Course Code: TSL503
Synopsis
TSL 503 Fundamental Aspects of Language Meaning provides students with an overview of the study of semantics and pragmatics. The core theories and concepts are examined critically, with emphasis on those aspects of meaning of direct relevance to language learning. The course will also examine current trends in research in selected areas of semantics and pragmatics, and consider their implications for language learning and teaching.
Level: 5
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: EVERY JULY
Topics
- Abstract and contextual meaning
- Sentence, utterance and speaker meaning
- The nature of reference and co-reference
- Deixis and distance
- Entailment
- Presupposition
- Lexical semantics
- Pragmatics and indirectness
- Speech Act
- Speech Event
- The Cooperative Principle
- Conventional and conversational implicatures
Learning Outcome
- Differentiate between different aspects of meaning
- Discuss the connection between context and meaning
- Critique key semantic and pragmatic concepts
- Evaluate the explanatory value of semantic and pragmatic theories and concepts to their understanding of human communication
- Assess the relevance of semantic and pragmatic theories and concepts to their understanding of language learning
- Appraise the applicability of semantic and pragmatic theories and concepts to language teaching