Reference and Inference

PRAGMATICS – 3A English Education

JOSA

 Muhammad Akbar 8820320002

 Odysseus Nanda Giani 8820320026
 Sandy Saputra 8820320032
 Muhammad Iqbal Johari 8820322049

Reference:
Yule, G. (1996). Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Reference and Inferences
References - is an act in which a speaker, or writer, uses
linguistics forms to enable a listener, or reader, to identify
something
References and Inferences
Referring Expression – Linguistic form used in which enables a listener or reader,
to identify something; which can be:
 Proper Nouns; e.g. Tere Liye, Rossa, Bali
 Definite NP; e.g. the author, the singer, the island
 Indefinite NP; e.g. a man, a woman, a beautiful place; and
 Pronouns; e.g. he, her, it, them
Inference – The listener’s use of additional knowledge to make sense of what is
not explicit in an utterance
Example [1] a. Pak Boss is unusually late today – using vague expression
b. Mrs. Pragmatics is unusually punctual today
Referential and Attributive Use
Not all referring expressions have identifiable physical referents
[2] a. There is a man waiting for you. - a physically present entity
b. He wants to marry a woman with lots of money. - entities assumed to
exist, but are unknown
c. We’d love to find a nine-foot-tall basketball player. - entities that, as far as
we know, don’t exist
Attributive Use – whoever or whatever fits the description
[2b] the word ‘a’ could be replaced by ‘any’
Referential Use – I actually have a person in mind and, instead of using her name
or some other description, I choose the other expression
[2b] perhaps you’d be more interested that this woman has lots of money
than that she has a name
Referential and Attributive Use
Example [3] There was no sign of the killer

Attributive Use – Using an expression to identify someone or something without

being committed to the existence of an actual person or thing
[3] Context – during a news report on a mysterious death; said reporter
without knowing for sure if there is a person who could be the referent of ‘the
killer’
Referential Use – Using an expression to identify someone or something when the
person or thing is assumed to be known
[3] Context – a particular individual had been identified as having done the
killing and had been chased into a building, but escaped
Names and Referents
Basic ‘intention-to-identify’ and ‘recognition-of-intention’ collaboration, where it
works between all members of a community who share a common language and
culture.
Example [4] a. Can I borrow your Tere Liye?
b. Yeah, it’s over there on the table.
Example [5] a. Where’s the cheese sandwich sitting?
b. He’s over there by the window.
Example [6] a. Shakespeare takes up the whole bottom shelf. – books in the library
b. Were going to see Shakespeare in London. – theatrical performance
c. I hated Shakespeare at school. – subject or study material
Names and Referents
There is a Pragmatic Connection between proper names and objects that will be
conventionally associated, within a socio-culturally defined community, with those
names.
Names – could be used to identify things
Example [7] a. Picasso’s on the far wall. – painting by the painter (Picasso)
b. The new Mozart is better value than the Bach. – music by composer
c. My Westlife is missing. – music by musician
Common Noun – could be used to identify person
Example [8] The cheese sandwich came back to apologize
The Role of Co-Text
Context – The physical environment in which a word is used
Co-text – Linguistic material accompanying the referring expression
Range of reference – All the possible referents identifiable by the use of a word

Example [9] Brazil wins World Cup

Brazil – Referring expression
wins World Cup – Co-text
Context – Newspaper Headline
The Role of Co-Text
Example [10] a. The cheese sandwich is made with white bread – a food
b. The cheese sandwich left without paying – a person
Context [10a] recipe book
[10b] restaurant

Example [11] a. The teacher is coming! – a person

b. The heart-attack must be moved. – a person
c. A couple of rooms have complained about the heat. - persons
Context [11a] classroom
[11b] hospital
[11c] hotel reception
Anaphoric Reference
Example [12] In the film, a man and a woman were trying to wash a cat. The man
was holding the cat while the woman poured water on it. He said
something to her and they started laughing.

Antecedent – initial expression; used to identify someone or something where

anaphor used later
Anaphor – subsequent expression; used to maintain reference to someone or
something already mentioned

Anaphoric Reference -
Anaphoric Reference
Anaphora – the use of a word to introduce someone or something that is already
identified before
Example [13] An old man was limping towards us. He slowly came into view.

Cataphora – the use of a word to introduce someone or something that is more

fully identified later
Example [14] He slowly came into view. An old man was limping towards us.

Zero Anaphora or ellipsis – the absence of an expression in a structural slot

where one is assumed, as a way of maintaining reference
Example [15] Mary mowed the lawn and then _ watered it
Thank You
“Words themselves don’t refer to anything. People refer”
- George Yule, 1996