Comments on: Pragmatics and Audience http://www.d-shift.org/redstar/2007/12/19/pragmatics-and-audience/ A better world through design thinking and action Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:27:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Christopher http://www.d-shift.org/redstar/2007/12/19/pragmatics-and-audience/#comment-22 Christopher Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:38:25 +0000 http://www.d-shift.org/redstar/?p=26#comment-22 The communique of April 10, 1994 addresses the anniversary of the assassination of Emiliano Zapata but speaks of Votán-Zapata. Votán, in Mayan Tzeltal myth, is the man sent by God to distribute land to the indigenous. Zapata fought for autonomy of indigenous lands in the Mexican Revolution of 1911 and through contributions to the new Constitution of 1917. In the context of relevance theory, one can imagine a situation whereby the merging of Tzeltal myth with that of Emiliano Zapata could be perceived by Tzeltal people as an attempt by Marcos to acknowledge their history and beliefs and to give them significance within the Zapatista movement. A sceptic could percieve it as merely an attempt to generate support among the Tzeltal and therefor not acknowledge the associated meanings behind the Votán myth. According to relevance theory, the perceived intent of the message will impact what is actually conveyed by it, and this will be predicated on the existing impressions of the speaker, in this case Subcomandante Marcos. The communique of April 10, 1994 addresses the anniversary of the assassination of Emiliano Zapata but speaks of Votán-Zapata. Votán, in Mayan Tzeltal myth, is the man sent by God to distribute land to the indigenous. Zapata fought for autonomy of indigenous lands in the Mexican Revolution of 1911 and through contributions to the new Constitution of 1917.

In the context of relevance theory, one can imagine a situation whereby the merging of Tzeltal myth with that of Emiliano Zapata could be perceived by Tzeltal people as an attempt by Marcos to acknowledge their history and beliefs and to give them significance within the Zapatista movement. A sceptic could percieve it as merely an attempt to generate support among the Tzeltal and therefor not acknowledge the associated meanings behind the Votán myth. According to relevance theory, the perceived intent of the message will impact what is actually conveyed by it, and this will be predicated on the existing impressions of the speaker, in this case Subcomandante Marcos.

]]> By: admin http://www.d-shift.org/redstar/2007/12/19/pragmatics-and-audience/#comment-15 admin Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:55:20 +0000 http://www.d-shift.org/redstar/?p=26#comment-15 This is associated with <a href="http://www.d-shift.org/redstar/2007/12/18/umwelt/" title="Umwelt Post" rel="nofollow"> <strong>"Umwelt"</strong></a>, or an individual or cultural mindset. Aspects of pragmatics, and the relevance theory of Sperber and Wilson specifically, could assist in addressing concerns of Umwelt in an audience. This is associated with “Umwelt”, or an individual or cultural mindset. Aspects of pragmatics, and the relevance theory of Sperber and Wilson specifically, could assist in addressing concerns of Umwelt in an audience.

]]> By: admin http://www.d-shift.org/redstar/2007/12/19/pragmatics-and-audience/#comment-14 admin Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:02:36 +0000 http://www.d-shift.org/redstar/?p=26#comment-14 I should clarify that when I am referring to the importance of pragmatics in the perception of meaning in the communication model, I am speaking of pragmatics in a situational context rather than a specifically linguistic context. In other words, I am primarily concerned with the extra-lingual contexts that could include anything from news coverage in the mountains of Chiapas (with looming rain clouds in the background) to a call for more equity from a place that has very little of it. I should clarify that when I am referring to the importance of pragmatics in the perception of meaning in the communication model, I am speaking of pragmatics in a situational context rather than a specifically linguistic context. In other words, I am primarily concerned with the extra-lingual contexts that could include anything from news coverage in the mountains of Chiapas (with looming rain clouds in the background) to a call for more equity from a place that has very little of it.

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