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Page 1 of 2  SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES  BACHELOR OF ARTS IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES & PHILOSOPHY BACHELOR OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION      END OF SEMESTER EXAMINATION  BDP 3202: PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE  DATE: Friday, 13th March, 2020                                                               TIME: 8:00 -10:00     .  INSTRUCTIONS  1. This examination consists of FIVE questions. 2. Answer question ONE (COMPULSORY) and any other TWO questions.  (Total Marks = 30)  QUESTION ONE (a) From your own understanding of what Philosophy of Language entails, how is it beneficial to you? Briefly explain any two benefits. (4 marks) (b) Examine the following cluster of linguistic aspects and attributes, then answer the questions which follow: Language use, nature of meaning, arbitrariness, syntax, referential theory, symbolic, semantics, productive, phonetics, use theory, language and reality, ideational theory, morphemes, systematic, speech-act theory, language and cognition. (i) Making use of some elements in the cluster, define language in your own way.        (2 marks) (ii) Classify related aspects into four categories with clear headings. (8 marks) (iii) Select any two categories from your answer in (ii) above and clearly explain any two of the four aspects under the two categories. Clarify with relevant examples where applicable. (10 marks)   (c) Describe in general the relationship between language, mind and reality. (6 marks)  Page 2 of 2 QUESTION TWO In his article: “Theories of meaning” Jeff Speaks (2016) elaborates various facets of meaning. With specific reference to this article: (a) Briefly explain the problem of “meaning” (3 marks) (b) Distinguish between what Speaks terms as the “semantic theories of meaning” and “foundational theories of meaning”. Clarify each with an example other than the one Speaks uses. (6 marks) (c) Explain any one semantic theories of meaning and any one foundational theory of meaning that Speaks discusses. (6 marks)  QUESTION THREE (a) How does language use (or abuse) enhance communication? (3 marks) (b) Explain the role of the following in communication, giving a clear example in each case. (i) Conversational implicatures (3 marks) (ii) Social context (3 marks) (c) Using a clear example in each case, explain any two illocutionary speech acts, in the view of John Searle’s (1975) classification. (6 marks)  QUESTION FOUR Language encompasses a people’s socio-cultural worldview. Critique this statement with specific reference to any two particular languages compared with each other against worldviews of their speakers. (15 marks)  QUESTION FIVE Prevalent use of indigenous languages in Africa has been blamed for retarded development in most African countries. Discuss this statement with main focus on the extent to which development depends on language, citing examples from Kenya. (15 marks) 

BDP 3202 - Philosophy of language

https://su-plus.strathmore.edu/bitstream/11071/11953/1/BDP%203202%20-%20Philosophy%20of%20language%20-%20March%202020.pdf

BDP 3202 - Philosophy of language

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