Understanding Reference in Pragmatics

Which statement best describes anaphora in pragmatics?

• The use of an expression to refer forward to something mentioned later in the text

• The use of an expression (often a pronoun) to refer back to something mentioned earlier in the discourse.

• The use of an expression to refer to something outside the text

• The addressee guess meaning from context

Which of the following is an example of anaphoric reference?

• The singer is coming on Saturday.

• There is no Brian in this class.

• It's alright. You don't need to say sorry.

• Mary lost her phone. She was upset.

What is cataphora?

• The use of a word or phrase to refer to another expression that appears later in the discourse.

• The reversal of antecedent-anaphor order.

• Neither A nor B is correct

• Both A and B are correct

Which sentence contains cataphora?

• When he arrived, John was tired.

• John was tired when he arrived.

• The man I saw yesterday is here.

• This is delicious cake.

What is exophoric reference?

• Reference to something outside the text or discourse

• Reference to something inside the text

• Forward reference within the text

• Inference based on prior knowledge

Choose the example of exophoric reference:

• I saw him yesterday. (referring to a man mentioned earlier in the text)

• This is amazing! (pointing at a painting in the room)

• When she arrived, Sarah was happy.

• The book was on the table.

In pragmatics, reference means…

• The process of assigning meaning to a sentence structure

• Reference is the act by which a speaker uses language to point to entities in the world (people, objects, events). Meaning depends on shared knowledge.

• The literal dictionary meaning of a word

• Guessing the identity of a speaker. Meaning depends on linguistic material.

Which of the following is an example of inference?

• Reading 'She's wearing a white dress' and knowing she is a bride at a wedding

• Saying 'I' to refer to yourself

• Using 'it' to refer to a book you mentioned before

• Referring to a shared cultural symbol

Identify the type of reference in this example: 'Can you pass me that?' (pointing to a pen on the table)

• Anaphoric

• Cataphoric

• Exophoric

• Zero anaphoric

Which of the following sentences shows anaphora?

• When she arrived, Anna smiled.

• Anna smiled when he arrived.

• She smiled when Anna arrived.

• When Anna arrived, she smiled.