- Coherence is a feature of the interpretation that each person makes of a text, ensuring that things fit together properly. It relates to the context (relevance in terms of intent and purpose) as well as the overall structure.
4. We can classify the different types of texts:
- Descriptive
- Narrative
- Expository
- Argumentative
- Instructive
- Predictive
- Conversational
- Rhetorical
5. The textual or discursive competence consists of:
The ability to understand and produce countless types of texts, with a purpose and appropriate to a context.
6. According to the theory of speech acts by Austin, there are two types of expressions:
- Performative acts
- Constative acts
And by the same author, in any articulation, there are three types of acts:
- Locutionary act
- Illocutionary act
- Perlocutionary act
Give an example of these three dimensions based on the model of Manacorda Rosetti (p.97, reading Hernandez Aguiar and discussed in class):
- It’s hot. Take the glasses (locution)
- Recommend (illocution)
- Take the glasses (perlocution)
7. The notion of”implicatur” has to do with the meaning…
Here we can use the definition from Aguiar’s reading:
The notion of implicature has to do with the meaning we produce or receive while using language that is not in the literal (word for word) in our emissions. What we mean is, in part, based on what we say and, in part, on how we say it. Implicatures are context-sensitive.
It means that in conversation, we understand things not expressly said thanks to a kind of cooperation based on rules.
8. Give an example of an indirect speech act and a direct one appropriate to this situation: Imagine you’re on the subway during rush hour and someone is fixing his backpack on your face.
Indirect: Would you be so kind as to deviate a little? (It is a question with which it is not clear purpose or intention of the speaker, who knows what the original intention is)
It’s annoying the passengers with his backpack (as in the previous case, it is not clear intention)
Direct: Please detach the bag from my face (clearly specify what is expected of the listener)
Move from my side! (also specify what you want the listener to do, but do not specify the reason)
9. What kind of inference is made to interpret the following sentences?
- Waiter: The fillet of the 12 he wants without going over.
- Doctor: You have to sign the discharge from the 213th heart.
To explain the inferences, we need to discover or ask what is strange from the point of view of a logical and rational utterance. Most have explained that the”wron” is the”1″. But then there is nothing improper in the use. Instead of saying”table number 1″, the waiter says”1″. In the second case, it is the same. The doctor does not say”room number 1″; he says”21″. It is not wrong.
Most of you have focused on that”cut phras” which is perfectly normal.
What is strange and illogical?
- Member something like a steak without passing. Are steaks [+ animate]? No. You can’t eat them. That’s strange, what strange logic. This obliges us to make an inference. Anyone not in the context, can understand something. Only other waiters understand that:”If steak is the name of a dish, then it can be used to refer to customers who have ordered this dish, in the context of a restaurant”
- Member to sign a stroke is high. Do infarcts have the feature [+ animate]? No. They are living beings who are getting sick. That is strange logically weird. This obliges us to make an inference. Anyone not in the context can understand something. Only other doctors understand that:”If infarction is the name of a clinical disorder, then it can be used to refer to the person suffering from this disorder in a health context.
10. What is an obvious presupposition that the speaker does by issuing the following statements: Why did you leave the party?”Your sister is gorgeous.
The listener’s sister was at the party.
11. What does the concept of”linguistic communit” /”speech communit” or”community of linguistic practice” refer to? (V. Aguiar)
The three expressions refer to the same concept. A language community is a group of individuals sharing a set of rules and expectations regarding the use of language.
12. What are three types of varieties that have been identified in sociolinguistic studies? (Name and define) (V. Aguiar, notes)
- Diachronic: Regional linguistic variation with certain grammatical features, vocabulary, and pronunciation (cf. dialect, dialectology)
- Diastratic: Language varieties associated with social class wings (cf. sociolect, sociolinguistics)
- Diaphasic: Variety or dialect of a particular speaker’s staff (idiolect).
13. What do you associate the concept of”language bia” with? (V. Aguiar)
It has to do with the tendency that people have to take the speech of others as a source of information on the social characteristics of others and also as an evaluation criterion, favorable or unfavorable.
14. What do we mean by register?
A register is a conventional way of using language that is appropriate in a particular context, in relation to a particular occupation or when discussing a particular issue. For example, legal registration, which has its own characteristic jargon.
Review of Linguistic Concepts: Syntax and Semantics
2. Underline the core of the following phrases and indicate what class they are:
- A Japanese vase SN
- Those two horrible pictures SN
- Fairly satisfied SADJ
- From the origins of Earth PREP + NP (PREP: From; core SN: Origins)
- Far from my home PADV
- I’m eating lots of potatoes SV
3. Construct sentences with the following structures:
- NP + VP NP: The boy bought a book.
- SN + SV: Sadja workers seem happy.
- NP + VP + Sadja PADV: Mothers are always very tired.
- NP + VP + PADV Sadja: Students always look tired.
4. Separate the immediate constituents of the sentences and identify their respective core:
- Localized its voice among the noises of the street
- NP subject (He)
- Predicate SV localized its voice among the noises of the street
- I bought this book to Michael
- SN Subject (I)
- SV Predicate I bought this book to Miguel
6. Identify the semantic roles that are marked in these sentences:
- My father drove the car to Madrid AGENT
- These students are writing their final essay SUBJECT / THEME / PATIENT
- Elisa dedicated his performance to his father BENEFICIARY
- His father felt a great emotion EXPERIENCER
7. Which of the following statements are true?
- Jewish is a hyponym of vegetables V
- Vertebrate is a hyponym of dog F
Use your foot to build partial answers for vocabulary sections involved.
Verduravertebrado
Perrogato chard JudíaLechuga lion
8. What semantic feature is shared by each of these sets of words?
- bed / table / comfortable / [+ furniture] [+ house]
- slate / gun / desk / [+ object] [+ school]
9. Analyze the degree of falsity of this statement and explains why:
a) Mary divided the room air Air [-count]
Divide implies objects [+ count]
10. Explain the relationship of meaning of these pairs:
- Live-dead opposites / antonyms reverse complementary binary
- Sign-out opposites / antonyms reverse
11. Explain the relationship established by these pairs in Spanish:
- Tube / had stopped / dropped homophones
- bank (1. back seat …[…] 8. Massif mineral … […] 10. As a public …) (DRAE 1992) homonymy (different meaning and different story)