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Submitted By veroa1979
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Ward College
Teacher Training College

LINGUISTICS

Teacher: Lic. Sebastián Amado

Paper Nº2: Essay on Pragmatics

Date: 17-11-11

Students: Bruno, Fabiana García, Verónica Vocal, María Laura

PRAGMATICS

APPLIED

TO EVERYDAY LANGUAGE

Introduction

Chapter 1: Deixis and distance

1. Person deixis
2. Spatial deixis
3. Temporal deixis

Chapter 2: Reference and inference

1. Referring expression
2. Inference
3. Co-text
4. Anaphoric reference

Chapter 3: Presupposition and entailment

1. Types of presupposition
2. Entailments

Chapter 4: Cooperation and implicature

1. The cooperative principle
2. Hedges
3. Conversational implicatures
4. Generalized conversational implicatures
5. Scalar implicatures
6. Particularized conversational implicatures
7. Conventional implicatures

Chapter 5: Speech acts and events

1. Speech act classification
2. Felicity conditions
3. Speech events

Chapter 6: Politeness and interaction

1. Politeness
2. Face wants
3. Say something: off and on record
4. Positive and negative politeness

Chapter 7: Conversation and preference structure

1. Conversation analysis
2. Pauses, overlaps, and backchannels

Chapter 8: Discourse and culture

1. Discourse analysis

Chapter 9: Identification and application
Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendix: Script

Introduction: Pragmatics is concerned with the study of meaning as communicated by a speaker (or writer) and interpreted by a listener (or reader). As GeorgeYule (1996) says, ‘Pragmatics is the study of speaker meaning’. This paper shows that this type of study involves the interpretation of what people mean in a particular context and how the context influences what is said. It means, that pragmatics is, also, ‘the study of contextual meaning’. The paper is divided into eight chapters; each one explains different concepts in relation to pragmatics. So this theory is the study of the relationship between linguistic forms and the users of these forms. The examples that explain the main technical terms are taken from the episode ‘The Note’ from the well-known sitcom ‘Seinfeld’. Chapter 9 offers suggestions on how this type of study can be applied to the same episode of the sitcom. The appendix contains the complete script with numbered lines.

Chapter 1: Deixis and distance

Deixis is a technical term that means ‘pointing’ via language. There are three forms, the first one can be used to indicate people via person deixis, location via spatial deixis and temporal via temporal deixis.

1. PERSON DEIXIS

EXAMPLE 1
LINE 15. Jerry: What do you think the worst part of being blind is?

The use of this pronoun shows the distinction described by a person deixis with the speaker (I: in this case Jerry) and the addressee (you: Julianna) mentioned.

EXAMPLE 2
LINE 29. Jerry: He was at a carnival with his mother.

In this example, it can be considered that person deixis operates on a basic three-part division, exemplified by the pronouns for the first person (I: Jerry), second person (You: Julianna) and the third person (He: The kidnapped boy that Jerry mentioned to Julianna).

EXAMPLE 3
LINE 36. Jerry: Who takes care of your boy during the day?

LINE 37. Julianna: We have a woman. Why?

In the answer to this question, the speaker (Julianna) is using the first person plural (we) with the function of an exclusive ‘we’ (speaker plus other(s), excluding the addressee: Jerry).

EXAMPLE 4
Closing monologue
LINE 409. I think it's because men know that deep down we have weak
LINE 410. sales resistance. We're constantly buying shoes that hurt us, pants

In this case the use of the first person plural (we) functions, in both cases, as an inclusive ‘we’. It means that the speaker (Jerry) and the addressee are included (the male audience).

2. SPATIAL DEIXIS

EXAMPLE 1
LINE 125. Raymond: ...And then Julianna asked me if I wanted to join her here in the office.

The use of the adverb, which is in italics, shows that the speaker (Raymond) is referring to his location about his job at the moment of speaking and expressing that he is working at this place.

EXAMPLE 2
LINE 198.Kramer: I just saw Joe DiMaggio in Dinky Donuts. You know,I
LINE 199. looked in there and there he was having coffee and a donut.

In this example, the adverb (there) shows that the speaker (Kramer) is referring to a particular place that is not where he is now. And he is telling his friend that particular anecdote.

3. TEMPORAL DEIXIS

EXAMPLE 1
LINE 176. George: And then I took my pants off.

The use of the adverb, which is in italics, is considered to be a temporal deixis marker. It applies to the past time relative to the speaker’s present time (the dialogue with Jerry at his flat about George’s experience with a male masseuse)

EXAMPLE 2
LINE 271. Jerry: See, now I know it's not him. Joe DiMaggio could not be a
LINE 272. dunker

The adverb, which is in italics, is considered as the proximal form which indicates both the time coinciding with the speaker’s utterance and the time of the speaker’s voice being heard. So it happens in present tense.

Chapter 2: Reference and inference

Reference is an act by which a speaker uses a word, or words to enable a listener to identify someone or something. Those linguistic forms are referring expressions.They can be proper nouns, noun phrases which are definite or indefinite, and pronouns. It must be considered that reference is clearly tied to the speaker’s goals and beliefs in the use of language.

1. Referring expression
EXAMPLE 1
198. Kramer: I just saw Joe DiMaggio in Dinky Donuts. You know, I
199. looked in there and there he was having coffee and a donut.

200. Jerry: Joe DiMaggio? In Dinky Donuts?

201. Kramer: Yeah. Joe DiMaggio.

202. Jerry: I'm sorry, if Joe DiMaggio wants a donut he goes to a fancy
203. restaurant or a hotel. He's not sitting in Dinky Donuts.

204. Kramer: Well maybe he likes Dinky Donuts.

The use of a proper noun shows that there is a pragmatic connection between these kind of nouns and objects that will be conventionally associated, within a socio-culturally defined community, with those names. In this particular case, the proper noun in bold invites the listener to make the expected inference and thereby it shows that he is a member of the same community as the speaker. Both are aware of who is this ‘famous’ person.

EXAMPLE 2
36. Jerry: Who takes care of your boy during the day?

37. Julianna: We have a woman. Why?

38. Jerry: No no. I'm just saying.

39. Julianna: She had references.

This example shows three different linguistic forms. First of all, there is a noun phrase, in italics, which is definite. Secondly, there is a noun phrase which is indefinite, in line 37. And finally, there is a pronoun in line 39. In conclusion, all these forms are considered as referring expressions which enable a listener, or reader, to identify something.

2. Inference This refers to the listener’s use of additional knowledge to make sense of what is not explicit in an utterance.
EXAMPLE 1

26. Jerry: You hear about that kid that was kidnapped the other day in
27. Pennsylvania?

28. Julianna: No.

29. Jerry: He was at a carnival with his mother. She goes to get a hot
30. dog, next thing you know she turns around, boom, he's gone.

31. Julianna: Oh.

32. Jerry: Imagine how sick a person has to be to do something like
33. that. And these people are all over the place. You never know who's
34. crazy, I could be one of these people.

35. Julianna (visibly uncomfortable): Have you seen any good movies?

This extract from the script shows that there is no direct relationship between entities and words; the listener’s task is to infer correctly which entity the speaker intends to identify by using a particular referring expression. In this example the listener (Julianna) misunderstands the idea of the speaker (Jerry) in relation to the kidnapped boy and the kind of people who do those actions. The listener feels uncomfortable with the speaker’s referring expression, in italics, and decides to change the subject of conversation.
3. Co-text
This is the linguistic environment in which a word is used.
EXAMPLE 1
75. Elaine: I have a good masseuse you could go to.

76. Jerry: Nah, she's really good and she's not just a masseuse, she's a
77. physical therapist. There's a big difference. She uses the
78. ultrasound, it's a real medical procedure.

