Pragmatics and Discourse - OPNA4A021A
Title: Pragmatika
Guaranteed by: Katedra anglického jazyka a literatury (41-KAJL)
Faculty: Faculty of Education
Actual: from 2021
Semester: summer
E-Credits: 3
Examination process: summer s.:
Hours per week, examination: summer s.:1/1, C+Ex [HT]
Extent per academic year: 0 [hours]
Capacity: 42 / 126 (unknown)
Min. number of students: unlimited
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
State of the course: taught
Language: English
Teaching methods: full-time
Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan
enabled for web enrollment
priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
Guarantor: doc. PhDr. Renata Pípalová, CSc.
Teacher(s): doc. PhDr. Renata Pípalová, CSc.
Pre-requisite : OPNA4A011A
Is incompatible with: OKNZ1A047B, OPNZ1A047B
Is pre-requisite for: OPNA4A035B, OPNA4A041A, OPNA4A042A
Opinion survey results   Examination dates   Noticeboard   
Annotation -
The module develops the knowledge and skills gained in the prerequisites and induces deeper understanding of a comprehensive communicative frame, setting the speech event in diverse broader contextual parameters. The course addresses chiefly the core topics of pragmatic analysis, including various approaches to conversation and discourse analysis. Topics: 1. Introduction. Basic concepts 2. Conspicuous features of spoken discourse 3. Approaches to conversation 1 4. Approaches to conversation 2 5. Pragmatic (and semantic) presuppositions 6. Speech acts 7. Pragmatic principles 1 8. Pragmatic principles 2 9. Deixis 10. Review; comprehensive analysis of a sample
Last update: Pípalová Renata, doc. PhDr., CSc. (31.01.2025)
Aim of the course -

The objective of this course is to familiarise students with the foundations of English Pragmatics and discourse analysis, to show to them which principles and devices people (mis)use to achieve their communicative objectives in distinct social settings and conversely, how diverse discourse factors interact and affect the appropriate choice of principles and language means, to make them uncover a range of implicit meanings, and to facilitate their deeper understanding of the practical impact of these topics for their own communication and teaching.

Last update: Pípalová Renata, doc. PhDr., CSc. (31.01.2025)
Descriptors -

self-study of literature (10 hours),

working with study materials (7 hours),

seminar paper (10 hours),

preparation for the credit (10 hours),

preparation for the exam and the exam (20 hours)

Last update: Pípalová Renata, doc. PhDr., CSc. (31.01.2025)
Course completion requirements -

CREDIT Students are entitled to a credit based on their regular active attendance in seminars (two seminars may be missed), and based on their share in their group presentation and its succinct written synopsis (turned in in hard copy by the last seminar).

MINITEST The compensation lecture at 7:15 will include optional motivating minitesting. The minitest features voluntary theoretical or practical-analytical tasks on material covered up in the course until the particular date. The overall results in the minitest adds to the profile of the student´s work over the semester. For each excellent result in a minitest (100%), the student gains 2 pts by which their overall exam result will be boosted. For 65-95% scores in minitests the student gains one extra point.

GROUP PRESENTATION. Option A. Students compare two practical English course-   books from the standpoint of their didactic transformation of one of the syllabus topics and provide relevant arguments. Option B. Students summarise, compare and critically evaluate two pragmatic studies dealing with the same/similar topic/s. A short written synopsis of the presentation is turned in in hard copy by the last seminar.

EXAM. A student may take the written exam as long as they completed successfully all the seminar requirements (adequate attendance, active participation in seminars, and taking part in a group presentations and its written synopsis).

The exam is written and is designed to verify factual theoretical knowledge and practical-analytical skills gained in Pragmatics and Discourse and its prerequisite, i.e., Text Linguistics and Stylistics. It consists of two parts of equal value (max 30pts each), both held on the same day. However, the success in the theoretical part (a minimum of 15pts, i.e., 50%) represents a prerequisite for taking the practical (analytical) part. Therefore, failure in the theoretical part (less than 15pts) means the student failed all the exam and has to resit it. For a pass the minimum requirement is set at 40pts/60pts. During the exam period each student may sit the exam three times. If they choose not to sign up for the exam dates registered in the SIS, they will not be offered any extra dates later in the exam period.

