24.954 Pragmatics in Linguistic Theory
Kai von Fintel & Irene Heim
MW 10-11.30 (56-180)
https://stellar.mit.edu/S/course/24/sp14/24.954/
This intermediate level class will explore basic concepts and tools in five areas of linguistic pragmatics:
1. presuppositions
2. implicatures
3. indexicality
4. focus
5. speech acts, discourse dynamics
Throughout, we will provide pointers to current work on these topics.
The class presupposes familiarity with compositional intensional semantics, as developed in our introductory sequence (24.970, 24.973).
Students who take the class for credit are expected to attend class diligently, to do all required advance readings, to participate vigorously in class discussion, to submit occasionally assigned homework exercises, and to submit a final term paper on a topic related to the class.