This extract can be considered as the physical context of a medical explanation. It may crucially depend on familiarity with the local sociocultural conventions as the basis for inference. For that reason, reference is not simply a relationship between the meaning of a word or phrase and an object or person in the world. It is a social act, in which the speaker assumes that the word or phrase chosen to identify an object or a person will be interpreted as the speaker intended.

4. Anaphoric reference An anaphora is represented by a pro-form or some other kind of deictic expression, for instance, a pronoun referring to its antecedent.

EXAMPLE 1
209. Kramer: Why can't Joe DiMaggio have a donut like everyone else?

210. Jerry: He can have a donut, but not at Dinky.

In this example, there is an antecedent (Joe DiMaggio), the initial expression used to identify someone for which an anaphor is mentioned later. The word that functions as the anaphor is the pronoun in bold. This pronoun is used to maintain reference to someone already mentioned.

Cataphora

This is the use of a word (typically a pronoun) to introduce someone or something that is more fully identified later.
EXAMPLE 1

291. George: I was jumping over a puddle and for some reason I went like
292. this.(George stretches out his arms in a ballet motion) They called
293. me a Mary. So I chased them, and I tripped and I fell.

The first pronoun (I) is used to describe an expression that co-refers with a later expression in the discourse. In this case the pronoun (me) which refers to the speaker in a different way (He was called a Mary, as he was considered a girl).

Chapter 3: Presupposition and entailment

A presupposition is something that the speaker believes to be true even before he makes any utterance. An entailment is a logical consequence implied by the statement in an utterance.

1. Types of presupposition
Existential presupposition

It is the implication, through the use of a certain expression, that the speaker takes for granted the existence of a certain entity or person. This is conveyed by means of possessive constructions or any definite noun phrase.
EXAMPLE 1
5. these classes, where are these doctors? Is somewhere, someone saying
6. to their friend,
The possessive adjective “their” implies that the speaker assumes that the person referred to has a friend.

EXAMPLE 2
12. “I’ll give you the real medicine.” Through this utterance the speaker suggests that a real medicine exists in the world.

Factive presupposition The expressions that follow a verb like “know”, “realize”, “regret”, or phrases as “be aware”, “be odd”, “be glad” are taken for true and considered to be a fact. EXAMPLE 1
40. “I'm sure she did, I'm sure they're impeccable.”
EXAMPLE 2
64. “I know it was stupid.

Lexical presuppositions They are expressions by which a non-asserted meaning is interpreted by the listener as the result of the meaning of certain assertion. That is the case of verbs like “finished” in which the asserted idea is that “something ceased to happen” while the presupposed idea is that something “had happened up to that time”.
EXAMPLE 1
70. “Hey, would you stop it already?” In this case, Jerry implies that Elaine is saying something, and as he finds it annoying, he wants her to stop doing so.
.
Structural presupposition It is one special case of presupposition which is conveyed by the use of a certain grammatical structure. That is the case of wh-questions, by which the information contained in them is assumed to be true to the interlocutor.
EXAMPLE 1
15. “What do you think the worst part of being blind is?” The speaker assumes that his interlocutor is of the opinion that being blind is something bad.
EXAMPLE 2
36. “Who takes care of your boy during the day? The speaker takes for granted that someone takes care of the child during the day.

Non-factive presuppositions They are conveyed by verbs like “dream”, “imagine”, “pretend”, which suggest that the following assertion is not true.
EXAMPLE 1
47. Jerry: Neither do I, but I do it for them. I figure they're bored.

The verb figure stands for imagine and in this case, the assertion following may or may not be true.

Counter-factual presupposition It is a kind of assertion which makes explicit that facts are opposite to what it is presupposed. A characteristic structure that shows this presupposition is the conditional construction.
EXAMPLE 1
202. “I'm sorry, if Joe DiMaggio wants a donut he goes to a fancy
203. restaurant or a hotel. He's not sitting in Dinky Donuts”. Jerry means that if the man that Kramer saw were Joe Di Magio, the famous baseball player, he wouldn’t be sitting in Dinky Donuts.

2. Entailments
Background entailments By uttering a certain statement, a speaker expresses other ideas that are implied in the meaning of his utterance, and he commits himself to their truth.
EXAMPLE 1
29. Jerry: He was at a carnival with his mother.

When Jerry utters this sentence, he is committing himself to the truth of such background entailments as:
Somebody was at a carnival with his mother.
He was somewhere with his mother.
He was at a carnival with somebody.

Foreground entailments The speaker marks by means of a stronger stress the part of the sentence which is more important.
EXAMPLE 1
115. George: What if it felt good?
116. Elaine: It's supposed to feel good.

Elaine marks the word “supposed” with a stronger stress to show that this is her main assumption, and therefore her foreground entailment.
EXAMPLE 2
186. George: It moved! It was imperceptible but I felt it.

187. Jerry: Maybe it just wanted to change positions? You know, shift
188. to the other side.

189. George: No, no. It wasn't a shift, I've shifted, this was a move.

George shows with the stress he places on the words “wasn’t” and “move” which are the most relevant pieces of information in his utterance.

Chapter 4: Cooperation and implicature

Implicature

It is the additional meaning communicated by an utterance and recognized by all speakers in the common understanding that our interlocutors are being cooperative.

1. The cooperative principle It refers to the general idea that people involved in a conversation cooperate with each other for the sake of good communication. We can recognize four aspects in this cooperative principle which are expressed in four maxims. (Grice,1975)
Quantity maxim
1- Make your contribution as informative as is required.
2- Do not give more information than it is required.
EXAMPLE 1
147. Raymond: How did you hurt this?

148. George: I don't know.

149. Raymond: You don't know?

150. George: No.
151. Raymond: But you just told me--

152. George: Korea.

153. Raymond: You hurt it in Korea?

154. George: What?

155. Raymond: The hamstring.

156. George: Korea.

157. Raymond: How?

158. George: Hamstring.

159. Raymond: How did you hurt the hamstring?

160. George: Hotel.

In the example we see how George, who is very uncomfortable in the situation, answers Raymond’s questions with isolated words and flouts the quantity maxim, giving less information than that required by Raymond.
Quality maxim
Your contribution should be true. 1- Do not say what you believe to be false. 2- Do not say things without having adequate evidence of them.
EXAMPLE 1
363. Jerry: Hi. Look, I know I don't have an appointment but it's
364. really important that I talk with Julianna.

365. Receptionist: I'm sorry, Mr. Seinfeld, she's not in.

366. Jerry: Yeah, I know she's mad at me but I really have to speak with
367. her.

368. Receptionist: I told you, she's not here.

In this example the receptionist is deliberately not saying the truth and Jerry insists on talking to Julianna because he knows the receptionist is giving excuses and not being co-operative.
Relation:
Be relevant
EXAMPLE 1
382. Elaine: Well, I mean it's only six months probation, it's a slap on
383. the wrist.

384. Jerry: Yeah, I still don't see any dinner invitations forthcoming.

Apparently, Jerry’s comment has nothing to do with Elaine’s utterance and it seems to be flouting the maxim of relevance. However, there is connection between the two statements. Jerry means that even if the sentence of six months probation which Roy received is not a hard one, he may not be happy to see Jerry again or invite him to dinner.
Manner:
1- Avoid obscurity of expression. 2- Avoid ambiguity. 3- Be brief. 4- Be orderly.
EXAMPLE 1
275. Kramer: And nothing diverts his attention. Like, I'm uh, you know,
276. like I'm sitting in there, you know. And I start banging on the
277. table, you know, to uh, look up, you know, Like I'm sitting there
278. you know and uh, *bang* (slams the table) You know, *bang*

In the present example Kramer is neither clear, nor brief and what he tries to convey can only be understood if we see the scene acted. It can be interpreted because of the context provided by the situation in the scene.
Although not mentioned in a conversation, the principles of quantity, quality, relation and manner are assumed to be used by all interlocutors.

