The Pragmatics of Fiction

Presents pragmatics as a framework to analyse the discourse of fiction

• Draws on a range of fictional genres including novels, plays, fan fiction, poems, lyrics, movies and TV series
• Each chapter includes an introduction and conclusion, a list of key concepts, exercises and suggestions for further reading
• Three part structure explores fiction as communication, the pragmatics of story worlds and themes in fiction

Drawing on a wide range of fictional texts from Shakespeare and Austen to Game of Thrones and the lyrics of ‘We Shall Overcome’, this textbook shows how pragmatic analyses can uncover the performative elements that create and shape characters for an audience.

By exploring fictional language, the book investigates different forms of interpersonal communication, such as politeness and impoliteness, as well as the nature of poetic language and the language of emotion. With exercises, discussion topics, suggestions for small-scale research projects and further reading, it shows just how fascinating a challenge fictional language can pose to pragmatics, and illustrates the richness of fictional language as a source of data for pragmatic research.