The theoretical part verifies the student´s theoretical familiarity with the terms, concepts and issues covered in the course and its prerequisite. The practical-analytical part represents a structured comprehensive analysis of an unfamiliar sample from the standpoint of the topics covered in the course and its prerequisite. In both parts, the student´s proficiency and formulation skills impact the overall assessment.

In overall borderline results the students take also an oral exam which is either theoretical or practical, based on the weaker part of their written exam.

FEEDBACK Feedback on all written work throughout the course is provided to students on their own initiative (by email) in office time.

Note: Students can seek explanation of topics in office hours during the teaching period (not during the exam period). Familiarity with relevant secondary sources is taked for granted.

 

 

 

Last update: Pípalová Renata, doc. PhDr., CSc. (01.02.2025)
Literature -

BIRNER, Betty. Introduction to Pragmatics. Malden, Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013. ISBN 978-1405175838.

BROWN, Penelope, LEVINSON, Stephen C. Politeness. Some Universals of Language Usage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987. ISBN 978-0521313551

LEECH, Geoffrey. Principles of Pragmatics. London: Longman, 1983. ISBN 0-582-55110-2.

HIRSCHOVÁ, Milada. Pragmatika v češtině. 2.vydání. Praha: Karolinum, 2013. ISBN 978-80-246-2233-0.

MACHOVÁ, Svatava, ŠVEHLOVÁ, Milena. Sémantika & pragmatická lingvistika. Praha: Univerzita Karlova, PEDF. 2001. ISBN 80-7290-061-7.

PALTRIDGE, Brian. Discourse Analysis: An Introduction. 2nd ed. London: Blomsbury Academic, 2012. ISBN 978-1441167620

TSUI, Amy. English Conversation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994. ISBN 0194371433.

WIDDOWSON, Henry G. Discourse analysis. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2007. ISBN 978 O 19 4389211

WOOFITT, Robin. Conversation Analysis and Discourse Analysis. London: Sage. 2005. ISBN 0-7619-7426-1.

YULE, George. Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. 978-0194372077

Last update: Pípalová Renata, doc. PhDr., CSc. (31.01.2025)
Requirements to the exam -

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Regular attendance (up to two seminars may be missed)

Active participation is seminar activities

Regular reading of secondary sources and self-study

Share in group presentation and its succinct written synopsis (approx. 2 pages, turned in by the last seminar in hard copy)

Last update: Pípalová Renata, doc. PhDr., CSc. (01.02.2025)
Syllabus

PRAGMATICS AND DISCOURSE SS 2025 – SYLLABUS

Notation:

RL – regular lecture (8:00-8:45)

CL – compensation lecture (for the teaching practice) (7:15-8:00)

RS – regular seminar 8:55-9:40 / 9:50-10:35

CS – compensation seminar (for the teaching practice) (7:15-8:00)

(Note: underlined readings are mandatory)

 

1.27/2/25 (CL): Introduction to Pragmatics; Written and Spoken Discourse. Features of Orality and Literacy.  

READING: Yule/1; moodle PRAG 1.1; PRAG 1.2; PRAG 1.3;

(RL +RS) Selected Approaches to Conversation I.

READING moodle PRAG 2.1; PRAG 2.2; PRAG 2.3;  

 

2.6/3/25 (CS): Course organization and requirements; Written and Spoken Discourse. Features of Orality and Literacy.

(RL+RS): Selected Approaches to Conversation II.; Presuppositions;

READING: Yule/ 4; Tsui; moodle PRAG 2.4; PRAG 3.1;

 

3.13/3/25 (CL): (Minitest); Deixis

READING: PRAG. 7.1; PRAG.7.2; PRAG.7.3;

(RL + RS): Speech Acts

READING: moodle PRAG 4.1; PRAG 4.2;

 

17/3-17/4/25 (Teaching Practice: No lessons during this perions – CLs, CSs instead)

 

4. 24/4/25 (CL + RS): Cooperative Principle and Related Issues

READING Yule/5; moodle PRAG. 5.1

(RL) (Mis)Communication and Manipulation

READING: moodle: PRAG. 5.2; PRAG.5.3; PRAG 6.3;

 

1&8/5/25 Missed classes (Bank holidays) Self-study: Irony, Banter and Other Pragmatic Principles

READING: moodle PRAG 6.2.;

 

5.15/5/25 (CS) Other Pragmatic Principles/ (Mis)Comunication and Manipulation  

READING: moodle PRAG 6.3;

(RL+ RS): Approaches to Politeness. Politeness Principle 

READING: moodle PRAG 6.1; PRAG 6.2; PRAG 6.3

 

6.16/5/25 (CL + CS Online) 16-17:30 18-18:45: Group Project Presentations (+ Review)

Last update: Pípalová Renata, doc. PhDr., CSc. (31.01.2025)
Learning outcomes -

Introduction to Pragmatics: Students can summarise and interpret relevant secondary sources; Students can describe the position of Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis among linguistic disciplines. They can define their crucial terms and concepts and apply them when analysing  authentic samples of discourse. Students can discuss the implications for discourse comprehension and production, and for the teaching practice, and can give relevant arguments.