2. Hedges These are expressions used by speakers to indicate their interlocutors that what they are saying may not be accurate.
Quality
EXAMPLE 1
204. Kramer: Well maybe he likes Dinky Donuts.

The word “maybe” shows a hedge because the speaker is not sure if the information he is giving does not violate the maxim of quality.
Quantity
EXAMPLE 1
29. Jerry: He was at a carnival with his mother. She goes to get a hot
30. dog, next thing you know she turns around, boom, he's gone.

The word “boom” stands for a hedge, and shortens the narration. The speaker is aware of the fact that he may flout the quality of quantity if he gives a long account of the story.
Relation
EXAMPLE 1
57. Jerry: Well so she mentioned that she had a son, and then for some
58. reason I launch into the story about the kid from Pennsylvania who
59. was abducted.

The expression “for some reason” is used as a hedge because the speaker is aware of the fact that the interlocutors may find the topics in his conversation with the physical therapist a bit unconnected.
Manner
EXAMPLE 1
198. Kramer: I just saw Joe DiMaggio in Dinky Donuts. You know, I
199. looked in there and there he was having coffee and a donut. The phrase “You know” is used by Kramer as a hedge to indicate that he knows that it may sound a little odd to his friends that a famous basketball player should be in a cheap coffee shop as Dinky Donuts.

3. Conversational implicature This is a way which speakers use to imply more than they are really saying, and it is intended for the listener to infer this additional meaning.

4. Generalized conversational implicatures Generalized conversational implicatures are those which do not require from the listener a special knowledge of the context in order to be correctly interpreted. Some are conveyed by means of the use of the indefinite article + noun, and their meaning is that the things named do not belong in any way to the speaker.
EXAMPLE 1
205. George: I don't even like to sit next to a man on an airplane
206. 'cause our knees might touch.

The expressions “a man” and “an airplane” are generalized conversational implicatures.

5. Scalar implicatures Among generalized conversational implicatures, we find scalar implicatures. These involve the use of a word which expresses a certain value within a scale and therefore, it implies the negation of all values higher on that scale.
EXAMPLE 1
85. Jerry: Well I've never actually done it but if I really wanted to I
86. could probably get one from my friend Roy, the dentist
The adverbs “never” and “probably” are examples of scalar implicature.

6. Particularized conversational implicatures These conversational implicatures require knowledge of specific contexts in order to make correct inferences of the meaning of an utterance. The apparent flouting of one of the maxims is intended for the listener to understand that an additional meaning is implied.
EXAMPLE 1
280....No reaction because
281. the guy is so focused, you see, he can just block out anything
282 that's going on around him. See, that's how he played baseball. He
283. dunks like he hits.

This passage is an example of particularized conversational implicature because the listener needs certain background information about the way baseball is played in order to understand the utterance.

By adding certain expressions, conversational implicatures can be denied, cancelled or reinforced.
EXAMPLE 1
76. Jerry: Nah, she's really good and she's not just a masseuse, she's a
77. physical therapist. There's a big difference. She uses the
78. ultrasound, it's a real medical procedure. In fact, if you get a
79. doctor's note, it's covered by insurance.

The expression “in fact” is used to introduce additional information which reinforces the idea that physical therapy is a real medical procedure.

7. Conventional implicatures They are neither based on the cooperative principle, nor related to particular contexts for their interpretation. Conventional implicatures refer to the additional meanings implied with the use of certain words in the utterance.
But: contrast
EXAMPLE 1
96. George: Excuse me, did you say 'Raymond'?

97. Receptionist: Yes.

98. George: But, uh, Raymond is a man.

But expresses contrast between what George expected and what he found.

Even: contrary to expectation
EXAMPLE 1
62. George: Not even an apple.

George expected to find at least an apple in Jerry’s fridge.

Yet: expected to be different or opposite at a later time

And: it may have two different meanings. When joining two statements conveying static information, it implies addition.
EXAMPLE 1
300. Kramer (singing): ...just a man and not a freak, Joltin' Joe
301. DiMaggio. Joe, Joe. Go, Joe...

In this instance, it shows addition.
When joining statements with dynamic, action-related information, it implies sequence (and then)
EXAMPLE 1
412. anything. What if I accidentally wander into some sort of
413. homosexual store, thinking it's a shoe store, and the salesman goes,
414. 'Just hold this guy's hand, walk around the store a little bit, see
415. how you feel.
EXAMPLE 2
376. Julianna (releasing her child): Run Billy! Run to the office and
377. close the door! (to the receptionist) Call the police!

In both cases, and expresses sequence.

Chapter 5: Speech acts and events

Those actions carried out through utterances are called speech acts. They can be apologies, complaints, compliments, invitations, promises, or requests according to the speaker’s communicative intention. The circumstances that surround speech acts, together with other utterances play a decisive role in the interpretation of their implied meaning. These elements taken as a whole make up speech events.

1. Speech act When producing an utterance, every speaker performs three different acts. First, they produce a locutionary act, which involves the production of a meaningful linguistic expression. Second, they perform an illocutionary act, which is conveyed through the communicative force – illocutionary force - or purpose that speakers have in mind when they utter the message. Finally, the utterance is a perlocutionary act. The speaker will utter a message for the listener to interpret and with the intention of producing a certain effect – perlocutionary effect - on him or her.

EXAMPLE 1
102. George: What, are you crazy? I can't have a man touching me.
103. Switch with me.

The last sentence of the utterance is a locutionary act because it is a meaningful linguistic expression. It also constitutes an illocutionary act because it expresses an offer, and finally, it is a perlocutionary act since it is intended to persuade the interlocutor (Elaine) to change her course of action.

2. IFIDs The Illocutionary Force Indicating Device is an expression used to explicitly indicate the illocutionary force of an utterance by including a verb which describes it unmistakably.
I (Vp) you that… Such verbs are called performative verbs. Some of them are “promise”, “apologize” and “warn”.
EXAMPLE 1
256. down) Can I at least just talk to her so I can apologize? This is not a clear case of an IFID because it is not expressed using the common pattern, but the performative verb is present and shows the intention of the speaker.
EXAMPLE 1
363. Jerry: Hi. Look, I know I don't have an appointment but it's
364. really important that I talk with Julianna.

365. Receptionist: I'm sorry, Mr. Seinfeld, she's not in.

366. Jerry: Yeah, I know she's mad at me but I really have to speak with
367. her.

368. Receptionist: I told you, she's not here.

EXAMPLE 2

213. Kramer: Look I'm telling-- (he does a double take and looks at
214. George) I'm telling you, that was Joe DiMaggio.

The verbs “told” and “am telling” in the examples are not exactly performative, but they describe the speech act that the speaker performs and its illocutionary force. Other devices that serve the same purpose of indicating illocutionary force are word order, stress and intonation.
EXAMPLE 1

211. George: I don't even like to use urinals, I've always been a stall
212. man.

222. Kramer: A stall man, huh?

This is an instance of intonation as IFID. Kramer’s remark is a request for confirmation about George’s previous statement.
EXAMPLE 2
226. Jerry: I mean, if you feel funny about it at all.

227. George: He doesn't feel funny.

228. Jerry: If he does.

229. George: Do you feel funny? He didn't say anything.

In this case, the IFIDs used are word order and intonation in the question in which George asks Roy something that Jerry has suggested in a previous remark.

3. Felicity conditions Whenever a speech act is performed, there are certain appropriate circumstances which have to accompany it in order for the speech act to be recognized as intended. These are called felicity conditions, and among them we can identify:
General conditions: that the participants can understand the language and that they are not play-acting.
EXAMPLE 1
288. Jerry: What happened to you?
289. George: One of those kids called me a Mary.
290. Elaine: A what?
291. George: I was jumping over a puddle and for some reason I went like
292. this.(George stretches out his arms in a ballet motion) They called
293. me a Mary. So I chased them, and I tripped and I fell. Jerry asks for clarification because he does not understand the expression “a Mary” used by George.

