As the information system in our modern technology world becomes more and more important, the research about language and especially commuication has grown to a major element of today’s scholarship. Pragmatics, as a linguistic science dealing with communication, generally is “concernedwith the study of meaning as communicated by a speaker (or writer) and interpreted by a listener (or reader)”(see Yule,1996: 3). Thus, not the actual meaning of the words are decisive, but the interpretation of the utterance.
A simple principle of language use is the fact, that the more two speakers have in common, the less language they will need to use to identify familiar things. When two persons share the same physical context, the speaker frequently uses demonstratives, pronouns, adverbs and other grammatical features to establish a relationship between language and context. We call these words indexicals and the function of language deictic.
In today’s society deictic usage of laguage becomes more and more problematic. Lyon states: “Thefacts of deixis should act as a constant reminder […] that natural languages are primarily desigend, so to speak, for use in face-to-face interaction, and thus there are limits to the extent to which they can be analysed […]”(Lyons, 1977 in Levinson, 1983: 54). The permanent application of communicative aids like computers, cellphones or pagers evokes a lack of face-to-face interaction and increases the amount of disaccords during a conversation. In this paper I will illustrate and illuminate the different modes of deictic expressions and ascribe it to the problem of understanding in today’s society.
First, I will give a short definition of deixis as well as a historical grading. Below, I will concentrate on the three major categories person, place and time and briefly on the subcategories social and discourse deixis. Considering as examples the specific categories and their special features will be described and analysed. I conclude with a brief survey about grammar and whether the field of deixis should be classified in pragmatics or in semantics. Finally, I will give a short conclusion that works up the problem of understanding via deictic expression in today’s society.
Table of Contents
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Deixis - Definition
- 3 History - Bühler's Sprachtheorie
- 4 Some Properties of Deixis
- 5 Deictic Categories
- 5.1 Person Deixis
- 5.2 Social Deixis
- 5.3 Time Deixis
- 5.4 Place Deixis
- 5.5 Discourse Deixis
- 6 Deixis and Grammar
- 7 Deixis between Semantics and Pragmatics
- 8 Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to explore deixis, its historical context, and its implications for understanding communication in modern society, particularly given the increased reliance on technology-mediated communication. The paper examines how deictic expressions, while efficient in face-to-face interaction, can lead to misunderstandings in contexts lacking shared physical space.
- Definition and historical development of deixis
- Categorization of deictic expressions (person, place, time, social, discourse)
- The role of context in interpreting deictic expressions
- The relationship between deixis, semantics, and pragmatics
- The challenges posed by deictic expressions in contemporary communication.
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: This introductory chapter establishes the significance of studying pragmatics in the context of modern communication technology. It highlights the growing importance of understanding how language is interpreted, emphasizing the role of shared context in communication. The chapter introduces deixis as a key element of pragmatics, focusing on the use of indexicals and the increasing problems associated with their usage in a technologically mediated world where face-to-face interaction is declining. The author outlines the paper's structure, previewing the exploration of different types of deictic expressions and their analysis, culminating in a discussion of the challenges to understanding in today's communication landscape.
2 Deixis - Definition: This chapter provides a formal definition of deixis, describing it as a linguistic element reflecting the relationship between language and its contextual setting. It defines deixis as relating to spatio-temporal, social, and discoursal contexts. The chapter introduces the traditional three categories of person, place, and time deixis, alongside the more recently recognized social and discourse deixis, which will be discussed briefly. The dependence of deictic expressions on immediate context is stressed, highlighting their importance in face-to-face communication and the challenges they present when this shared context is absent, illustrated with an example of an ambiguous utterance demonstrating the need for contextual understanding.
3 History - Bühler's Sprachtheorie: This chapter delves into the historical roots of deixis, tracing the term back to Karl Bühler's "Sprachtheorie" (1934). It explains Bühler's organon model, which is presented as a significant precursor to modern theories of deixis. Bühler’s model describes language as a tool (organon) for communication between speaker and listener about the world, highlighting three functions: representation, expression, and appeal. The chapter also discusses Bühler's subsequent "Zweifeldtheorie," which categorizes words into symbol words (context-independent) and deictic words (context-dependent), crucial in understanding the variable and shifting nature of deictic expressions.
Keywords
Deixis, pragmatics, communication, context, indexicals, person deixis, place deixis, time deixis, social deixis, discourse deixis, Bühler's Sprachtheorie, face-to-face interaction, technology-mediated communication, understanding, interpretation.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the main topic of this paper?
The paper focuses on deixis, exploring its definition, historical development, and implications for communication, particularly in the context of modern, technology-mediated communication. It examines how deictic expressions function in face-to-face interactions and the challenges they present in situations lacking shared physical space.
What are the key themes explored in this paper?
Key themes include the definition and historical development of deixis, categorization of deictic expressions (person, place, time, social, discourse), the role of context in interpreting deictic expressions, the relationship between deixis, semantics, and pragmatics, and the challenges posed by deictic expressions in contemporary communication.
What is deixis?
Deixis is defined as a linguistic element reflecting the relationship between language and its contextual setting. It relates to spatio-temporal, social, and discoursal contexts. Traditional categories include person, place, and time deixis, with social and discourse deixis also recognized.
What is the historical context of deixis?
The paper traces the historical roots of deixis back to Karl Bühler's "Sprachtheorie" (1934). Bühler's organon model, viewing language as a tool for communication, and his "Zweifeldtheorie," categorizing words into context-dependent and context-independent types, are discussed as significant precursors to modern theories of deixis.
What are the different types of deixis discussed?
The paper explores various types of deixis, including person deixis, place deixis, time deixis, social deixis, and discourse deixis. Each type is examined in relation to its contextual dependence and the challenges it poses in different communication settings.
How does context influence the interpretation of deictic expressions?
The paper emphasizes the crucial role of context in interpreting deictic expressions. While efficient in face-to-face interaction, deictic expressions can lead to misunderstandings when shared physical space or contextual knowledge is lacking, especially in technology-mediated communication.
What is the relationship between deixis, semantics, and pragmatics?
The paper examines the interplay between deixis, semantics (the study of meaning), and pragmatics (the study of how context contributes to meaning). It highlights how the interpretation of deictic expressions relies heavily on both semantic understanding and pragmatic considerations of context.
What are the challenges posed by deictic expressions in contemporary communication?
The paper addresses the increasing challenges posed by deictic expressions in today's technologically mediated communication landscape. The diminished reliance on face-to-face interaction and the absence of shared physical space increase the potential for misinterpretations of deictic references.
What are the key chapters and their summaries?
The paper includes chapters on Introduction, Deixis - Definition, History - Bühler's Sprachtheorie, Some Properties of Deixis, Deictic Categories (including person, social, time, place, and discourse deixis), Deixis and Grammar, Deixis between Semantics and Pragmatics, and Conclusion. Each chapter summary provides a detailed overview of its contents.
What are the keywords associated with this paper?
Keywords include: Deixis, pragmatics, communication, context, indexicals, person deixis, place deixis, time deixis, social deixis, discourse deixis, Bühler's Sprachtheorie, face-to-face interaction, technology-mediated communication, understanding, interpretation.
- Citation du texte
- Tanja Winterberg (Auteur), 2004, Deixis and Distance, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/57060
