JAPN438P

Prerequisite: JAPN201 with a C- or better. This seminar familiarizes students with fundamental topics in the field of linguistic pragmatics (the study of language use in context) such as deixis and indexicality, reference and inference, (im)politeness, and speech act theory. Readings, class discussions, and homework assignmentswill initially introduce basic concepts through English examples, and then apply them to Japanese. (All readings are in English; many readings will have illustrative examples in romanized Japanese.) As students develop an understanding of these concepts, we will also discuss a range of speech acts (e.g., apologies, requests, invitations, and refusals) and their realizations in Japanese. Special attention will be paid to situational variables that can impact interlocutors' selection and interpretation of speech act realizations and communication more generally.