Content conditions: related to the kind of utterance. If it is a complaint, it must be about something that the speaker believes to be unfair or not deserved.
EXAMPLE 1
297. Jerry: Hello? Oh, hi Roy. What? Oh my god, how did this happen?
298. What can I do? Oh. I am so sorry. Okay. Bye. (Hangs up) That
299. was Roy. He's under investigation for insurance fraud.

The content condition for the present apology is that Jerry has done something wrong. In fact, he has asked Roy for three notes and this is the reason why he is under investigation for insurance fraud.

Preparatory conditions: different for different types of utterances.
EXAMPLE 1
306. Jerry: He's got a house, a family, they could take away his
307. license. You should have heard him. Three notes, how stupid was
308. that? We never should have got three notes. Jerry regrets having asked Roy for three notes. The preparatory conditions for an act of regretting are two: first, that it is about something that did not happen by itself, and second, that it has or will have a negative effect.
Sincerity condition: the speaker really means what he says. Considering the same situation, in order to be felicitous, it is necessary for a regret to be sincere on the part of the speaker.

Essential condition: The speaker has the true intention of doing as he announces.
EXAMPLE 1
297. Jerry: Hello? Oh, hi Roy. What? Oh my god, how did this happen?
298. What can I do? Oh. I am so sorry. Okay. Bye. (Hangs up) That
299. was Roy. He's under investigation for insurance fraud. The speaker changes from a state of non-being sorry to a state of communicating he is sorry for a certain reason.

4. The performative hypothesis

According to the author, underlying every utterance there is a clause including a performative verb which makes its illocutionary force explicit. This clause can be stated as follows:
I (hereby) Vp you (that) U
, where Vp means performative verb and U means utterance. Utterances presented in this form are called explicit performatives and have a strong impact; while utterances with the same meaning but not constructed with this pattern are called implicit or primary performatives and sound less serious. In the present script there are no examples of explicit performatives.
EXAMPLE 1
297. Hello? Oh, hi Roy. What? Oh my god, how did this happen?
298. What can I do? Oh. I am so sorry. Okay. Bye. The part of the utterance “I am so sorry.” is an apology and an implicit or primary performative.

There are no performative verbs for some utterances, so that not all implicit performatives can be made explicit.

5. Speech act classification One general classification system of speech acts includes five types of general functions carried out by speech acts:
Declarations: Speech acts that when uttered produce a change in the world. They have to be uttered by a certain person in a specific context. No examples can be found in the script.

Representatives: They are statements of fact, assertions, conclusions and descriptions. They state what the speaker believes to be true.
EXAMPLE 1
306. Jerry: He's got a house, a family, they could take away his
307. license. The speaker asserts something he believes to be true about the situation of Roy.
Expressives: speech acts that state what the speaker feels, for example, pleasure, pain, likes, dislikes, joy or sorrow.
EXAMPLE 1
73. George: This is terrible. What is this, ginger? I hate ginger. I
74. can't understand how anyone can eat ginger. The speaker shows a strong dislike with this utterance.
Directives: These are intended to make someone do something. They are commands, orders, requests and suggestions.
EXAMPLE 1
93. Receptionist: George and Elaine, right? Could you fill these out
94. for me please? The receptionist utters a polite request, because she wants to get Elaine and George to complete the forms.
Commisives: Through these speech acts, speakers commit themselves to a future action.
EXAMPLE 1
89. Jerry: I'll tell you, but don't ask her anything about her kid, she’s
90. a little off. Through this utterance, the speaker commits himself to tell his interlocutors the name of the physical therapist.

6. Direct and indirect speech acts A different type of classification can be made taking into account the structure of a speech act. According to it, there are three different types:
Declaratives: expressed with a statement.
EXAMPLE 1
50. There's nothing to eat in here. The speaker is making a statement by means of a declarative sentence.
Interrogatives: expressed through a question.
EXAMPLE 1
54.George: Why don't you ever go shopping? The speaker utters a question using an interrogative sentence.
Imperatives: expressed via a command.
EXAMPLE 1
374. Julianna: I treated you, so please, just get out of the office! The speaker expresses a command through an imperative. When the structure of the utterance coincides with the function that the utterance is performing, we have a direct speech act. If the structure used is not that typically assigned to its function, we have an indirect speech act. The examples given in this section are direct speech acts. But some indirect speech acts can be exemplified as follows.
EXAMPLE 1
223. Jerry: ...so we were just kinda wondering if it was possible for
224. you to write us a note, and if you can't, believe me, it's fine. This rather long statement is, in fact, a very polite and tactful request to Roy for a note.
EXAMPLE 2
52. Jerry: I'm in the middle of a story. By uttering this statement, Jerry is in fact ordering Elaine not to interrupt him while he is telling a story.

7. Speech events These are sets of utterances which take place among speakers who have a social relationship of some kind, and who interact via language to arrive to some outcome which is the particular goal of some or all of the speakers.

EXAMPLE 1
223. Jerry: ...so we were just kinda wondering if it was possible for
224. you to write us a note, and if you can't, believe me, it's fine.
225. George: He didn't say he can't.

226. Jerry: I mean, if you feel funny about it at all.

227. George: He doesn't feel funny.
228. Jerry: If he does.

229. George: Do you feel funny? He didn't say anything.

230. Jerry: He feels funny. You don't have to do this.

231. George: He knows that!

232. Jerry: Roy, should we go? Is this a breach of our friendship?

233. George: Oh, can you be any more dramatic?

234. Roy: Don't be ridiculous. This is an example of a speech event in which three people interact. Two speakers request something from the third one. With his final remark, he agrees to do what they want.

Chapter 6: Politeness and interaction

1. Politeness It is a concept that refers to a number of different interactions within a particular culture and these might include being tactful, generous, modest and sympathetic towards others. Politeness in an interaction is defined as the means employed to show awareness of another person´s face (that is the public self-image of a person that can be positive or negative) and it can be accomplished in situations of social distance or closeness. As regards social distance, negative politeness is accomplished when using formal vocabulary, especially when showing detachment. However, the term negative does not mean “bad”, it is just the opposite of positive.

EXAMPLE 1
93. Receptionist: George and Elaine, right? Could you fill these out
94. for me please? And Elaine, you´ll be seeing Julianna, and George,
95. you´ll be with Raymond.
96. George: Excuse me, did you say “Raymond”?
97. Receptionist: Yes. This is an example of negative politeness. Two speakers are interacting and one is giving instructions and procedures while the other one marks social distance by asking in a formal way.

A face saving act which is oriented to the person´s negative face will tend to show deference and will include an apology for the imposition or interruption. A face saving act which is concerned with the person´s positive face will tend to show solidarity, emphasize that both speakers have a common goal and want the same thing. This is called positive politeness.

EXAMPLE 2
360. Roy: She just has to say the complaint was related to a dental
361. problem.
The woman in the chair wakes up and looks at Jerry and George.
362. George: How ya doing?

This is an example of positive politeness where it is clear that George´s face saving act appeals a common goal with his expression.

2. Face wants It is the public self-image. If a speaker says something that represents a threat to another person regarding self-image it is called a face threatening act. Alternatively, an action can be interpreted as a threat to another´s face and the speaker can say something to lessen the possible threat. This is called a face saving act. There are many ways of performing face saving acts. This is a clear example.

