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Chapters 8-9
The Use of English
I. Decide whether each of the following
statements is True or False.
1. Both semantics and
pragmatics study how speakers of a language use
sentences
to effect successful
communication.F
2. Pragmatics treats the meaning of
language as something intrinsic and inherent. F
3. It would be
impossible to give an adequate description of
meaning if the context
of language use
was left unconsidered.T
4. What essentially distinguishes
semantics and pragmatics is whether in the study
of meaning the context of use is
considered.T
5.
The major difference between a sentence and an
utterance is that a sentence is
not
uttered while an utterance is.F
6. The meaning of a
sentence is abstract, but context-dependent. F
7. The meaning
of an utterance is decontextualized, therefore
stable.F
8.
Utterances always take the form of complete
sentences.F
9.
Speech act theory was originated with the British
philosopher John Searle.F
10. Speech act theory started in the
late 50
?
s of the
20
th
century.T
11. Austin made the
distinction between a constative and a
performative,T
12. Perlocutionary act is the act of
expressing the speaker
?
s
intention.F
II.
Fill
in
each
blank
below
with
one
word
which
begins
with
the
letter
given.
1.
P
_RAGMATICS_________
is
the
study
of
how
speakers
of
a
language
use
sentences to effect successful
communication.
2. What essentially distinguishes
s_emantics_______ and pragmatics is whether in
the study of meaning the context of use
is considered.
3. The notion of c__ontext______ is
essential to the pragmatic study of language.
4.
If
we
think
of
a
sentence
as
what
people
actually
utter
in
the
course
of
communication, it becomes an
utterance__________.
5. The meaning of a
sentence is a__bstract_______, and
decontexualized.
6.
C_onstative________
were
statements
that
either
state
or
describe,
and
were
thus verifiable.
7.
P_erformatives_________ were sentences that did
not state a fact of describe a
state,
and were not verifiable.
8. A l_ocutionary________
act is the act of uttering words, phrases,
clauses. It is
the act fo conveying
literal meaning by means of syntax, lexicon and
phonology.
9. An i_llocutionary_______act is the
act of expressing the
speaker
?
s intention; it
is the act performed in saying
something.
10. A c_ommisive_______ is commit the
speaker himself to some future course of
action.
11. An
e_xpressive_______is to
express
feelings
or attitude towards
an
existing
state.
1
12.
There
are
four
maxims
under
the
cooperative
principle:
the
maxim
of
quantity_____, the maxim of quality,
the maxim of relation and the maxim of
manner.
III. Multiple Choice
1. ____A__________ does not study
meaning in isolation, but in context.
A. Pragmatics
B. Semantics
C. Sense relation
D. Concept
2. The meaning of language was
considered as
something _C_______ in
traditional
semantics.
A. contextual
B. behavioristic
C. intrinsic
D. logical
3.
What essentially distinguishes semantics and
pragmatics is whether in the study of
meaning ____D_____ is considered.
A. reference
B. speech act
C. practical usage
D. context
4. A sentence is
a___B______ concept, and the meaning of a sentence
is often studied
in isolation.
A. pragmatic
B. grammatical
C. mental
D. conceptual
5.
If
we
think
of
a
sentence
as
what
people
actually
utter
in
the
course
of
communication, it becomes a(n)
___C_____.
A.
constative
B. directive
C. utterance
D. expressive
6. Which of
the following is true?B
A. Utterances usually do not take the
form of sentences.
B. Some utterances cannot be restored
to complete sentences.
C. No utterances can take the form of
sentences.
D.
All utterances can be restored to complete
sentences.
7. Speech act theory did not
come into being until ___A______.
A. in the late
50
?
s of the
20
th
century
B. in the early
1950
?
s
C. in the late
1960
?
s
D.
in the early 21
st
century.
8. ______C____ is the act performed by
or restulting from saying something; it is the
consequence of, or the change brought
about by the utterance.
A. A locutionary act
B.
An illocutioary act
C. A perlocutionary act
D. A performative act
9.
According to Searle, the Illocutionary point of
the representative is ___B______.
A. to get the hearer to do
something
B. to
commit the speaker to something
?
s being the case
C. to commit
the speaker to some future course of action
D. to express
the feelings or attitude towards an existing state
of affairs.
10.
All
the
acts
that
belong
to
the
same
category
share
the
same
purpose,
but
they
differ ___C_______.
A. in their illocutionary
acts.
B. in their
intentions expressed
C. in their strength or force
D. in their
effect brought about
11. __A______ is
advanced by Paul Grice
A. Cooperative Principle
B.
Politeness Principle
C. The General Principle of Universa
Grammar
D.
Adjacency Principle
12. When any of the
maxims under the cooperative principle is flouted,
___D_____
might arise.
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