Pragmatics is an important aspect of the study of language and discourse. It is often seen as the bridge between semantics and syntax, but it also encompasses semiotics-the study of signs and symbols-and incorporates elements of philosophy, anthropology, psychology, sociology, cognitive science, and other disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach to the field makes pragmatics a valuable tool for understanding the subtleties of human communication that go beyond linguistic form and content.
The goal of pragmatics is to describe how much more is communicated with an utterance than is actually expressed by its literal meaning. It examines the ways in which figurative language is used to convey social and affective meanings, along with examining how context influences the interpretation of an utterance. It is also concerned with the way in which a speaker’s intention may influence an interpreter’s understanding of an utterance.
In a practical sense, pragmatism is an approach to life. It emphasizes achieving results and making progress. It encourages the use of a variety of strategies and methods to achieve goals, and it focuses on meeting real needs rather than following strict rules or beliefs. It is a philosophy that has rich ties to the fields of ethics, economics, law, and religion.
Pragmatists have long influenced the study of language and perception. In fact, pragmatism is an early progenitor of many of the ideas in cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics. It has also had an extensive impact on philosophy, particularly epistemology and metaphysics. Its empiricism and utilitarianism have helped shape many philosophical movements.
Classic pragmatists, such as Peirce and James, criticized mainstream epistemology for naively conceiving of the world as a mirror of our language and thoughts. Their a posteriori epistemology provided the basis for modern pragmatics, although many philosophers have objected to Richard Rorty’s blithe dismissal of truth as a useless topic and have sought to rehabilitate classical pragmatism ideals of objective reality.
For educators, pragmatics is a useful area of study to introduce in the classroom. The Forum article “Pragmatic Activities for the Speaking Classroom” offers a number of great teaching strategies, including an activity in which students role-play different greetings with different people and places. The teacher presents a scenario to the class and has the students decide how they would respond, then discusses their choices.
Another great teaching strategy outlined in the article is an activity for describing how to make a request. The teacher provides a set of scenarios that have specific features (age of speakers, context, past relationship of the speakers, etc.). Then, the students discuss how they would make a request and why certain responses might be appropriate while others are not. This helps students understand that the meaning of an utterance depends on more than just its grammatical structure and on the listener’s expectations. It also allows for a discussion of the social implications of utterances and how these can change over time and across cultures. It’s a valuable lesson that shows how, even in a highly formal setting like a university, a pragmatic approach is the most effective.