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practice-assignment 4

The document contains a series of exercises focused on semantics and pragmatics, specifically addressing noun phrases, referring expressions, and deictic terms. It includes tasks for identifying and explaining various linguistic concepts, such as generic sentences, concrete and abstract references, and specific versus non-specific references. The exercises aim to enhance understanding of how language functions in context and the nuances of meaning in communication.

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Hichou
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20 views

practice-assignment 4

The document contains a series of exercises focused on semantics and pragmatics, specifically addressing noun phrases, referring expressions, and deictic terms. It includes tasks for identifying and explaining various linguistic concepts, such as generic sentences, concrete and abstract references, and specific versus non-specific references. The exercises aim to enhance understanding of how language functions in context and the nuances of meaning in communication.

Uploaded by

Hichou
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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UM5-FLSH- RABAT Prof.

BELGHITI
S6- SEMANTICS & PRAGMATICS
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH STUDIES

PRACTICE/ASSIGNMENTS 4

E.x. 1 For the sentences below decide whether the italicized noun phrases are referring expressions or not,
and explain why (or why not). If the sentence is ambiguous explain why it is ambiguous.

His father married a dancer


John wants to marry a dancer
The whale is the largest mammal
The man who shot Kennedy was Lee Harvey Oswald

E.x. 2. Are the following generic sentences?

(1) Gentlemen prefer blondes

(2) Jasper is a fool

(3) The male of the species guards the eggs

(4) A wasp makes its nest in a hole in a tree

(5) A wasp just stung me on the neck


E.x. 3.
(1) Take the utterance‘If any one makes too much noise,you have my permission to strangle him’. On hearing
this, could the hearer be expected to identify the referent of him? Yes / No
(2) In the utterance just mentioned, is him semantically definite? Yes/No
(3) Which particular donkey does it refer to in Every man who owns a donkey beats it?
..........................................................................................................................
(4) Is it in Every man who owns a donkey beats it semantically definite? Yes / No

E.x. 4.Are the following referring expressions?


1.a Moroccan, used in ‘He is looking for a Moroccan’
2.a Moroccan, used in ‘He wants to hire a Moroccan’
3.Ahmed in ‘Ahmed is my colleague’
4.She in ‘she’s a nice lady, said by a wife to her husband in a conversation about their neighbor
5.He in‘If anyone ever marries Nancy,he’s in for a bad time’
6.the person who did this in ‘The person who did this must be insane’, spoken by someone on discovering a
brutally mutilated corpse, where the speaker has no idea who committed the crime
7.Smith’s murderer in‘Smith’s murderer must be insane’,uttered in circumstances like the above, where the
corpse is Smith’s

E.x. 5. The following occur in expressions with concrete reference and in expressions that have abstract
reference. For each noun give an example of each kind of reference. Is there also a difference of countability?

representation personality

E.x. 6. Are the following words deictic? (1) here (2) Wednesday (3) place (4) today (5) you

E.x. 7. Use an utterance of your own to report each of the following utterances from a vantage point distant in
time and space, changing all the deictic terms to preserve the correct relationships with the situation of the
original utterance. Assume that John was speaking to you in each case.
(1) John:‘I don’t live in this house anymore’
(2) John:‘I need your help right now’
(3) John:‘Why wouldn’t you come to London with me yesterday?’
UM5-FLSH- RABAT Prof. BELGHITI
S6- SEMANTICS & PRAGMATICS
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH STUDIES

E.x. 8. Identify all the deictic expressions in the following sentences and be able to explain why they are deictic.
a You noticed me standing there
b This book was written by that author over there
c Now we have to make plans for next week ?

E.x. 9. Which of the underlined expressions have specific reference and which do not?
1 Somebody telephoned and left a message for you.
2 I hope somebody will tidy up this file cabinet
3 The last person to leave the office should lock the door.
4 A stitch in time saves nine.

E.x. 10.What do the underlined words refer to?


1 Pete promised me a souvenir from Paris but I never got it.
2 Pete promised me a souvenir from Paris but I never got one.
3 Frances asked Shirley to lend her some money.
4 Frances promised Shirley to lend her some money.
5 The police arrested several demonstrators because they were destroying property.
6 The police arrested several demonstrators because they felt the demonstration was getting violent.

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