Pragmatic is the way in which language functions in context. People don’t always say what they mean, and even when they do, they often omit social, cultural or situational factors from their meaning. Unlike semantics, which examines the actual objects or ideas to which words refer, pragmatics focuses on the meaning of what is said in the context of the conversation, and is how it is understood by those who hear it. It is what allows us to politely hedge a request, cleverly read between the lines, negotiate turn-taking norms in conversation, and navigate ambiguity in the real world!
The word pragmatic is most commonly used to describe choices or actions that are seen as practical and reasonable. A pragmatic approach to a problem can be more successful than an idealistic one, as it takes all possible outcomes into account. This is why it’s often the choice that is taken by business leaders who want to get results.
Similarly, when someone says that they “have a pragmatic view of life”, they are referring to their ability to take things as they come and not dwell on the past or worry too much about the future. This kind of outlook can be a helpful tool for dealing with PTSD, anxiety and depression.
In philosophy, pragmatism is the theory that truth is not merely an objective property of knowledge, but rather an epistemological project that is a result of human experience. It is a theory that has influenced many other philosophical traditions, including postmodernism and existentialism.
Pragmatism has also influenced the study of language and communication, and is considered an important part of cognitive science. It is particularly influential in the fields of conversation analysis, interactional linguistics and ethnomethodology, sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology, and discourse studies.
Pragmatism has also informed the study of literature and literary theory, influencing writers such as Dewey, James and Heidegger. It has also had a significant impact on the practice of medicine, with pragmatic approaches to patient care and rehabilitation being especially prominent. It has also influenced sociology, politics, theology and religion, and the law. In all of these disciplines, a pragmatic approach is often a more useful alternative to an absolutist position. The journal of Pragmatics publishes high quality research articles in the area of pragmatics. It encourages work that explores the relationship between pragmatics and neighbouring research areas such as semantics, conversation analysis and ethnomethodology, discourse analysis and anthropology, and sociolinguistics, as well as work that makes use of attested language data to investigate the role of pragmatics in the real world. It also welcomes submissions that make a contribution to a developing area at the cutting edge of research in pragmatics. The journal also publishes a range of reviews and discussion notes. The editorial board consists of leading international scholars in the field.