Super Pragmatics of (linguistic-)pictorial discourse

Abstract

Recent advances in the Super Linguistics of pictures have laid the Super Semantic foundation for modelling the phenomena of narrative sequencing and co-reference in pictorial and mixed linguistic-pictorial discourses. We take up the question of how one arrives at the pragmatic interpretations of such discourses. In particular, we offer an analysis of: (i) the discourse composition problem: how to represent the joint meaning of a multi-picture discourse, (ii) observed differences in narrative sequencing in prima facie equivalent linguistic vs pictorial discourses, and (iii) the phenomenon of co-referencing across pictures. We extend Segmented Discourse Representation Theory to spell out a formal Super Pragmatics that applies to linguistic, pictorial and mixed discourses, while respecting the particular ‘genius’ of either medium and computing their distinctive pragmatic interpretations.

Truth and directness in pictorial assertion

“…Despite the growing interest in the semantics and pragmatics of non-linguistic communication (see Schlenker, 2018;Abusch, 2020;Schlöder & Altshuler, 2023 and other papers in the novel field of super linguistics), questions of this kind have rarely been discussed. 1 Our aim in this paper is to shed light on them by developing an account of accuracy and truth in pictorial assertion.…”

The Forms and Functions of Switch Reference in A’ingae

“…Instead, one would have to use a definite description such as the salmon to refer back to the salmon introduced earlier in the discourse. For a recent discussion of the differences between co-reference with third person pronouns and reference by description, see Schlöder and Altshuler (2023).…”