 

Written and Spoken Discourse. Features of Orality and Literacy: Students can summarise and interpret relevant secondary sources; Students can trace typical features of orality and literacy in unfamiliar samples and justify their choice. Students can discuss the implications for discourse comprehension and production, and for the teaching practice, and can give relevant arguments.

 

Selected Approaches to Conversation I, II: Students can summarise and interpret relevant secondary sources; Students can characterise selected approaches to conversation and compare them in terms of similarities and differences. Students can analyse the samples independently from the standpoint of selected approaches to conversation. When analysing the samples, they can apply the theoretical terms and notions Students can discuss the implications for discourse comprehension and production, and for the teaching practice, and can give relevant arguments.

 

Presuppositions: Students can summarise and interpret relevant secondary sources; Students can characterise, classify and compare semantic and pragmatic presuppositions. They can trace suitable instances of presuppositions in an authentic sample and classify them using several criteria. Students can integrate pragmatic prosuppositions with the Birmingham school approach to conversation. Students can interpret diverse implicit meanings. Students can discuss the implications for discourse comprehension and production, and for the teaching practice, and can give relevant arguments.

 

Deixis: Students can summarise and interpret relevant secondary sources; Students can detect suitable specimens of deixis in an unfamiliar sample, classify them using several parameters and explain their contextual use. Students can discuss the implications for discourse comprehension and production, and for the teaching practice, and can give relevant arguments.

 

Speech Acts: Students can summarise and interpret relevant secondary sources; Students can detect a variety of speech acts in an unfamiliar sample, classify them and describe them using several parameters. They can interpret diverse implicit meanings conveyed with reference to relevant contextual features. Students can compare alternative formulations of the communicative intent in view of their contextual appropriateness. They can explain their claims. Students can discuss the implications for discourse comprehension and production, and for the teaching practice, and can give relevant arguments.

 

Cooperative Principle and Related Issues: Students can summarise and interpret relevant secondary sources; Students can enumerate the maxims of the Cooperative Principle and characterise them. They can trace instances of the observance as well as non-observance of these maxims and explain their findings. Students can interpret the implicatures appropriately. Students can discuss the implications for discourse comprehension and production, and for the teaching practice, and can give relevant arguments.

 

(Mis)Communication and Manipulation: Students can summarise and interpret relevant secondary sources; Students can describe cooperative and manipulative features of a discourse. They can characterise an unfamiliar sample in terms of their cooperative or manipulative nature. They can classify the manipulative features they detected and explain their findings. Students can discuss the implications for discourse comprehension and production, and for the teaching practice, and can give relevant arguments.

 

Approaches to Politeness. Politeness Principle: Students can summarise and interpret relevant secondary sources; Students can enumerate the maxims of the Politeness Principle and characterise them, Students can trace relevant passages in unfamiliar samples and justify their findings. They can also compare the samples from the viewpoint of positive and negative politeness, identify suitable passages and explain the differences. Students can discuss the implications for discourse comprehension and production, and for the teaching practice, and can give relevant arguments.

 

Irony, Banter and Other Pragmatic Principles: Students can summarise and interpret relevant secondary sources; Students can detect examples of of diverse pragmatic principles in authentic discourse samples, they can classify them and interpret them adequately. Students can discuss the implications for discourse comprehension and production, and for the teaching practice, and can give relevant arguments.

 

Student Group Presentations: Students can select and read independently two studies dealing with one topic of the sylabus, they can compare them critically and review them; or: students can select independently two textbooks of English, they can compare them from the standpoint of their didactic application of a single sylabus topic, assess them critically and can produce relevant arguments; Subsequently formulate in a succinct synopsis of their presentation in writing.

 

 

 

Last update: Pípalová Renata, doc. PhDr., CSc. (31.01.2025)