scholarly journals The pragmatic functions and the interpretations of the particle ‘taha’ (τάχα) in classroom discourse in the Cypriot-Greek dialect: the emergence of a new function

Author(s):  
Fotini Efthimiou

This paper aims to present the pragmatic functions and the interpretations of ‘taha’ (τάχα) (a very commonly used particle in oral Cypriot-Greek interactions) as it is used in classroom discourse. The present study collected and analysed data from a three hour recording of the participants’ speech, and isolated 32 critical episodes that included ‘taha’. Students were also asked to note the functions of ‘taha’ through the use of a questionnaire, and to interpret its functions through a discussion. Following the pragmatic analysis proposed by Tsiplakou and Papapetrou (2020), the current research concluded that the basic meaning of ‘taha’ (‘supposedly/allegedly’) may perform several pragmatic functions, depending on the context. Among others, ‘taha’ functions as a pragmatic marker of (1) dissociation from the associated implicatures, (2) dissociation from the propositional content, (3) request for clarifications, and (4) a hedging device. In addition, ‘taha’ sometimes works as a pragmatic marker of emphasis to the propositional content, a function that has not been reported in the bibliography so far.

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murdhy R. Al-Shamari

<p>The ultimate goal of this paper is to investigate the pragmatic use of the particle ʁadɪ in Najdi Arabic. To do just this, both Grice’s Theory of Conversation and the Relevance Theory (RT) are used. In addition to indicating the speaker’s personal certainty of his/her utterance, ʁadɪ is assumed to encode the speaker’s lack of positive evidence to confirm the propositional content of his/her utterance, nonetheless. For Grice, ʁadɪ generates an implicature due to flouting the maxim of Quality ‘Try to make your contribution one that is true’. As a result, the hearer does not repose the speaker’s confidence of his/her utterance. Differently, for RT, ʁadɪ manifests a procedural meaning. This type of meaning guides the hearer not to rely heavily on the speaker’s own certainty which is, in principle, driven by anecdotal (nor conclusive) evidence. Additionally, this paper concludes that ʁadɪ fares better within the general framework of RT which provides a more robust account of its semantic import and pragmatic usage.</p>


1996 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara A. Gomes ◽  
Laura Martin

ABSTRACTClose examination of a segment of classroom discourse permits definition of a set of linguistic devices and rhetorical structures that characterize the primary speaker's repertoire. As the discourse moves from dialog to monolog, and the teacher's roles and ideological assumptions come into conflict, these discourse patterns are seen to reveal the shifting contexts of talk and social personae that the teacher must use language to reconcile. The analysis claims that, under such conditions of discourse stress, opposing contexts can be temporarily harmonized through discourse structure, even though propositional content is contradictory. (Linguistic anthropology, education, coherence, discourse analysis)


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 233-246
Author(s):  
Mojca Medvedšek ◽  
Blažka Müller Pograjc

This article aims to present the characteristics and functioning of the illocutionary acts in the tragedy A Castro by António Ferreira (1528-1569), which are marked as a series of decisions, expressed as predictions of the speaker (the protagonist, Pedro Infante) belonging to the sphere of the future. This future is known, historically proven and represents one of the most astonishing chapters of Portuguese history as well as of literary production. The study focuses on the final monologue of the Act V of the tragedy, which presents a strong dramatic potential, analysing the two sequences of the monologue and highlighting different types of illocutionary acts (Searle, 1979; Gouveia, 1996; Atienza, 2005). The authors pay special attention to the relation of the speaker towards the propositional content and the pragmatic features of the linguistic means, used to persuade the receiver that the speaker’s intentions are firm, certain, and orientated to the future, although not realized within the dramatic time of tragedy.


2016 ◽  
pp. 545
Author(s):  
Razzaq Nayif Mukheef ◽  
Ibtihal Abdul-Aziz Yousif
Keyword(s):  

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jupriaman Jupriaman ◽  
Sri Minda Murni

The objectives of this study were to describe the classroom discourse structure, to describe how the classroom discourse is realized by teacher and students and the reasons for the realizations of the ways they are. The source of the data was English teacher and the students while the data are verbal and non verbal utterances of students and teachers. The instruments for collecting data were video tape recorder and researcher’s field note. The data were collected by observing and recording the utterances uttered by the teacher and students. The findings showed that the classroom discourse structures were dominantly realized by Initiation and Response (IR) structure. It was reflected in teacher direct, elicit and information exchanges was found that the classroom discourse structures. The other exchanges occur are boundary (framing and focusing move), directive, informing, check, accept, react, reply, nomination, marker, bid and conclusion acts. The reasons why the realization as the ways they are (1) teacher as a centre of interaction, (2) teacher gives some questions without any caring to the evaluation, appreciation and feedback without any feedback to make dialogue, (3) students have been disciplined not to speak in classes without a teacher’s direction, and most of them are unwilling to speak English.   Keywords: Classroom Discourse Structures, Initiation and Response, Sinclair and Coulthard Theory


TABULARASA ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lasyuli Simbolon

This article examines the phasal realizations characteristic of the classroom discourse. The data are collected by means of audio-visual recordings and transcriptions, and they are analyzed by employing a complementary method of analysis of Young’s model. The primary instrument of this study is the researcher herself, whereas the secondary instruments are (1) classification schemes of the semiotic aspect in focus, (2) data sheets that contain 4 classroom discourse-in-texts, and (3) notes on each classroom discourse-in-text. The findings reveal that the CD-in-text as a whole is typically realized and characterized by the following: (1) Substantiation (SU) as the most prominent macro-function and the Conclusion (CO) as the least prominent, (2) the Interchange (IC) as the most prominent micro-function and the Apology (AP) as the least prominent. Based on the main findings, there is strong evidence to suggest that the ‘semiotic behavior’ of the CD-in-text as a whole is motivated by the goal-oriented need, and the goal to achieve has tended to be more academic-oriented than social-oriented. In this, the teachers as the primary speakers of the classroom interactions have tended to focus on the transformation of intellectual values (academic knowledge/skills) with the least social values involved therein. The most prominently occurring SU macro-function and IC micro-function are clear indicators of this endeavor. The scope and the objectives of this study have been delimited to investigate CD phenomena at the levels of phase and sub-phase.


2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 302-315
Author(s):  
Juraj Dolník

Abstract Asking first about how the lexical meaning manifests itself as we experience it in a communicative event, the author explores the background of the ways in which we are able to perceive the meaning of words in texts. One useful way of thinking about how recipients react to the words in utterances is in terms of behavioural and actional lexical meaning. The first refers to the understanding of meaning, the second corresponds to interpretations of words when the recipient does not succeed in the process of natural understanding of words. These terms lead to questions about the rationality of language. One aspect of this rationality is the function of the intentional­emergent mechanism that adjusts the interplay of automatic and deliberate use of language. This mechanism has its roots in the fundamental human nature: we are behavioural­actional beings. Pragmatic analysis sheds light on how hearers understand and interpret what they hear with regard to their conceptual knowledge associated with words.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 77-81
Author(s):  
Sayyora Azimova ◽  

This article is devoted to the pragmatic interpretation of the illocutionary action of the speech act “expression of refusals”. The article discusses different ways of reflecting cases of denial. This article was written not only for English language professionals, but also for use in aggressive conflicts and their pragmatic resolution, which naturally occur in the process of communication in all other languages


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