We will explore the ways in which information is communicated in conversation. We will consider systematic ways in which what a speaker intends to communicate with language goes beyond what one says in conversation. The goal of the course is to investigate the ways in which speakers rely on knowledge of language and implicit “rules” to enrich and transform the literal content of someone’s utterance. Students will familiarize themselves with some fundamental concepts in linguistic semantics and pragmatics. They will develop analytic skills necessary to analyze a text in an academic context and beyond.
We will explore the ways in which information is communicated in conversation. We will consider systematic ways in which what a speaker intends to communicate with language goes beyond what one says in conversation. The goal of the course is to investigate the ways in which speakers rely on knowledge of language and implicit “rules” to enrich and transform the literal content of someone’s utterance. Students will familiarize themselves with some fundamental concepts in linguistic semantics and pragmatics. They will develop analytic skills necessary to analyze a text in an academic context and beyond.
