Download Context and culture

CONTEXT AND CULTURE
DO YOU REMEMBER THIS?
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Hymes suggests that in order to be able to
communicate language, a person should acquire
four types of knowledge:
Possibility
Feasibility
Appropriateness
attestedness
CONTEXT AND CULTURE
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Hymes has led the study of language in a
different direction. His theory views language
analysis through the account of other factors
other than the words themselves.
These factors are many. All of the following
might be involved in interpreting a real
encounter:
Tone of voice and facial expression; the relationship
between speakers; their age, sex, and social status; the
time and place; and the degree to which speakers do or do
not share same cultural background.
CONTEXT AND CULTURE
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All the previous factors are known as context,
and they are all relevant to whether a particular
action or utterance is appropriate.
SYSTEMIZING CONTEXT: DISCOURSE
ANALYSIS
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Linguists has claimed that the meaning of
language in context is so messy and subjective
that it is beyond the reach of systematic enquiry.
However, in order to systemize this area of
language, applied linguistics developed
discourse analysis (the study of how stretches
of language in context are perceived as
meaningful and unified by their users).
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
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There are three areas of study that contribute to
the field of discourse analysis:
Paralanguage
 Pragmatics
 genres
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PARALANGUAGE
PARALANGUAGE
Any meaningful nonlinguistic behavior which
accompanies linguistic communication, e.g.
gestures and intonation in speech, or pictures
and font in writing
 Example:
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Gestures in an interview
PARALANGUAGE
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Convincing research suggests that paralinguistic
messages can outweigh linguistic ones, especially
in establishing and maintaining relationships.
For this reason, understanding of paralanguage
is relevant in any professional activity involved
with effective communication, or developing
effective communication in others, such as media
training, speech therapy, and language teaching.
WHAT ABOUT WRITING?
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Writing has paralanguage too.
Words can be scribbled, printed, or painted, and
their meaning can be amplified or altered by
layout, accompanying pictures, and diagrams.
WHAT IF WE HAVE A MIX?
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At this time where technology is used to mix
writing with visual effects in ways which can be
altering fundamentally the nature and process of
communication, there is a pressing need to
integrate the findings of the role of speech
(psychology) and the role of writing (typography).
The study of visual communication and
computer-mediated communication are growing
areas in applied linguistics.
PRAGMATICS
PRAGMATICS
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Pragmatics:
is the discipline which studies the knowledge
and procedures which enables people to
understand each other’s words. Its main concern
is not the literal meaning, but what speakers
intend to do with their words.
EXAMPLE
How are you?
 In language it is an interrogative sentence;
taking literally it asks about someone’s health.
 However. It can be answered differently
depending on the context
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‘Mind your own business’
 ‘don’t make me sick’
 ‘Deeply depressed’
 ‘Thanks be to God’
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GENRES
GENRES
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Meaning also changes with the kind of
communicative even which words belong to.
Example:
 Describe a person according to the following
situation.
Gossiping about that person
 Writing a job reference
 Introducing him/her to a friend
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GENRES
Genres is a term defined by the applied linguist
John Swales as a class of communicative events
which share some set of communicative purposes.
 Examples
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Conversations
Consultations
Lessons
E-mails
News bulletins
Stories
Jokes
COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
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In conclusion, all these elements of discourseinterpreting paralanguage, understanding
pragmatic intention, and distinguishing different
genres- are part of a person’s communicative
competence.