Pragmatic is a broad, interconnected field of study. It encompasses theoretical and empirical pragmatics; formal, computational, theoretical, applied, and cognitive pragmatics; game-theoretical, clinical, and experimental pragmatics; intercultural, interlinguistic, and intersociocultural pragmatics; and historical pragmatics. Moreover, it also spans the disciplines of psychology, linguistics, and education (see the table below for an overview of relevant terminology).
A person can be described as pragmatic when their interests lie more with real-world outcomes than hypothetical options or courses of action. Thus, someone who says that they want a candidate to be pragmatic is looking for a politician who will be able to deliver results in the end—who can get things done. The word pragmatic is derived from the Latin pragma, meaning “to do” or “to act.” Its first recorded use was in the 1580s. The related English word, pragmatic, is from the same root and means “having practical value, useful, or applicable.”
One of the most significant challenges in the field of pragmatics has been determining which aspects of utterance interpretation should be categorized as semantics vs. pragmatics. In particular, it has been argued that the fact that an utterance has a certain meaning clearly belongs to semantics, while the fact that the meaning is conveyed via the articulation of the utterance is a function of pragmatics.
It is likely that pragmatic theory will continue to stray from semantics and move closer to the domain of empirical psychological theories of utterance interpretation. This would be facilitated by developing a more precise account of communicative intention (called “M(eaning)-intention” by Grice) and an understanding of the role that relevance plays in utterance interpretation.
Lesson plans on pragmatics can be included in ESL/EFL classrooms to help students become more skilled communicators across languages and cultures. Lessons might relate to greetings, requests, complaints, invitations, apologies, or closing a conversation. They may include home or target cultures, and can be culturally neutral.
Using the same principles that apply to all functions, lessons can be adapted for different language learners. For example, a student learning English in an ESOL class might practice using appropriate greetings in different contexts by participating in a series of role-plays where they are assigned speakers and locations that are randomly selected. Alternatively, a student learning a second language might be asked to participate in a role-play that involves a request or a complaint. Throughout the lesson, the student can record the outcome of their interaction. Then, they can compare their results with the results of peers who have participated in the same activity. By doing so, the student can determine what aspects of a functional interaction are most important for their own goals. This will enable them to better adjust their future interactions to fit the needs of the situation. Ultimately, it is only by being pragmatic that we can make progress in this world. This is why it is so critical to incorporate pragmatics into our teaching! We need pragmatic teachers who can bring their students up to speed on the social norms of communication, and teach them how to navigate ambiguity, understand and be understood, and achieve their personal goals.