EXAMPLE 3
Him: I´m going to tell him to stop that cracking noise now! (face threatening act)
Her: Perhaps you could ask him if he is going to stop soon because people need to sleep (face saving act)

3. Say something: off and on record Statements that are not directly addressed to the other are technically described as being off record. You can simply produce a statement of the type in “I forgot my pen” in this case more has been communicated than said and the interlocutor can understand the need for a pen. In contrast to such statement, you can directly address the other as a means of expressing your needs. These direct address forms are technically described as being on record. The other person is directly asked for something, as in “give me a pen” Examples of a bald on record form may be followed by expressions like “please” and “would you” and they are used to soften the demand. They are also called mitigating devices. There have been no examples that can be marked in the text because in every-day interaction between social equals, such bald on record behaviour would potentially represent a threat to the other´s face and would generally be avoided.

4. Positive and negative politeness In most English speaing contexts a face saving act is more commonly performed via a negative politeness strategy. That is to say using strategies in the form of questions containing a modal verb such as could, might and may. Other strategies when using positive politeness forms can be seen as solidarity strategies in the form of “let´s”.

Chapter 7: Conversation and preference structure

1. Conversation analysis When there is interpersonal exchange of talk, the conversation structure is seen as a crucial aspect of pragmatics. In any situation there is always an order to follow.
Floor: the right to speak
Turn: the control of the floor
Turn taking: when there is no control
Local management system: where the turn taking operates; it is a set of conventions for getting turns.

2. Pauses, overlaps, and backchannels These terms refer to the transitions with a long silence between turns. For example, overlap occurs when both speakers try to speak at the same time. There are also backchannels signals that are represented by common vocal indicators (uh-uh, yeah, mmm) and there are others such as nods, smiles, and other facial expressions and gestures.

EXAMPLE 4
80. George: Physical therapy is covered by insurance?
81. Jerry: Yeah.
82. George: You don't have to pay for the massage?
83. Jerry: Not if you have a doctor's note.

Adjacency pairs are automatic sequences and they always consist of a first part and a second part produced by different speakers because utterances create expectation. For example:

First part Second part
A: What´s up? B: Nothin´much

Preference structure divides second parts into preferred and dispreferred social acts. In the following examples, there is clear evidence of patterns associated with dispreferred second in English.

EXAMPLE 5

Dispreferred second that show delay or hesitate (so):
71. Elaine: So, what did she say?
72. Jerry: I don't know, she actually seemed to get a little paranoid.

Dispreferred second that show preface (well):
85. Jerry: Well I've never actually done it but if I really wanted to I
86. could probably get one from my friend Roy, the dentist.
87. George: Right, your friend Roy.

Dispreferred second that show the use of mitigators (really, kinda):
180. George: He got about two inches from... there.
181. Jerry: Really?

New scene.
George and Jerry are in Roy's office.

223. Jerry: ...so we were just kinda wondering if it was possible for
224. you to write us a note, and if you can't, believe me, it's fine.
225. George: He didn't say he can't.

Dispreferred second that show appeal for understanding (you see, you know):

274. Elaine: Why couldn't he be a dunker?
275. Kramer: And nothing diverts his attention. Like, I'm uh, you know,
276. like I'm sitting in there, you know. And I start banging on the
277. table, you know, to uh, look up, you know, Like I'm sitting there
278. you know and uh, *bang* (slams the table) You know, *bang* He
279. wouldn't move. So then I start doing these yelping noises. Like,
280. *yip* (high pitched yelping noises) *yip*. No reaction because
281. the guy is so focused, you see, he can just block out anything
282. that's going on around him. See, that's how he played baseball. He 283. dunks like he hits.

Chapter 8: Discourse and culture

Discourse analysis covers a wide range of activities and focuses on the record of the process by which language is used in some context to express intention. Generally, what language users have most in mind is an assumption of coherence, that what is said or written will make sense in terms of their normal experience of things. Our ability to arrive automatically at interpretations of the unwritten and the unsaid must be based on pre-existing knowledge structures (schemata). When schemata are considered they are described as scripts. A script is a pre-existent knowledge structure involving event sequences.

EXAMPLE 1
291. George: I was jumping over a puddle and for some reason I went like
292. this.(George stretches out his arms in a ballet motion) They called
293. me a Mary. So I chased them, and I tripped and I fell.
294. Kramer: Yeah, you know kids, they can be very perceptive.

In this example, part of the speaker’s normal script for jumping over a puddle involves the action of stretching his arms in a ballet position. Everything else that happened in this event sequence is assumed to be shared background knowledge.

Chapter 9: Identification and application The following utterances are possible ways to practice what has been taught in the previous chapters, again resorting to the same episode in the sitcom. 1. To recognize ‘deixis and distance’ What types of deixis do you think can be drawn from the following utterances? 1.1 Text before utterance:

George: You don't have to pay for the massage?

Jerry: Not if you have a doctor's note.

Elaine: So where do you get this note?

Jerry: Well I've never actually done it but if I really wanted to I could probably get one from my friend Roy, the dentist.

George: Right, your friend Roy.

Utterance for analysis:

Elaine: What's the name of this physical therapist?

Jerry: I'll tell you, but don't ask her anything about her kid, she’s a little off.

Key: To recognize ‘deixis and distance’ This utterance can be considered to be person deixis which operates on a basic three-part division, the speaker (I), the listener (you) and a third person (she) mentioned. 3. To recognize “types of presupposition” What kinds of presupposition can you identify in the following texts? 3.1. Utterance for analysis: 313. Elaine: But I got my own note. Text after utterance: 314. Jerry: You what? 315. Elaine: I got a note from my gynecologist 3.2. Utterance for analysis: 131. Raymond: So what do you do? Text after utterance: 132. George: What?

133. Raymond: I said, 'What do you do?' 134. George: I don't know.

3.2. To identify “entailments” Explain background and foreground entailments in the following utterance. Utterance for analysis: 262. Elaine: Hey, you scrunched me. I sat down here first. Text before utterance: 261. Jerry: Well you were too close to me, I was all scrunched in there.

4.1. To identify the “maxims of the cooperative principle” Are any of the maxims of quantity, quality, relevance or manner flouted in the following utterance? Explain Utterance for analysis: 234. Roy: Don't be ridiculous. Text before utterance: 230. Jerry: He feels funny. You don't have to do this. 231. George: He knows that! 232. Jerry: Roy, should we go? Is this a breach of our friendship? 233. George: Oh, can you be any more dramatic?

4.3 To recognize “implicatures” What types of implicature can you find in the texts?

4.3.1. Utterance for analysis: 266. Kramer: Joe DiMaggio, you know this time I went in and sat down 267. across from him and I really watched him.

4.3.2. Utterance for analysis: 241. George: I mean he's a good fighter and a nice guy but I don't like 242. him.

Text before utterance: 238. Roy: Do you like him?

239. George: What do you mean, like him?

240. Roy: Do you like him?

4.3.3. Utterance for analyses: 308. Jerry: We never should have got three notes.

Text before utterance: 306. Jerry: He's got a house, a family, they could take away his 307. license. You should have heard him. Three notes, how stupid was 308. that?

5.1. To recognize “felicity conditions” Name the felicity conditions for the speech act below. Utterance for analysis: 288. Jerry: What happened to you? Text before utterance: George enters, his pants are ripped at the knee.

5.2. To recognise “speech act classification”. What type of speech act can you find in the following example?

5 .2.1. Utterance for analysis: 311. Elaine: You got me a note? Text before utterance: 309. Elaine: Three notes? 310. Jerry: Yeah, you, me and George.

5.3. To recognize “speech events” What is the function of the speech event below? Utterance for analysis: 254. (Jerry tries to sit down on the couch, but Elaine is too close to 255. the end and he has to squeeze in between her and the arm to sit 256. down) Looks at Elaine for a moment) What's with you? 260. Elaine: What? 261. Jerry: Well you were too close to me, I was all scrunched in there. 262. Elaine: Hey, you scrunched me. I sat down here first.

7.2 To recognize ‘preface and mitigators’ What types of patterns associated with a dispreferred second in English do you think can be drawn from the following exchanges of conversation? 176. George: And then I took my pants off.

