SCIENZE UMANISTICHEModern PhilologyAcademic Year 2022/2023

1006420 - PRAGMATICA E COMUNICAZIONE A - Z

Teacher: Giovanna Marina ALFONZETTI

Expected Learning Outcomes

According to the Dublin descriptors, students, at the end of the course, will demonstrate:

1. knowledge and understanding skills such as to reinforce those achieved in the first cycle; ability to elaborate and / or apply original ideas, in a research context.

2. ability to develop the reflection on language as a semiotic system and as an instrument by means of which human beings act and interact; on the relationship between language and context; on the principles and structures of conversation.;

3. ability to understand and analyze the main interactional strategies used by speakers to avoid or create conflict in interaction (verbal politeness and impoliteness);

4. ability to communicate one's knowledge clearly and unambiguously to specialist and non-specialist interlocutors.

5. ability to carry out research autonomously.

 

Course Structure

The course is structured in dialogical and frontal lectures, individual and group exercises, self-evaluative reflections concerning the several contents dealt with.

Required Prerequisites

Basic knowledge in linguistics and sociolinguistics: general theoretical and methodological notions, with particular reference to the Italian situation.

Attendance of Lessons

Lectures attendance is optional

Detailed Course Content

Module A — Introduction to linguistic pragmatics (2 ECTS)

Scope, theoretical principles and methodological approaches. The influence of context on interpretation and the influence of language on context (speech act theory: Austin and Searle). The Cooperation Principle (Grice). Conversation analysis.

 

Module B — Different theories on politeness (4 ECTS)

Normative (conduct books) and strategic theretical models: Brown & Levinson’s Face saving view; the Logic of Politeness (Lakoff) and the Politeness Principle (Leech). Pragmatic analysis of polite speech acts (compliments) and of polite conversation in Italian books of manners (galatei)

Textbook Information

Module A — Introduction to linguistic pragmatics (2 ECTS)

Texts:

- C. Bianchi, Pragmatica del linguaggio, Bari, Laterza, 2003 (170 pp.)

- S. C. Levinson, La struttura della conversazione, in La pragmatica, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1993, pp. 357-453.

 

Module B — Different theories on politeness (4 ECTS)

- G. Alfonzetti, I complimenti nella conversazione, Milano, Editori Riuniti, 2009 (180 pp.).

- G. Alfonzetti, “Mi lasci dire”. La conversazione nei galatei, Roma, Bulzoni, 2017 (250 pp.).

 

The outlines of all lectures will be available on the platform STUDIUM

Course Planning

 SubjectsText References
1Definition and scope of pragmatics Bianchi, Pragmatica del linguaggio and slides    
2the role of context in the interpretation of messageBianchi, Pragmatica del linguaggio and slides 
3performatives and constatives (Austin)Pragmatica del linguaggio andslides 
4locutionary, illocutionary and perlocutionary actsBianchi, Pragmatica del linguaggio  and slides 
5Classification of illocutionary acts (Searle)Bianchi, Pragmatica del linguaggio and slides 
6Conversation analysis Levinson, La struttura della conversazione and slides 
7Grice's Principle of cooperationBianchi, Pragmatica del linguaggio and slides 
8Theories of politenessBianchi e Alfonzetti
9Complients and responsesAlfonzetti, I complimenti nella conversazione
10Principles for a polite conversation Alfonzetti, “Mi lasci dire”. La conversazione nei galatei @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face {font-family:DengXian; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:等线; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610612033 953122042 22 0 262159 0;}@font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-469750017 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}@font-face {font-family:"\@DengXian"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610612033 953122042 22 0 262159 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:DengXian; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}.MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:DengXian; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

There will be a written in-progress  test  concerning the first part (module A), after the end of the lectures relating module A.

It will consist of open questions about topics dealt with in the first module.

Those who have taken and passed the in-progress test will have to answer questions on the module B book, orally, at the time of the final examination.

Those who have not taken the in-progress test must take the final examination for the entire syllabus orally.

For the assessment of the examination, account will be taken of the candidate's command of the content and skills acquired, linguistic accuracy and lexical propriety, as well as his or her ability to argue.

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

Use of the context in interepreting messages

Grice's Principle of Cooperation

Classification of illocutionary acts (Searle)

Definition of deixis

Performative ad constative acts (Austin); direct and indirects linguistic acts;

Locutionary, illocutionary and perlocutionary act;

Conventional and conversational implicatures; presuppositions.

Conversation analysis; System of turn-taking; opening and closing sequences; ; complementary sequences; pre.sequences; repair ststem;

Theoretical models of politeness: Lakoff, Beown and Levinson; Leech)

Definion of compliments; compliment repsonses; modulation in complimnet-response sequences;

Conversation in books og manners: mamagement of conversation;verbal and  non-verbal communication: selection od code; topics; listener's behaviour.

Versione in italiano