Browsing results for Wong Jock O.
Published on May 12, 2017. Last updated on August 19, 2021.
Goddard, Cliff, Wierzbicka, Anna, & Wong, Jock (2016). “Walking” and “running” in English and German: The conceptual semantics of verbs of human locomotion. Review of Cognitive Linguistics, 14(2), 303–336. DOI: 10.1075/rcl.14.2.03god
This study examines the conceptual semantics of human locomotion verbs in two languages – English and German – using the Natural Semantic Metalanguage approach. Based on linguistic evidence, it proposes semantic explications for English walk and run, and their nearest counterparts in German, i.e. laufen (in two senses, roughly, ‘run’ and ‘go by walking’), rennen (roughly, ‘run quickly’), gehen (roughly, ‘go/walk’), and the expression zu Fuß gehen (roughly, ‘go on foot’). Somewhat surprisingly for such closely related languages, the conceptual semantics turns out to be significantly different in the two languages, particularly in relation to manner-of-motion. On the other hand, it is shown that the same four-part semantic template (with sections Lexicosyntactic Frame, Prototypical Scenario, Manner, and Potential Outcome) applies in both languages. We consider the implications for systematic contrastive semantics and for lexical typology.
contrastive semantics; conceptual semantics; lexical polysemy; manner; verbs of motion; semantic template; Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM)
Published on May 12, 2017. Last updated on September 9, 2018.
Wong, Jock (2016). A critical look at the description of speech acts. In Alessandro Capone, & Jacob L. Mey (Eds.), Interdisciplinary studies in pragmatics, culture and society (pp. 825-855). Cham: Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-12616-6_32
For John Searle, philosophy of language was the attempt to come up with philosophically illuminating descriptions of some of the general features of language. It was to concern itself only incidentally with particular elements in a particular language. The problem is that understanding the general features of language requires a metalanguage that contains general features of language; a metalanguage that contains particular elements associated with particular languages (or, in other words, an ethnocentric metalanguage) does not fit the bill. Yet, this is precisely how the study of speech acts, which originally came under the ambit of language philosophy, is often conducted – with an ethnocentric metalanguage. It seems paradoxical that while scholars who study speech acts directly or indirectly engage in the pursuit of language universals, the metalanguage they use often effectively prevents them from reaching that goal.
This chapter argues that, if we want to fruitfully study speech acts in world languages, we should employ an analytical tool that is minimally ethnocentric, such as the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM). It helps us recognize speech acts from any language, even if there is no English word for them, and it allows us to understand them from the inside.
This chapter also argues that we should refrain from “comparing” speech acts by asking how people in various cultures perform the same speech act because this would necessitate the use of a language-specific speech act verb (e.g., request, apologize). A more fruitful way might be to formulate a generic situation using NSM and ask how people in various cultures respond in/to that situation.
Research carried out by one or more experienced NSM practitioners
Tags: (E) (assertives), (E) (commissives), (E) (declaratives), (E) (directives), (E) (expressives)
Published on May 12, 2017. Last updated on September 10, 2018.
Wong, Jock (2017). The ‘emes’ of linguistics. In Keith Allan, Alessandro Capone, & Istvan Kecskes (Eds.), Pragmemes and theories of language use (pp. 567-583). Berlin: Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-43491-9_29.
The three formal ‘emes’ of linguistics, phonemes, morphemes and lexemes, are among the things all first year linguistics students learn. However, while most linguistics students know what the formal emes are, the idea of a pragmeme, a concept conceived by preeminent scholar Jacob Mey, may be less familiar. A pragmeme has been defined as ‘a situated speech act’ by Alessandro Capone. One may ask whether it is a pragmatic analogue to the formal memes and how helpful the concept is for our understanding of pragmatics. This paper explores the notion of a pragmeme. It argues that it is indeed a helpful notion for analytical and pedagogic purposes, provided it is expressed in irreducible semantic elements and given a cultural interpretation.
Tags: (E) greet, (E) request
Published on May 12, 2017. Last updated on September 3, 2018.