177. Jerry: You took your pants off?

178. George: For my hamstring.

179. Jerry: Oh.

180. George: He got about two inches from... there.

181. Jerry: Really?

182. George: I think it moved.

183. Jerry: Moved?

184. George: It may have moved, I don't know.

Conclusion

As pragmatics is the study of speaker meaning, we hope to have shown through the analysis of the sitcom what people mean in everyday context and how context influences what people say. The sitcom is useful to express that in real life conversations there are a lot of situations that help to distinguish the different contexts in which meaning plays a major role. The relationship between linguistic forms and the users of those forms is clearly seen through the sitcom and also serve as a way to interpret contextual meaning. The fact that filmed material provides the opportunity to see language in use allows the viewer to appreciate correspondence between language use and paralinguistic behaviour. Most importantly, we also hope the present essay has offered examples suitable to each of the categories of analysis we have dealt with in its pages.

Bibliography

• AMADO, Sebastian, Academic Writing: Understanding Discourse, English Training College ‘Lenguas Vivas Juan Ramón Fernandez’, 2006

• THORNBURY, Scott. Beyond the sentence: Macmillan Books for teachers, 2005

• YULE, George. (1996) Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Appendix: The Script

The Note
Written by: Larry David
Episode no. 18 pc: 301, season 3, episode 1
Broadcast date: September 18, 1991

The Cast

Regulars:
Jerry Seinfeld................... Jerry Seinfeld
Jason Alexander.................. George Costanza
Julia Louis-Dreyfus.............. Elaine Benes
Michael Richards................. Cosmo Kramer

Guest Stars:

Ralph Bruneau.................... Lloyd
Terri Hanauer.................... Julianna
Jeff Lester...................... Raymond
Flo Di Re........................ Receptionist
Liz Georges...................... Pam
Paul Rogers...................... Man in Waiting Room
Dale Raoul....................... Dental Patient
Joshua Liebling.................. Billy

1. Every time somebody recommends a doctor, he's always the best. "Oh, is
2. he good?" "Oh, he's the best. This guy's the best." They can't all
3.be the best.
4.There can't be this many bests. Someone's graduating at the bottom of
5.these classes, where are these doctors? Is somewhere, someone saying
6.to their friend, "You should see my doctor, he's the worst. Oh yeah,
7. he's the worst, he's the absolute worst there is. Whatever you've
8. got, it'll be worse after you see him.
9.He's just, he's a butcher. The man's a butcher."? And then there's
10.always that, "Make sure that you tell him that, you know, you know
11. me." Why? What's the difference? He's a doctor. What is it, "Oh,
12.you know Bob! Okay, I'll give you the real medicine. Everybody else,
13. I'm giving Tic-Tacs."

First scene.
Jerry is getting a massage.

14. Julianna: ...And usually for lunch I'll have a salad, and for dinner, I eat whatever I want.

15. Jerry: What do you think the worst part of being blind is?

16. Julianna: Excuse me?

17. Jerry: You know, if you were blind what do you think the worst part
18. of it would be?

19. Julianna: I don't know.

20. Jerry: I think it would be not being able to tell if there was bugs
21. in my food.

22. How could you ever enjoy a meal like that? I'd constantly be feeling
23. around Wit h my lips and my tongue.

24. Julianna: Well that's how my five-year old eats. He's a very picky
25. eater.

26. Jerry: You hear about that kid that was kidnapped the other day in
27. Pennsylvania?

28. Julianna: No.

29. Jerry: He was at a carnival with his mother. She goes to get a hot
30. dog, next thing you know she turns around, boom, he's gone.

31. Julianna: Oh.

32. Jerry: Imagine how sick a person has to be to do something like
33. that. And these people are all over the place. You never know who's
34. crazy, I could be one of these people.

35. Julianna (visibly uncomfortable): Have you seen any good movies?

36. Jerry: Who takes care of your boy during the day?

37. Julianna: We have a woman. Why?

38. Jerry: No no. I'm just saying.

39. Julianna: She had references.

40. Jerry: I'm sure she did, I'm sure they're impeccable. I'm talking
41. about the ones that forge them. You know I think this is really
42. helping.

43. Julianna: I don't live near here, ya know!

New scene.
Jerry, Elaine and George are at Jerry's apartment.

44. Jerry: So she's giving me the massage and I'm just making
45.conversation.

46. Elaine: I don't like to talk during a massage.

47. Jerry: Neither do I, but I do it for them. I figure they're bored.

48. George: Yeah, I do that too. I feel guilty about getting the
49. pleasure. I feel like I don't deserve it so I talk. It stops me
50. from enjoying it. There's nothing to eat in here.

51. Elaine: Oh! I forgot to tell you--

52. Jerry: I'm in the middle of a story.

53. Elaine: Okay, go ahead.

54.George: Why don't you ever go shopping?

55. Jerry: Not like it's a really funny story or anything.

56. Elaine: What happened?

57. Jerry: Well so she mentioned that she had a son, and the for some
58. reason I launch into the story about the kid from Pennsylvania who
59. was abducted.

60. Elaine: Oh, wasn't that terrible?

61. Jerry: Yes, it was.

62. George: Not even an apple.

63. Elaine: She doesn't want to hear that, that was stupid.

64. Jerry: I know it was stupid.

65. Elaine: Really stupid.

66. Jerry: Hey, I just said it was stupid.

67. George: What about this leftover Chinese food?

68. Jerry: Take it.

69. Elaine: I can't believe you said that.

70. Jerry: Hey, would you stop it already?

71. Elaine: So, what did she say?

72. Jerry: I don't know, she actually seemed to get a little paranoid.

73. George: This is terrible. What is this, ginger? I hate ginger. I
74. can't understand how anyone can eat ginger.

75. Elaine: I have a good masseuse you could go to.

76. Jerry: Nah, she's really good and she's not just a masseuse, she's a
77. physical therapist. There's a big difference. She uses the
78. ultrasound, it's a real medical procedure. In fact, if you get a
79. doctor's note, it's covered by insurance.

80. George: Physical therapy is covered by insurance?

81. Jerry: Yeah.

82. George: You don't have to pay for the massage?

83. Jerry: Not if you have a doctor's note.

84. Elaine: So where do you get this note?

85. Jerry: Well I've never actually done it but if I really wanted to I
86. could probably get one from my friend Roy, the dentist.

87. George: Right, your friend Roy.

88. Elaine: What's the name of this physical therapist?

89. Jerry: I'll tell you, but don't ask her anything about her kid, she
90. a little off.

91. George: And you don't have to pay.

New scene.
George and Elaine are at the physical therapist's office.

92. George: We have three-o'clock appointments.

93. Receptionist: George and Elaine, right? Could you fill these out
94. for me please? And Elaine, you'll be seeing Julianna, and George,
95. you'll be with Raymond.

96. George: Excuse me, did you say 'Raymond'?

97. Receptionist: Yes.

98. George: But, uh, Raymond is a man.

99. Receptionist: That's right.

George sits down slowly, letting this sink in.

100. George: I can't get a massage from a man.

101. Elaine: Why not?

102. George: What, are you crazy? I can't have a man touching me.
103. Switch with me.

104. Elaine: No, I don't want the man either.

105. George: What's the difference, you're a woman. They're supposed to
106. be touching you.

107. Elaine: He'd just be touching your back.

108. George: He'd just be touching your back too.

109. Elaine: No, it could get sexual.

110. George: I know. That's the point. If it's gonna get sexual, it
111. should get sexual with you.

112. Elaine: I wouldn't be comfortable.

113. George: I would? What if something happens?

114. Elaine: What could happen?

115. George: What if it felt good?

116. Elaine: It's supposed to feel good.

117. George: I don't want it to feel good.

118. Elaine: Then why get the massage?

119. George: Exactly!

A man walks up dressed in white.

