REPUBLIC OF PANAMA

UNIVERSIDAD DE PANAMÁ
EXTENSION UNIVERSITARIA DE AGUADULCE
POST ACADEMIC STUDY - DIPLOMADO 2024
GENERAL PERSPECTIVE OF LINGUISTICS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ENGLISH LINGUISTICS – MODULO # 1 ACTIVITY # 3 WEEK 3
PARTICIPANT’S NAME:___________________________ DATE: FROM JUNE 10th TO JUNE 14st 2024

I.D. _______________________ 100 PTS AVERAGE: ______ GRADE:_______

FACILITATOR: OMAR ALEXIS PINZÓN FERNÁNDEZ M.A.

READING ANALYSIS:

Modulo 1: Pragmatics Perspective

PRAGMATICS

STARTER

In this Activity 3 we Will study the following topics:

- Semantics and Pragmatics

- Denotation and Connotation

- Pragmatics: Background and Scope

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In this ACTIVITY we will deal with the study of speaker meaning (pragmatics). A distinction is
to be made between semantics and pragmaticssince both fields are concerned with the study
of meaning, but from different perspectives.

SEMANTICS AND PRAGMATICS

As mentioned earlier, both semantics and pragmatics deal with the study of meaning, but
from different perspectives. Semantics is the study of meaning in language (meaning of
words, phrases and sentences). It is the meaning of words or linguistic expressions in a given
language without reference to the speaker and the situation. Semantics is mainly concerned
with the literal or denotative meaning of words and sentences, which is predicted from
linguistic knowledge (dictionary definition or meaning).

PRAGMATICS, on the other hand, is defined in relation to a particular speaker or

language user and a particular context. It attempts to study the relationship between linguistic
forms and the users of those forms. Pragmatics deals with how speakers use language in
ways which cannot be predicted from linguistic knowledge alone. It is the type of meaning that
depends more on the context or situation and the communicative intentions of the speaker
and the associations made between linguistic forms and situations or contexts (connotative
meaning) rather than on the conceptual (denotative) meaning of words Briefly stated,
pragmatics is the study of speaker meaning or meaning in context.

To end with, semantics is the literal meaning of an-idea whereas pragmatics is the
implied meaning of the given idea.

DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION

When dealing with the study of meaning a distinction is to be made between denotation
and connotation. Denotation, in its simplest and broadest sense, refers to the actual,
conceptual or literal meaning of words as explained in the dictionary. It is the type of meaning
that dictionaries are designed to describe. Connotation, on the other hand, refers to the
associations or connections made between the basic or conceptual meaning and an
additional non-literal or metaphorical meaning. Broadly speaking, it is an-idea suggested by a
word in addition to its main dictionary meaning. It is a kind of inferred meaning; a meaning
that is arrived at depending on the intention of the speaker and the associations or

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connections of ideas between the lexical item and the context in which it is used. Connotation
refers to the wide collection of positive and negative associations that most words naturally
carry with them, whereas denotation is the precise, literal definition of a word that might be
found in the dictionary.

Connotation is the emotions, thoughts, images, and associations attached to a word. It

is what a term or a word implies. It is the emotional and imaginative association surrounding a
word. A set of words could have the same denotation (dictionary definition), but make
different impressions on readers because they have different connotations, or they are used
in a certain way to imply different meanings. Words in language can have positive, negative,
or even neutral connotations. It all depends on the context, how and where the word is used.
Take, for example, the two words finish and terminate, which both have very similar
denotations, but different connotations. Both words denote 'bringing something to an end'. To
finish can have positive connotations: a sense of completion, achievement or
accomplishment (finishing school/university/final exams, crossing the finish line); it can also
have neutral connotations (finishing the laundry/cooking/ washing the dishes); and it can
sometimes have negative connotations: a sense of an eternal end (You’re finished in this
town! = You’ll never work here again/His life finished (died). To terminate really only has
negative connotations: termination implies an eternal end, but does not imply completion or
accomplishment:

1. The agreement was terminated.

2. She decided to terminate her pregnancy.
3. Your contract terminates in October.

Again, we can see that one term is much more extreme than the other, even though
they are very similar. It may happen that a particular lexical item or a word indicates the two
types of meaning; denotation and connotation. A good example in this respect is the word
Hollywood. The strict dictionary meaning of the name Hollywood denotes 'an area of Los
Angeles, worldwide known as the centre of the American movie industry', but connotes many
things such as glitz (quality of being exciting, impressive and very attractive), glamour
(attractiveness and beauty), tinsel (shiny strips for decoration), celebrity (fame), and dreams
of stardom (becoming a famous star: singer/actor).

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PRAGMATICS: BACKGROUND AND SCOPE

Originally, the word pragmatics is derived from Latin pragmaticus from the Greek
pragmatikos, meaning amongst others "fit for action", which comes from pragma, meaning
"deed, act", and prassō, meaning " to practise, to achieve", thus meaning, to practise or
achieve a deed or an action.