Wong, Jock (2017). The culture of language. In Keith Allan, Alessandro Capone, & Istvan Kecskes (Eds.), Pragmemes and theories of language use (pp. 537-566). Berlin: Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-43491-9_28.
This paper examines several English forms and their interconnectedness in a cultural context. It describes the cultural values or ways of thinking they embody in the form of cultural scripts. The focus is on words, phrases and grammatical forms (especially the pragmeme usually but inaccurately referred to as a ‘request’) that express the Anglo respect for personal autonomy. It is argued that these English forms should not be taught separately to English learners, as is the norm, but collectively as a set of forms that express a certain value. Language users are cultural beings and the understanding of the culture underlying a language and the cultural interconnectedness of forms is crucial to anyone learning the language, especially the English language, given that it is the lingua franca of the world. The relationship between language and culture cannot be over-emphasized.
Tags: (E) lĭmào, (E) please, (E) rude, (E) thank you, (S) ‘asking’ people to do something, (S) a “suggestive” approach to influencing others, (S) An Anglo attitude linked to the interrogative-directive pragmeme, (S) autonomy, (S) avoiding pressuring the addressee, (S) certainty, (S) coach a child to do good things in a self-deterministic manner, (S) do not impose, (S) doing things for people, (S) egalitarianism, (S) free will, (S) how to say ‘no’ to an interrogative-directive, (S) illocutionary effect of the use of the imperative, (S) not taking people for granted, (S) personal autonomy, (S) routine use of the imperative, (S) rudeness, (S) uncertainty, (S) understanding “helpful suggestions”, (S) use of the hypothetical question form in the interrogative-directive pragmeme, (S) use of the interrogative-directive, (s) using language to express the value of egalitarianism, (S) what one wants
Published on February 20, 2019. Last updated on June 20, 2019.
Wong, Jock, & Liu, Congyi (2019). Two ways of saying ‘thank you’ in Hong Kong Cantonese: m-goi vs. do-ze. In Alessandro Capone, Marco Carapezza, & Franco Lo Piparo (Eds.), Further advances in pragmatics and philosophy: Vol. 2. Theories and applications (pp. 435-447). Cham: Springer.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00973-1_24
Abstract:
While in English there is only one main way of thanking someone, using the phrase thank you or one of its variants (e.g. thanks, ta), in Hong Kong Cantonese there are two phrases, 唔該 m4-goi1 and 多謝 do1-ze6, both of which could be translated in English as thank you. Whereas in some instances it is clear which one of the two Hong Kong Cantonese phrases one should use, in other situations both could be used. This suggests that the two Hong Kong Cantonese phrases have different meanings and that learners of Hong Kong Cantonese could be confused. However, the meanings of and differences in meaning between the two phrases have hitherto not been articulated with any degree of clarity, making it rather difficult for learners of Hong Kong Cantonese to understand precisely how they are used in native Hong Kong Cantonese culture. The objective of this paper is thus to articulate the meaning of each of these two phrases using a maximally clear and minimally ethnocentric metalanguage (NSM).
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Research carried out by one or more experienced NSM practitioners
Tags: (E) do1-ze6 多謝, (E) m4-goi1 唔該, (E) please, (E) thank you
Published on February 20, 2019. Last updated on June 20, 2019.
Wong, Jock (2019). Respecting other people’s boundaries: A quintessentially Anglo cultural value. In Alessandro Capone, Marco Carapezza, & Franco Lo Piparo (Eds.), Further advances in pragmatics and philosophy: Vol. 2. Theories and applications (pp. 449-467). Cham: Springer.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00973-1_25
Abstract:
A challenge that culturally non-Anglo speakers of English face is that of understanding what respecting boundaries, an Anglo cultural value, is about. This cultural value is unfamiliar to many cultures, especially so-called ‘group-orientation’ or ‘collectivist’ cultures. This means that even if culturally non-Anglo speakers of English have a good mastery of English grammar, they may not be able to connect with culturally Anglo people if they do not respect boundaries. Understanding what respecting people’s boundaries is about can also help cultural outsiders understand related Anglo values such as personal rights and personal autonomy.