120. Raymond: George?

121. George: Yes?

122. Raymond: I'm Raymond.

123. George: Hello.

124. Raymond: Are you ready?

George gets up cautiously and walks with Raymond.

New scene.
George is on the table getting a massage from Raymond. George appears extremely uncomfortable.

125. Raymond: ...And then Julianna asked me if I wanted to join her here in the office. 126. George: Really.

127. Raymond: I used to be a flight attendant.

128. George: Oh boy.

129. Raymond: Ya know, why don't you open those pants, it's gonna be a
130. lot easier that way.

George loosens his pants, Raymond grabs them and yanks then down his hips then starts massaging his lower back.

131. Raymond: So what do you do?

132. George: What?

133. Raymond: I said, 'What do you do?'.

134. George: I don't know.

135. Raymond: You don't know what you do?

136. George: Nah.

137. Raymond: Oh, come on. Hey, you're very tense.

138. George: Coffee. Too much coffee.

139. Raymond: Okay, just take off those pants now, I'll work the
140. hamstring.

141. George: Oh, the hamstring's fine.

142. Raymond: But you wrote that it was tender.

143. George: I wrote. Pfft, *I* wrote.

144. Raymond: I'll check it out.

145. George: Are you sure?

146. Raymond: Yeah, take 'em off.

George gets up to remove his pants, he looks over and sees Raymond rubbing his hands with oil. Nervous, George pulls his pants down and climbs back on the table. As soon as Raymond touches his leg, George becomes rigid with discomfort.

147. Raymond: How did you hurt this?

148. George: I don't know.

149. Raymond: You don't know?

150. George: No.

151. Raymond: But you just told me--

152. George: Korea.

153. Raymond: You hurt it in Korea?

154. George: What?

155. Raymond: The hamstring.

156. George: Korea.

157. Raymond: How?

158. George: Hamstring.

159. Raymond: How did you hurt the hamstring?

160. George: Hotel.

New scene.
Elaine is in the waiting room, George walks out very slowly, he appears positively shell-shocked.

161. Elaine: How'd it go? George?

162. George walks right out the door, ignoring Elaine.

New scene.
Jerry's apartment, Jerry is on the phone.

163. Jerry: No appointments at all? Because my neck is still tight.
164. What about Thursday? And Friday? Oh boy. Okay, thanks anyway.

George enters acting nervous.

165. Jerry: What's with you?

166. George: A...

167. Jerry: Yes, A...?

168. George: A man gave me...

169. Jerry: Yes, a man gave you...?

170.George: A man gave me... a massage.

171. Jerry: So?

172. George: So he... had his hands and, uh, he was...

173. Jerry: He was what?!

174. George: He was... touching and rubbing.

175. Jerry: That's a massage.

176. George: And then I took my pants off.

177. Jerry: You took your pants off?

178. George: For my hamstring.

179. Jerry: Oh.

180. George: He got about two inches from... there.

181. Jerry: Really?

182. George: I think it moved.

183. Jerry: Moved?

184. George: It may have moved, I don't know.

185. Jerry: I'm sure it didn't move.

186. George: It moved! It was imperceptible but I felt it.

187. Jerry: Maybe it just wanted to change positions? You know, shift
188. to the other side.

189. George: No, no. It wasn't a shift, I've shifted, this was a move.

190. Jerry: Okay, so what if it moved?

191. George: That's the sign! The test; if a man makes it move.

192. Jerry: That's not the test. Contact is the test, if it moves as a
193. result of contact.

194. George: You think it's contact? It has to be touched?

195. Jerry: That's what a gym teacher once told me.

Kramer enters.

196. Kramer: Hey.

197. Jerry: Hey.

198. Kramer: I just saw Joe DiMaggio in Dinky Donuts. You know, I
199. looked in there and there he was having coffee and a donut.

200. Jerry: Joe DiMaggio? In Dinky Donuts?

201. Kramer: Yeah. Joe DiMaggio.

202. Jerry: I'm sorry, if Joe DiMaggio wants a donut he goes to a fancy
203. restaurant or a hotel. He's not sitting in Dinky Donuts.

204. Kramer: Well maybe he likes Dinky Donuts.

205. George: I don't even like to sit next to a man on an airplane
206. 'cause our knees might touch.

207. Jerry: I can't see Joe DiMaggio sitting at the counter in little
208. tiny filthy smelly Dinky Donuts.

209. Kramer: Why can't Joe DiMaggio have a donut like everyone else?

210. Jerry: He can have a donut, but not at Dinky.

211. George: I don't even like to use urinals, I've always been a stall
212. man.

213. Kramer: Look I'm telling-- (he does a double take and looks at
214. George) I'm telling you, that was Joe DiMaggio.
214. George: The guy slept with Marilyn Monroe, he's in Dinky Donuts.
215. What about this doctor's note? Let's go see your friend Roy.

216. Jerry: I never said I'd do that.

217. George: What are you talking about, that's seventy-five bucks! I'm
218. not working, I can't afford that.

219. Jerry: I don't know how I feel about it.

220. George: Oh, what are you, like, a Quaker now?

221. Jerry: Alright, alright.

222. Kramer: A stall man, huh?

New scene.
George and Jerry are in Roy's office.

223. Jerry: ...so we were just kinda wondering if it was possible for
224. you to write us a note, and if you can't, believe me, it's fine.

225. George: He didn't say he can't.

226. Jerry: I mean, if you feel funny about it at all.

227. George: He doesn't feel funny.

228. Jerry: If he does.

229. George: Do you feel funny? He didn't say anything.

230. Jerry: He feels funny. You don't have to do this.

231. George: He knows that!

232. Jerry: Roy, should we go? Is this a breach of our friendship?

233. George: Oh, can you be any more dramatic?

234. Roy: Don't be ridiculous. (Notices George looking at a poster on
235. the wall) Holyfield. He's a good friend of one of my patients.
236. He's got a hell of a body, doesn't he?

237. George: How would I know?

238. Roy: Do you like him?

239. George: What do you mean, like him?

240. Roy: Do you like him?

241. George: I mean he's a good fighter and a nice guy but I don't like
242. him.

243. Roy: How come you don't like him?

244. George: Why should I?

245. Jerry: What is the matter with you?

246. George: Nothing, why? You think something's wrong? Am I
247. different?

248. Roy: So, you want the notes?

249. Jerry: You don't have to, really.

250. Roy: Nah nah, it's ok.

251. Jerry: We should probably get one for Elaine, too, right George?
252. (turns to George, who is staring intently at the Holyfield poster)
253. George?

New scene.
Jerry and Elaine are at Jerry's apartment, Jerry is on the phone.

254. Jerry: Well what about the week after? No appointments at all?
255. (Jerry tries to sit down on the couch, but Elaine is too close to
255. the end and he has to squeeze in between her and the arm to sit
256. down) Can I at least just talk to her so I can apologize? Forget
257. it. (Hangs up) I can't believe this, I make one innocent comment
258. about some lunatic in Pennsylvania and I'm cut off. This woman is
259. insane. (Looks at Elaine for a moment) What's with you?

260. Elaine: What?

261. Jerry: Well you were too close to me, I was all scrunched in there.

262. Elaine: Hey, you scrunched me. I sat down here first.

Kramer enters.

263. Kramer: Hey, I saw DiMaggio in the donut shop again.

264. Jerry: Uh huh.

265. Elaine: Joe DiMaggio?

266. Kramer: Joe DiMaggio, you know this time I went in and sat down
267. across from him and I really watched him. I studied his every move. 268. For example, he dunks.

