Universität Wien

180130 KU Conversation and Speech Acts (2026S)

10.00 ECTS (4.00 SWS), SPL 18 - Philosophie
Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung

Hinweis der SPL Philosophie:

Das Abgeben von ganz oder teilweise von einem KI-tool (z.B. ChatGPT) verfassten Texten als Leistungsnachweis (z.B. Seminararbeit) ist nur dann erlaubt, wenn dies von der Lehrveranstaltungsleitung ausdrücklich als mögliche Arbeitsweise genehmigt wurde. Auch hierbei müssen direkt oder indirekt zitierte Textstellen wie immer klar mit Quellenangabe ausgewiesen werden.

Die Lehrveranstaltungsleitung kann zur Überprüfung der Autorenschaft einer abgegebenen schriftlichen Arbeit ein notenrelevantes Gespräch (Plausibilitätsprüfung) vorsehen, das erfolgreich zu absolvieren ist.
Moodle
Di 21.04. 08:00-11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

max. 30 Teilnehmer*innen
Sprache: Englisch

Lehrende

Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert

  • Dienstag 10.03. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 17.03. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 24.03. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 14.04. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 28.04. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 05.05. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 12.05. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 19.05. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 26.05. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 09.06. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 16.06. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 30.06. 08:00 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3C, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/3. Stock, 1010 Wien

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

The aim of this course is (a) to introduce participants to some important theoretical frameworks concerning conversation and speech acts, including some more recent work in addition to well-known classics and (b) to introduce several discussions in which these frameworks get applied to more specific issues. We will begin with some classic texts by Grice, Austin, Searle, Stalnaker and Lewis. Then we will continue with more recent elaborations and extensions of that framework, especially by Roberts. And finally we will look at applications of the frameworks to pornography, underhand communication as well as slurs and toxic speech.

Methods: there will be three types of session: 1. In the "text discussion sessions" some texts (normally two) will be at the centre of attention. Students will prepare these sessions by carrying out a preparatory task with the texts in question (even for the first session, see below!). There will be a short presentation by one of the course leaders followed by general discussion of the texts. 2. In the "written production sessions", there will be discussion of short essays that students have produced and submitted in advance. The discussion is “pre-read”. The precise format of the written production sessions will depend on the number of participants, but they will usually involve small group discussion. 3. Finally, there will be “presentation sessions” at the end of the course, which serve exclusively for the presentation and discussion of the participants’ research results for their course essays. A final written and revised version of the essays will be due on 15th July 2026.

The provisional structure of the course is: five text discussion sessions, one written production session, four text discussion sessions, one written production session, three presentation sessions.

NB: Please study Grice’s “Logic and Conversation”, available on Moodle, for the first session. Preparatory task for the first session: Answer each of the following three questions in a short paragraph: 1. What is the text’s main thesis?; 2. Do you agree or disagree with the main thesis?; 3. Was there anything you didn’t understand, and if so, what? Upload your answer on moodle by Monday, 9 March 2026 12 noon.

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

There are the following four elements of assessment (weighted as indicated in brackets): the preparatory tasks for the text discussion sessions (10%), two 1000-word essays (30% overall), a class presentation of the planned final essay (10%) and the final essay of 2500 words (50%).

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

Minimum requirements: regular attendance, participation in class discussion and a passing grade (at least 4) on each of the four elements of assessment.
Assessment criteria: the course grade is the weighted average of the four elements of assessment: preparatory tasks (10%), short essays (30%), class presentation (10%) and final essay (50%). The grades are 1 (very good), 2 (good), 3 (satisfactory), 4 (sufficient) and 5 (fail).

Prüfungsstoff

There is no exam, but rather the forms of assessment are those explained above.

Literatur

The actual reading for the text discussion sessions will be announced in class and made available on moodle. In order to be able to respond to the level and requirements of the participants, we are not fixing all the texts. However, there is a provisional list of readings that potential participants can count on being quite close to the actual list adopted.

Provisional list:
• Anderson, L., & Lepore, E. (2013). Slurring words. Noûs, 47(1), 25–48. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0068.2011.00839.x
• Austin, J. L. (1962). How to do things with words. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press. [Lecture VIII]. DOI: not available.
• Camp, E. (2018). Insinuation, common ground, and conversational record. In D. Fogal, D. W. Harris, & M. Moss (Eds.), New Work on Speech Acts (pp. [pp.]). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
• Fricker, M. (2012). Stating and insinuating. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society (Supplementary Volume), 86.
• Grice, H. P. (1975). Logic and conversation. In P. Cole & J. L. Morgan (Eds.), Syntax and Semantics (Vol. 3: Speech Acts, pp. 41–58). New York, NY: Academic Press. DOI: not available. Reprinted in Grice, H. P. (1989), Studies in the Way of Words (pp. 22–40). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press 1989.
• Hom, C. (2008). The semantics of racial epithets. The Journal of Philosophy, 105(8), 416–440. https://doi.org/10.5840/jphil20081058
• Langton, R. (1993). Beyond belief: Pragmatics in hate speech and pornography. In (venue to be confirmed; often cited as a chapter-length follow‑up to “Speech Acts and Unspeakable Acts”).
• Langton, R. (1993). Speech acts and unspeakable acts. Philosophy & Public Affairs, 22(4), 293–330.
• Lewis, D. (1979). Scorekeeping in a language game. Journal of Philosophical Logic, 8, 339–359. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00258436
• Nowak, E. (2026). Sociolinguistic variation, slurs, and speech acts. Journal of Philosophy.
• Nunberg, G. (2018). The social life of slurs. In K. Allan (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Taboo Words and Language (pp. [pp.]). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. DOI: to be confirmed (book DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198802525.001.0001)
• Searle, J. R. (1969). Speech acts: An essay in the philosophy of language (Ch. 2, “Expression, meaning, and speech acts”). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
• Stalnaker, R. (1973). Presuppositions. Journal of Philosophical Logic, 2(4), 447–457. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00262951
• Stalnaker, R. (2002). Common ground. Linguistics and Philosophy, 25(5–6), 701–721. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020867916902

Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

Letzte Änderung: Do 09.04.2026 10:26