This paper explores what respecting boundaries means to culturally Anglo speakers of English and what its cultural implications are. Meanings and cultural values are represented by semantic explications and cultural scripts. For the purposes of writing semantic explications and cultural scripts, Minimal English is used. The paper has implications for intercultural communication, cultural adaptation and language pedagogy.
Rating:
Research carried out by one or more experienced NSM practitioners
Tags: (E) boundary, (E) trespass, (S) boundaries, (S) personal questions
Published on June 19, 2020. Last updated on January 15, 2022.
Wong, Jock. (2020). Semantic challenges in understanding Global English: Hypothesis, theory, and proof in Singapore English. In Lauren Sadow, Bert Peeters, & Kerry Mullan (Eds.), Studies in ethnopragmatics, cultural semantics, and intercultural communication: Vol. 3. Minimal English (and beyond) (pp. 191-212). Singapore: Springer.
Abstract
Since the 1980s, the Singapore government has relentlessly, and with some level of success, promoted the use of English among Singaporeans. Many younger people now use English at home and as their dominant language and have no problem pursuing a basic university degree, locally or overseas, using English. However, while there is evidence to suggest that the ‘well-educated’ variety of Singapore English is mutually intelligible with other varieties of Standard English, numerous studies have shown that many Singaporeans speak a variety of English that is distinct from Standard English. Singapore English (or ‘Singlish’) is shaped by Singapore culture and exhibits linguistic elements of that culture. Given that many Singaporeans speak Singapore English on an everyday basis, one wonders how proficient they truly are in Standard English. Indeed, some ‘educated’ Singaporeans, including university students, understand words often used in the academic context (like hypothesis, theory, and proof) differently from native Standard (Anglo) English users. This raises two questions. Are Singapore university students semantically challenged in Standard English? If so, what can be done to address this problem? One objective of this study is to examine Singapore university students’ understanding of several words that are important in Standard English. A further objective is to use Minimal English (ME) to explain the meaning of four Standard English words used in academic writing, hypothesis, theory, prove, and proof, and to show that ME can be used as a language pedagogic tool.
Rating:
Research carried out by one or more experienced NSM practitioners
Published on June 19, 2020. Last updated on January 15, 2022.
Tao, Jiashu & Wong, Jock. (2020). The confounding Mandarin colour term ‘qīng’: Green, blue, black or all of the above and more?. In Lauren Sadow, Bert Peeters, & Kerry Mullan (Eds.), Studies in ethnopragmatics, cultural semantics, and intercultural communication: Vol. 3. Minimal English (and beyond) (pp. 191-212). Singapore: Springer.
Abstract
The Mandarin word qīng (‘青’), which Google translates to ‘green’, ‘blue’ and even ‘black’, among other colour terms in English, is one of the oldest, most frequently used colour terms in Mandarin and probably the most confounding. The word is polysemous and its multiple meanings and combinations with other words have generated much confusion among generations of non-native speakers and learners of Mandarin, and perhaps even native speakers. To help Mandarin speakers and learners better understand the word, dictionaries mainly define qīng using English colour terms, such as ‘green’, ‘blue’ and ‘black’, which is to a certain extent helpful but which raises questions, such as if Mandarin speakers do not distinguish between the colours green and blue. There is thus a need to semantically analyse this word to help Mandarin learners acquire a deeper understanding of its multiple meanings and uses. The objective of this paper is to study the multiple meanings of the character qīng, one of which dates back to the late Shang Dynasty (1200–1050 BC), when the oracle bone script, the earliest known form of Chinese writing, was first used. This paper also compares its meanings with those of two related colour terms lǜ (‘绿’) and lán (‘蓝’), which are associated with the English ‘green’ and ‘blue’, respectively. To capture the meanings and their differences with maximal clarity and minimal ethnocentrism, the authors use Minimal English.
