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Metalinguistics

Metalinguistics. Prof A. Elhaloui. What’s language?. Language is a procedure by which sounds are matched to meanings. Metalinguistics is that scientific discipline that tries to characterize this relationship. Why do we need metalinguistics?.

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Metalinguistics

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  1. Metalinguistics Prof A. Elhaloui

  2. What’s language? • Language is a procedure by which sounds are matched to meanings. • Metalinguistics is that scientific discipline that tries to characterize this relationship.

  3. Why do we need metalinguistics? • Metalinguistics will organize the relationships among the different levels linguistic analysis. How?

  4. Analysis Level Paradox • Some levels of linguistic analysis seem to be theoretically ”parallel” even if they belong to different scientific disciplines. • Some levels of linguistic analysis seem to be theoretically ”different” even if they belong to the same scientific discipline.

  5. A graphic representation of the ALP Scientific discipline A 1’ 2’ Scientific discipline B 1 2

  6. Example Consider the study of Speech Acts inferences and the study of word connotation:

  7. What are SA inferences? • SA inferences mean: The inferences that allow us to understand the indirect SA from direct INSA. • Example: promise ------ statement about the future.

  8. What’s word connotation? • Word connotaion means: What we understand from words beyond their direct meaning such as the metaphorical meaning. • Example: His words were cold like winter.

  9. Example Consider the study of SA inferences and the study of word connotation: • Both assume that there is an output from which something which is not explicit is understood. • Both study aspects of meaning which are beyond the direct meaning. • Both consider the possibility of there being multi-layered aspects of meaning.

  10. Output • The output in the case of word meaning is the word. • The input in the case of utterance meaning is the utterance.

  11. Beyond direct meaning • In the case of word meaning, we go beyond direct meaning to metaphorical meaning. • In the case of utterance meaning we go beyond the direct speech act to infer an indirect speech act.

  12. /layən/

  13. Connotation /layən/ (lion) courageous

  14. Indirect speech act 1 Can you pass me the salt? Pass me the salt!

  15. Multi-layered aspects of meaning • In the case of word meaning we can go even beyond the metaphorical meaning to a second and third layer of meaning (irony, for example). • In the case of utterance meaning we can go beyond the indirect meaning to a second and a thid layer of indirect meanings (indirect speech acts).

  16. Banter /layən/ (lion) courageous (lion) coward

  17. Indirect speech act 2 Can you pass me the salt? Pass me the salt! Pass me the salt, otherwise ...

  18. Case One • Consider the study of speech acts and the study of word meaning. • For both the form in which meaning is expressed is irrelevant: Irrelevance of Form • Both define meaning in conceptual/intentional (psychological) terms: Relevance of Substance • For both, the indirect meaning is not a part of the aspect of meaning that is to be studied: Directness of meaning

  19. Irrelevance of Form/Relevance of Substance • Consider the way we define a word in semantics: • Man: +human, +male, +adult, ... • This analysis of meaning does not make any assumptions about how (+human, +male, +adult, ...) is expressed out. • The aspect of the word MAN we analyse is NOTexpressive: we do not consider the way in which MAN is expressed out.

  20. Irrelevance of Form • Consider the way we define a speech act: • PC: about a fut act, PP: H can do A, SC: S wants A to be done, EC: attempt to get S do A. • This analysis does not make any assumptions about how REQUEST is performed. • The aspect of REQUEST that we are analyzing is NOTexpressive: we do not consider the way in which REQUEST is expressed out.

  21. Directness of meaning • When we define meaning (e.g., of word or a speech act), without specifying the form in which this meaning is defined, ONLY the direct meaning can be analyzed. • Indirect meaning is activated ONLY when direct meaning is expressed out.

  22. Examples • Connotation is possible ONLY when we have a word. • Inference of indirect speech act is possible ONLY when we have an utterance having a direct speech act. • Inference of how face is anointed and why is possible ONLY when we have an utterance with a direct meaning.

  23. Indirectness in SAs Must be expressed in a form Direct SA Indirect SA1 Indirect SA2

  24. Indirectness in Word meaning Must be expressed in a form Word: lion Metaphor: brave Banter: coward

  25. Indirectness in politeness strategies Must be expressed in a form Direct SA: ”How are you?” PPS: ”I like you” You needn’t get scared when I am with you

  26. A graphic representation of the ALP Pragmatics SA inferences analysis SA meaning analysis Semantics Word Connotation analysis Word Meaning analysis

  27. How can we Explain the ALP? • Sound-Meaning relationship is a DIRECTIONAL relationship What’s a DIRECTIONAL relationship?

  28. Directional Relationship: x and y are objects from the natural world (V) • If x exists at a time t then y also exists at the time t • xRy has an output O • xRy can hold between Oand x/y

  29. Direct Relat. x y Output Direct Relat Direct Relat

  30. Example 1 Etc.

  31. layən

  32. Sound – Meaning Relation /layən/ (lion) courageous (lion) coward

  33. So ... • Why do we have two levels of meaning analysis: one where the analysis of meaning is: • In terms of direct meaning • Where no reference to output is made • and where meaning is not multilayered • And one where meaning is: • indirect, • where reference to output is made, • and where meaning is multilayered?

  34. Since sound-meaning relationship is directional: • It has an output • It is transitive

  35. Two possible ways of studying S/M relationship • We can study meaning and sound before the matching of the relationship between them and after the relationship between them. • Before: what’s sound? What’s meaning. • After: how is sound associated with meaning?

  36. Before/after • Before: meaning is defined regardless of the sound related to it. No output of the relationship id taken into consideration. • After: meaning is defined in terms of the relationship established between sound and meaning. The output is assumed.

  37. SO ... • We expect to find two analysis levels: • At one level, the S/M relationship (which is directional) subsists • At another, the S/M relationship (which directional) does NOT subsist.

  38. The two possibilities • If S/M subsists, we expect to find an output and transitivity effect. • If S/M does NOT subsist, no output and no transitivity effect are expected.

  39. S/M does not subsist • Level one where S/M does not subsist is the level where word meaning and SA meaning are defined: no reference to output, no indirectness and no multilayered meanings because: • No output is activated • No transitivity effect is activated

  40. S/M subsists • Level two where S/M subsists is the level where word connotation and ISA are defined: reference to output is obligatory, indirectness of meaning is activated and multilayered meanings are motivated because: • Output is activated • Transitivity effect is activated

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