Pragmatics is a branch of linguistics that studies how language is used in social contexts to convey meaning beyond the literal interpretation of words. It is concerned with the ways in which speakers use language to communicate their intentions and achieve their goals, as well as how listeners interpret those utterances considering their social and cultural background.
One of the key concepts in pragmatics is the idea that meaning is not just a matter of matching words to their definitions. Instead, meaning is negotiated between speakers and listeners in the context of the conversation. Speakers must consider a range of factors, such as the identity and social status of their audience, the setting of the conversation, and any shared cultural knowledge, in order to ensure that their message is understood in the way that they intend.
One area of study within pragmatics is speech acts. A speech act is an action that is performed through the use of language, such as making a request, giving an order, or expressing an apology. Speech acts are not just about conveying information, but also about affecting the world in some way. For example, when someone makes a promise, they are not just informing the listener of their intention to do something; they are also creating an expectation that they will follow through on that promise.
Another key concept in pragmatics is implicature. Implicatures are inferences that are drawn by listeners based on the context in which an utterance is made. They are not part of the literal meaning of the words that are spoken, but are instead conveyed through other cues, such as tone of voice, facial expressions, or shared knowledge. For example, if someone says, “I didn’t see John at the party last night,” the literal meaning of those words is that the speaker did not observe John at the party. However, the implicature may be that the speaker is surprised or disappointed that John was not there, or that they were expecting to see him.
Politeness is another important area of study within pragmatics. Politeness refers to the ways in which speakers use language to show respect, deference, or social distance between themselves and their audience. Different cultures have different expectations for politeness, and speakers must take these expectations into account in order to be perceived as polite. For example, in some cultures it is considered impolite to make direct requests, while in others it is seen as rude to beat around the bush.
Deixis is another concept that is important in pragmatics. Deixis refers to the use of language to refer to specific people, objects, or places in the context of the conversation. Speakers use deictic expressions such as “I,” “you,” “here,” and “there” to orient themselves and their listeners in relation to the conversation. However, deictic expressions are context-dependent, and their meaning can change depending on the speaker’s location, the listener’s location, and the time of the utterance.
Finally, presupposition is another area of study within pragmatics. Presupposition refers to the assumptions that speakers make about what their listeners already know or believe. Speakers use presuppositions to build on shared knowledge and create a sense of coherence in the conversation. For example, if someone says, “I’m going to visit my parents this weekend,” the presupposition may be that the listener already knows who the speaker’s parents are and where they live.
In conclusion, pragmatics is a field of linguistics that studies how language is used in social contexts to convey meaning beyond the literal interpretation of words. It is concerned with the ways in which speakers use language to achieve their goals and how listeners interpret those utterances considering their social and cultural background. Key concepts within pragmatics include speech acts, implicature, politeness, deix.