Pragmatic is a word often used to describe someone who is practical and concerned with matters of fact rather than idealistic or ideological. It can also be used to describe someone who is able to see how things will turn out in a situation and take into account all of the consequences.
Pragmatics is the study of language in context and looks beyond the literal meaning of a phrase or sentence, focusing on implied meanings and social cues. It is one of three fields that make up linguistics, along with semantics and syntax. Semantics studies the meanings of words and the relationships between those words, while syntax focuses on the structure of sentences in a language. Pragmatics is a more complex field that encompasses all of these aspects and takes into consideration the context in which an utterance is spoken, the speaker, the listener, and the broader cultural context.
In the classroom, pragmatics is important to teach because it can help students understand how and when to use different communication skills in a variety of social situations. These social contexts include greetings, asking for advice, making requests, closing a conversation, and more. Learning to recognize and interpret nonverbal cues is another component of pragmatics that can be helpful in communicating effectively.
There are a variety of ways that teachers can incorporate pragmatics into their lessons, from incorporating information on the topic into existing lesson plans to creating separate units or activities. For example, in the article “Pragmatics: A Critical and Interactive Approach,” Joseph Siegel describes an activity for teaching pragmatics in a speaking class by using request scenarios. The teacher presents a scenario, and the students discuss what responses would be appropriate and why. The teacher can then extend this lesson by presenting other scenarios and practicing the various ways that students can respond to them.
The concept of pragmatism is sometimes misinterpreted to mean that people with pragmatic views are immoral or unethical. This is not necessarily the case, however, and a person can be a moral person while still being pragmatic in that they take into consideration all of the results of their actions. For example, if you were to kill your creditor and avoid paying a debt, it may seem pragmatic only from your point of view, but from the perspective of others, including the family of the dead person and the community that has been deprived of a productive member, it is not a good idea.
As the scope of pragmatics is wide and differs between individuals, it can be challenging for a speech-language pathologist to evaluate whether or not a person has difficulties with this aspect of language. An SLP may interview numerous people about what types of communication situations are difficult for them and determine if there is a pattern that could indicate a pragmatic language disorder. Ultimately, it is up to the individual and their family to decide if they want to seek intervention for pragmatic language difficulties.