Pragmatic refers to the study of how people communicate and understand each other. The study is centered around the idea that context and social norms determine what meaning a particular utterance has. This is unlike other areas of linguistic study such as semantics, which focuses on the literal lexical meanings of words and sentences, syntax, which is about how word order affects meaning, and semiotics, which studies signs and symbols.
Pragmatism is a philosophical school of thought that emerged from the work of the American philosopher and psychologist Charles Peirce in the late 19th century. It was originally a philosophy of science, but has been applied to many other disciplines. One such field is the humanities, where pragmatism has been a useful framework to navigate qualitative research on non-governmental organization (NGO) processes.
NGO process research often takes place in highly contextualized settings where a variety of cultural, organizational and societal forces are at play. It is critical for NGO researchers to have a guiding framework that helps them navigate these complex and dynamic challenges. The pragmatist perspective provides this framework for researchers, allowing them to ground their work in practicality and ensure that the findings are relevant and applicable in real-life situations.
While some may be skeptical about the utility of pragmatism as a scholarly approach, it is useful in guiding research in NGO settings. The practicality of pragmatism allows for a flexible and iterative research agenda that can be guided by the evolving dynamics of the NGO context. It also emphasizes the importance of incorporating feedback and reflection into research activities. This approach is particularly suited for the NGO context, where stakeholders can be a source of constructive and critical feedback.
For example, when a staff member asks for feedback on a project from a donor, the NGO manager can respond with an action-oriented plan to address the concerns raised by the donor. In this way, the NGO can balance its core values with the realities of donor expectations, ensuring that all stakeholders are happy and satisfied.
Teachers can incorporate pragmatic instruction into their classrooms by linking it to language functions, such as greetings, requests, complaints, invitations and apologies. Lessons on these topics can be based on home or target culture and can also include the varying idioms of the home and target languages. Often, a lesson on pragmatics will accompany content that is already covered in the textbook. For instance, if students are going over the textbook unit on apologies, an instructor can add in a lesson on how to make an appropriate apology in different cultures. This will help students develop pragmatic competence, which is essential for successful communication in intercultural settings. This is especially important in globalized workplaces where cross-cultural understanding and appreciation are required for business success.