Pragmatic is the ability to take context into consideration when communicating with others. This goes beyond semantics and includes things like understanding implied meaning and social, cultural and situational influences on language use. Without pragmatics, communication would be very limited.
The philosophical foundations of pragmatism can be found in the writings of such influential philosophers as William James, John Dewey, and William Empson. It has been adapted into applications in fields as diverse as education, leadership, management, research methodology, and conflict resolution. Pragmatism is often described as a “pragmatic epistemology” because it emphasizes the connection between thought and action.
Students with strong pragmatic skills are able to express themselves clearly and effectively, which leads to increased classroom participation. They are also better able to understand and interpret social cues such as facial expressions and body language. Finally, they are able to collaborate with their peers and teachers to problem-solve and resolve conflicts. These skills are vital for creating a positive learning environment and supporting student success.
Different theorists have focused on different aspects of pragmatics. One distinction is between near-side and far-side pragmatics. Near-side pragmatics focuses on facts about an utterance that are relevant to its meaning, such as the ambiguity and vagueness of a word or phrase. It is also concerned with issues that arise in interpreting the meaning of an utterance, such as conversational implicatures and the reference of indexicals and demonstratives.
Far-side pragmatics focuses on the way that an utterance is used and how its meaning is negotiated between speakers. It is also concerned with the role of a speaker’s intention and goal in the process of communicating an utterance. For example, a speaker’s goal may be to influence their audience or the listener’s beliefs. In addition, far-side pragmatics is also concerned with how an utterance is perceived by others, including whether or not it meets certain expectations.
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