269. Elaine: Joe DiMaggio dunks his donut?

270. Kramer: That's right.

271. Jerry: See, now I know it's not him. Joe DiMaggio could not be a
272. dunker.

273. Kramer: Oh, he's a dunker.

274. Elaine: Why couldn't he be a dunker?

275. Kramer: And nothing diverts his attention. Like, I'm uh, you know,
276. like I'm sitting in there, you know. And I start banging on the
277. table, you know, to uh, look up, you know, Like I'm sitting there
278. you know and uh, *bang* (slams the table) You know, *bang* He
279. wouldn't move. So then I start doing these yelping noises. Like,
280. *yip* (high pitched yelping noises) *yip*. No reaction because
281. the guy is so focused, you see, he can just block out anything
282. that's going on around him. See, that's how he played baseball. He
283. dunks like he hits.

284. Elaine: So then what?

285. Kramer: Well, then the waitress, she comes up and she tells me to
286. shut up or they're gonna throw me out.

287. Elaine: Why didn't you just call out his name?

George enters, his pants are ripped at the knee.

288. Jerry: What happened to you?

289. George: One of those kids called me a Mary.

290. Elaine: A what?

291. George: I was jumping over a puddle and for some reason I went like
292. this.(George stretches out his arms in a ballet motion) They called
293. me a Mary. So I chased them, and I tripped and I fell.

294. Kramer: Yeah, you know kids, they can be very perceptive.

295. Elaine: Hey, George? What is this? (Elaine makes the same
296. outstretched arm motion) What is that? No really, what is that?

George heads for the bathroom, the phone rings, Kramer answers it, Jerry grabs it from him.

297. Jerry: Hello? Oh, hi Roy. What? Oh my god, how did this happen?
298. What can I do? Oh. I am so sorry. Okay. Bye. (Hangs up) That
299. was Roy. He's under investigation for insurance fraud.

300. Kramer (singing): ...just a man and not a freak, Joltin' Joe
301. DiMaggio. Joe,Joe. Go, Joe...

302. Jerry: I told you.

303. George: Told me what?

304. Jerry: I told you we shouldn't do it.

305. George: He didn't say anything.

306. Jerry: He's got a house, a family, they could take away his
307. license. You should have heard him. Three notes, how stupid was
308. that? We never should have got three notes.

309. Elaine: Three notes?

310. Jerry: Yeah, you, me and George.

311. Elaine: You got me a note?

312. Jerry: Yeah.

313. Elaine: But I got my own note.

314. Jerry: You what?

315. Elaine: I got a note from my gynecologist.

316. Jerry: Why'd you do that?

317. Elaine: I didn't know you were getting me a note.

318. Jerry: Of course I was getting you a note.

319. Elaine: But you didn't say anything.

320. Jerry: Neither did you, that's how he got caught. We sent in four 321. notes from two doctors.

322. Kramer: How can you do that to your friend? He's got a wife, kids,
323. and a lot of other stuff. Oh, yeah.

Kramer leaves.

New scene.
Jerry and George are at Roy's office.

324. Jerry: Hi Pam.

325. Pam: Hello.

326. George: Hello.

327. Jerry: I just thought maybe I could talk to Roy.

328. Roy walks in.

329. Roy: Pam, did the x-ray from Mrs. Sloan... Hi.

330. Jerry: Hi Roy.

331. George: How ya doing?

332. Roy: Come on back, I have a patient but she's under.

New scene.
Roy, Jerry and George are talking over a woman sleeping in a dental chair.

333. Jerry: I don't even know what to say.

334. George: Me neither.

335. Jerry: I knew this would happen.

336. George: Me too.

337. Jerry: I mean the whole thing, it's just...

338. George: Tragic.

339. Jerry: Well it's not tragic.

340. George: No?

341. Jerry: No, it's...

342. George: Unsettling?

343. Jerry: Okay. I mean, what if the--

Pam walks in and interrupts.

344. Pam: I hope you're both happy.

345. Jerry: I'm not happy.

346. George: Me neither. I've never been happy.

347. Jerry: I mean I'm happy sometimes, but not now.

348. George: In college, maybe. Those were fun times.

349. Jerry: Yeah, college was fun.

Pam walks in again and interjects.

350. Pam: You know the whole practice is in jeopardy, you know that?

351. Roy: Don't mind her.

352. Jerry: Oh please, I love her.

353. George: I've just met her but I'm very impressed.

354. Roy: I can't understand, I've never had a problem with these notes 355. before.

356. Jerry: What's the next move, what's gonna happen now?

357. Roy: Well, nothing really, as long as we get the physical therapist
358. to go along with our story.

359. Jerry: What? The physical therapist? Why?

360. Roy: She just has to say the complaint was related to a dental
361. problem.

The woman in the chair wakes up and looks at Jerry and George.

362. George: How ya doing?

New scene.
Jerry and George are at Julianna's office.

363. Jerry: Hi. Look, I know I don't have an appointment but it's
364. really important that I talk with Julianna.

365. Receptionist: I'm sorry, Mr. Seinfeld, she's not it.

366. Jerry: Yeah, I know she's mad at me but I really have to speak with
367. her.

368. Receptionist: I told you, she's not here.

369. Jerry: You don't understand.

370. receptionist: Look, you have to leave.

371. Jerry: Wait a second, don't you-- (Julianna walks up with her child) Hi. Hi. Look, I don't know what you--

372. Julianna: Please!

373. Jerry: --but, you see, let me just talk to you for a second, see, 373. what I did is inadvertently sent an insurance--

374. Julianna: I treated you, so please, just get out of the office!

375. Jerry: Can't you just listen to me?

376. Julianna (releasing her child): Run Billy! Run to the office and
377. close the door! (to the receptionist) Call the police!

Julianna then runs down the hall.

378. Jerry: The police?

Raymond the masseuse walks up.

379. Raymond: Hi George.

380. George: Hello.

381. Jerry (to George): Raymond?

New scene.
Elaine, Jerry and George are at the coffee shop.

382. Elaine: Well, I mean it's only six months probation, it's a slap on
383. the wrist.

384. Jerry: Yeah, I still don't see any dinner invitations forthcoming.

385. George: Men have been popping into my sexual fantasies. All of a
386. sudden, I'll be in the middle.

387. Elaine: Of what? Oh.

388. George: And a guy will appear from out of nowhere. I say "Get out
389. of here! What do you want? You don't belong here!"

390. Elaine: What do they do?

391. George: They talk back. They go, "Hey George, how's it going?" I
392. say, "Get the hell out of here!"

Jerry spots Kramer through the window.

393. Jerry: Hey, it's the K-man. (he bangs on the glass to get Kramer's
394. attention) Maybe it's time you got as different hobby.

Kramer enters and sits at the booth.

395. Kramer: I just came from Roy's. I threw up from the gas.

The three all put down their coffee cups simultaneously.

396. Jerry: Did he say anything?

397. Kramer: No no, he's fine.

397. Jerry (noticing something across the coffee shop): Oh my god,
398. it's...

George (looking over): Joe DiMaggio.

399. Kramer: Where?

400. Jerry: Having a cup of coffee.

401. Elaine: He's dunking!

402. Jerry: Wow. Look at him. The Yankee Clipper. Here.

403. George: You see? Now that is a handsome man. (Elaine and Jerry
404. look right at George) Oh please.

405. Kramer: Wait, wait. *bang* (he slams his hand down on the table) 406. *bang* (again) *yip* (another high pitched yelping sound) *yip*
407. See? I told you.

Closing monologue.

408. What causes homophobia? What is it that makes a heterosexual man
409. worry? I think it's because men know that deep down we have weak 410. sales resistance. We're constantly buying shoes that hurt us, pants 411. that don't fit right. Men think, "Obviously I can be talked into 412. anything. What if I accidentally wander into some sort of
413. homosexual store, thinking it's a shoe store, and the salesman goes,
414. 'Just hold this guy's hand, walk around the store a little bit, see
415. how you feel. No obligation, no pressure, just try it. Would you
416. like to see him in a sandal?'"

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