The term pragmatics was coined in the 1930s by the American philosopher Charles
William Morris (1901-1979) who was a forerunner in this field. Paul Grice (1913-1988) has
made a significant contribution to the field that he is called the father of pragmatics.
Pragmatics was developed as a subfield of linguistics in the 1970s. Pragmatics or speaker
meaning tries to explore the intended meaning the speaker or writer is after in a particular
situation or context, i.e., it is language in use or in context. “Pragmatics is the study of the
relationships between linguistic forms and the users of those forms”. It tries to explore aspects
of meaning not predictable from linguistic knowledge. Pragmatics is sometimes described as
invisible meaning, i.e., how we recognize what is actually meant even if it isn’t written or said.
In order for us to understand such kind of meaning, we must depend on some shared
knowledge; assumptions and expectations which provide us with insights into how we
understand and interpret what is being actually intended. A good example, in this respect, is a
headline from the Guardian newspaper of May 10, 2002:

Health crisis looms as life expectancy soars

If we study the semantics of the headline (denotative/literal meaning), we may be

puzzled. The word soars is used metaphorically to indicate 'an increase or rise in the average
life-expectancy of the UK population'. Most of us are living longer. So why is this a crisis for
health? Pragmatics supplies the answer. The headline writer assumes that we share his/her
understanding that the crisis looms (appears threatening) not because of the health or
longevity (long life) of the nation, but because of the financial cost to our society incurred
by providing health care for these long-living people. The UK needs to pay more money and
employ more people to provide this care.

In order to get at this interpretation, we must use not only our knowledge of the
meaning of the words in the headline, but also the context in which they occur, and some
assumptions and expectations of what the intended meaning would be in a way that matches
the meaning conveyed by the producer of the headline.
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 Pragmatics not only deals with how listeners or readers arrive at the intended meaning
of the speakers or writers, but also deals with the general principles followed by human
beings when they communicate with one another. Pragmatics deals with how human beings
cooperate efficiently by following certain rules to get at effective communication that depends
on shared knowledge and understanding. In this respect, pragmatics explains how language
users are able to overcome apparent ambiguity, since meaning relies on the manner, place,
time etc. of an utterance. The ability to understand another speaker's intended meaning is
called pragmatic competence.

In this ACTIVITY we have focused on the following topics:

- SEMANTICS is the study of meaning in language (meaning of words, phrases and
sentences).
- SEMANTICS is mainly concerned with the literal or denotative meaning of words
and sentences, which is predicted from linguistic knowledge (dictionary definition).
- PRAGMATICS is the study of meaning in context or speaker meaning.
- PRAGMATICS depends more on the context or situation and the communicative
intentions of the speaker and the associations or connections.
- The American philosopher CHARLES WILLIAM MORRIS was a forerunner in the
field of pragmatics.
- PAUL GRICE is called the father of pragmatics.
- DENOTATION refers to the actual, conceptual or literal meaning of words as
explained in the dictionary.
- CONNOTATION is the emotions, thoughts, images, and connections or
associations attached to a word. It is what a term or a word implies.
- PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE is the ability to understand another speaker's
intended meaning.

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 In this ACTIVITY, we have made a clear distinction between semantics
(denotative meaning) and pragmatics (connotative meaning). The next chapter will
be assigned to basic terms in the study of pragmatics.

In this ACTIVITY # 3 we have.

STUDY SECTION

QUESTIONS

1. Define semantics and pragmatics.

2. Make a clear distinction between the two fields of meaning. Give examples.
3. What is the main difference between denotation and connotation? Give examples.
4. Words in language can have positive, negative, or even neutral connotations. Explain with
examples.
5. It may happen that a particular lexical item or a word indicates the two types of meaning.
denotation and connotation. Explain with reference to the word ‘Hollywood’.
6. Why is pragmatics described as invisible meaning? Explain.
7. When was the word pragmatics used for the first time? By whom?
8. What is meant by pragmatic competence?
EXERCISES

Exercise 1: Point out the connotative (non-literal/associative) meaning of

each of the underlined words, in addition to their denotative (literal) meaning.

1. You have been given the green light.

2. Don’t trust her. She is a snake.
3. He showed her a greasy smile.
4. Make yourself at home.
5. She is just a chick.

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EXERCISE 2: Underline the word with positive connotation in each of the following:
1. skinny, slim, thin

2. aggressive, pushy, forceful

3. thrifty, stingy, economical

4. handicapped, disabled, physically challenged

5. plain, ugly, unattractive

6. pretty, attractive, fair

7. house, home, dwelling place

8. cunning, clever, crafty

EXERCISE 3: Underline the word with negative connotation in each of the following:

1. young woman, chick, immature

2. black, negro, African American

3. crippled, handicapped, differently abled

4. cunning, clever, intelligent

5. protest, demonstration, riot

6. fighter, rebel, terrorist

7. childish, young, youthful

8. conversational, talkative, chatty