Rating:
Research carried out by one or more experienced NSM practitioners
Tags: (E) colour, (E) lán, (E) lǜ, (E) qing 清, (S) use of 'qīng'
Published on August 14, 2021. Last updated on August 14, 2021.
Wong, Jock O. (2020). The Singlish interjection bojio in Bromhead, Helen and Zhengdao Ye (eds.) Meaning, Life and Culture . pp. 99-114. Canberra: ANU Press
DOI: http://doi.org/10.22459/MLC.2020.05 (Open Access)
Rating:
Research carried out by one or more experienced NSM practitioners
Tags: (E) bojio, (E) jio, (E) kiasu, (S) saying bojio
Published on August 15, 2021. Last updated on August 15, 2021.
Wong, Jock and Or, Marshal. (2021). “Is beauty only skin deep?”: The conceptualization of ‘beauty’ in Mandarin Chinese. International Journal of Language and Culture 8(1): 35–61
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/ijolc.00034.won
Abstract:
From a semantic and cultural perspective, one could ask a number of questions regarding the English word ‘beauty’ and the adjectival form ‘beautiful’ when they are used to refer to visual aspects of people. Given that scholars and professionals in the beauty industry frequently use the words to describe people from various cultures, should we assume that each of them embodies a semantic and cultural universal? Given that plastic surgeons and beauticians improve the physical appearance of people, especially women, why do they not use the word ‘pretty’ to promote their services instead? After all, the phrase ‘pretty woman’ is also the title of a popular song first recorded by Roy Orbison in 1964 and later the name of a hugely successful 1990 movie. Why are beauty salons so called? Why are they not called prettiness salons instead? This paper attempts to address such questions by studying the meanings of two Mandarin Chinese words: mĕi/měilì 美/美 丽 (roughly, ‘beautiful’) and piàoliàng 漂亮 (roughly, ‘pretty’). The words are polysemous and this paper focuses on the meanings that are relevant to the pur- poses of describing women. It tries to explain the conceptual difference between a woman who is mĕi/měilì and one who is piàoliàng. Hopefully, the findings will shed light on some of the semantic distinctions that are impor- tant to Mandarin Chinese speakers and thus the questions raised above.
Research carried out by one or more experienced NSM practitioners
Tags: (E) mĕi 美, (E) piàoliàng 漂亮
Published on January 10, 2022. Last updated on January 10, 2022.
Yee, Timothy Bing Lun & Wong, Jock. (2021). Japanese first-person singular pronouns revisited: A semantic and cultural interpretation. Journal of Pragmatics, 181(2021), pp 139-161. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2021.05.025
Abstract:
Japanese pronouns have been the subject of scrutiny in many studies. The contexts of their use have thus often been discussed. However, although we know from literature that some pronouns are more ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’, or more formal or informal than others, it does not appear that we have reached a deep understanding of their inherent meanings. For example, we do not fully understand, from an insider perspective, why some Japanese first-person singular pronouns are said to be more masculine or feminine than others. We do not know why, for example, ore is said to be strongly masculine whereas atashi is seen as strongly feminine. Above all, we do not know which one of these pronouns is the Japanese exponent of the semantic prime I, i.e., the one that is indefinable. The present study aims to address these research gaps. However, due the constraints of space, it only analyzes the meanings of the six most common first-person singular pronouns: ore, watashi, jibun, boku, atashi, and uchi. It further proposes that the Japanese exponent of the semantic prime I is jibun. The study uses Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) to articulate meaning in terms that are maximally clear and minimally ethnocentric.
Rating:
Research carried out in consultation with or under the supervision of one or more experienced NSM practitioners
Tags: (E) atashi [私, (E) boku [僕], (E) ore [俺], (E) uchi [内 ウチ], (E) watakushi, (E) watashi [私], (S) attitudes associated with men, (S) how boys are expected to think, (S) how many girls think in Japanese society, (S) how people expect women to behave, (S) speak in a formal situation that can convey wakimae, あたし]
