Language communication with elements of logic 2510-f1ENG1S-LCEL

The selection of problems serves to highlight the connection between language domains and other semiotic systems as well as to define language as a form of social activity. The discussion of linguistic aspects of communication is complemented with an outline of theories of nonverbal communication. An additional goal of the course is to give an introduction to basic modes of logical analysis
• Approaches to the study of communication and definitions of communication
• Characterising linguistic communication – text and discourse, code model of communication and communicative functions of language:
• Language as a semiotic system
• The relations between structure vs. function in language.
• The semantics v. pragmatics distinction.
• Functions of language in various typologies.
• Textual criteria (constitutive principles).
• Conversation structure
• Inferential processes: Entailments, Presuppositions, Conversational Implicatures, Explicatures (and their practical applications)
• The Speech Act Theory (typology and felicity conditions).
• The Co-operation Principle and Conversational Maxims.
• The Relevance Theory.
• Theories regarding directness and politeness.
• Sentence logic
• Logical Equivalence, Logical Truths and Contradictions
The issue of "How the language of formal logic is different from natural language"

Together: 30 contact hours