Language Proficiency Pragmatics and Language Use 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is deixis in language?
- The study of word etymology
- Words whose interpretation depends on context, such as 'here,' 'now,' and 'I' (Correct answer)
- The use of formal language in academic writing
- The repetition of words for rhetorical emphasis
Correct answer: Words whose interpretation depends on context, such as 'here,' 'now,' and 'I'
Deixis refers to words and phrases that require contextual information to interpret, including pronouns, time expressions, and place references.
Question 2: When a speaker uses sarcasm, which of Grice's maxims is most clearly being flouted?
- The Maxim of Manner
- The Maxim of Quality (Correct answer)
- The Maxim of Quantity
- The Maxim of Relation
Correct answer: The Maxim of Quality
Sarcasm intentionally violates the Maxim of Quality (be truthful) to convey the opposite of what is literally said.
Question 3: Which term describes language used to establish or maintain social relationships rather than to convey factual information?
- Referential language
- Metalanguage
- Phatic communion (Correct answer)
- Ellipsis
Correct answer: Phatic communion
Phatic communion refers to social language used for bonding purposes, such as discussing the weather or exchanging pleasantries.
Question 4: In pragmatics, what is a 'presupposition'?
- A stated main claim in an argument
- A background assumption embedded in an utterance that must be true for it to make sense (Correct answer)
- A prediction about a listener's likely response
- A correction of a previous incorrect statement
Correct answer: A background assumption embedded in an utterance that must be true for it to make sense
Presuppositions are assumptions taken for granted within an utterance—for example, 'Have you stopped cheating?' presupposes the person cheated.
Question 5: Which concept refers to the conversational conventions that allow speakers to alternate speaking without interrupting each other?
- Code-switching
- Turn-taking (Correct answer)
- Register shifting
- Diglossia
Correct answer: Turn-taking
Turn-taking refers to the cues and conventions that allow speakers to take turns in an orderly way during conversation.
Question 6: When a professor announces 'There will be a quiz next week,' what type of speech act is this?
- Expressive
- Declarative
- Assertive (Correct answer)
- Directive
Correct answer: Assertive
An assertive speech act conveys the speaker's belief about the state of the world, providing information to the listener.
Question 7: What is code-switching in language use?
- Shifting from formal to informal writing style
- Translating a text from one language to another
- Alternating between two or more languages or dialects within a single conversation (Correct answer)
- Using technical jargon in a non-technical social context
Correct answer: Alternating between two or more languages or dialects within a single conversation
Code-switching occurs when a speaker alternates between languages or dialects within a conversation, often reflecting social identity or context.
Language Proficiency Pragmatics and Language Use 2
What is deixis in language?