RSA Animate- Stephen Pinker

This RSA Animate video, which is a talk by Stephen Pinker, called, "Language as a window into human nature".

In this video/talk, Pinker talks about pragmatically and the structure of spoken language including dismarkers.

Some notes:

Direct Speech:mutual understanding

Indirect Speech:something that's implied 

Key points:

• Language is a window into social relations
• We automatically understand 'indirect speech acts' which is where we don't blurt out what we mean in so many words, but we veil our intentions in innuendo, where we hope the listener to understand.
• Language has to do two things; its got to convey some content such as a, bribe, command and proposition, and it has to negotiate a relationship type.
• Speaker uses literal form, to signal the safest relationship to the listener.
• According to Alan Fiske there are three major human relationship types across the worlds cultures.

1. Each prescribes a distinct way of distributing resources.
2. Each has a distinct evolutionary basis.
3. Each applies most naturally to certain people.

• But can be extended through negotiation to others and it's where language comes from..

1. Dominance
2. Communality
3. Reciprocity.