Pragmatics: Definition and Scope
Pragmatics is a branch of linguistics concerned with the use of language in social contexts and
the ways people produce and comprehend meanings through language.
The term pragmatics was coined in the 1930s by psychologist and philosopher Charles
Morris.
Pragmatics was developed as a subfield of linguistics in the1970s (Nordquist, 2019).
Scope of pragmatics to include psychological, biological and sociological phenomena
which occur in the functioning of signs (Levinson, 1983).
Morris as cited in Nordquist (2019) explained that pragmatics is different from semantics.
Pragmatics involves all the social cues that accompany language. It also focuses not on
what people say but how they say it and how others interpret their utterances in social
contexts, says Geoffrey Finch in "Linguistic Terms and Concepts."
Semantics refers to the specific meaning of language.
Pragmatic study has thrown some light on the study of Literature, especially figures of speech
such as hyperbole, personification, and euphemism and soon, giving rise to literary pragmatics.
Uduni (2016) enumerated the three main types of contextual information:
Physical Context
This encompasses what is physically present around the speakers/ hearers at the time of
communication. What objects are visible, where the communication is taking place, what
is going on around, etc.
Example: I want that shoes (accompanying by pointing).
Be here at 12:00 noon (place/time reference).
Linguistic Context
This refers to what has been said before in the conversation, or the ‘history’ of things said
so far.
Example: I can’t believe you do that!
If Mama will saw you she will probably slap you.
Social Context
This refers to the social relationship of the people involved in communication. For
instance: Mr. President, stop bugging me and go home. (This sentence is only shocking
because you cannot talk like this to the President of the US). I do hereby humbly request
that you might endeavour to telephone me with news of your arrival at your domicile
when such arrival occurs. (Bizarre if said to a friend instead of “call me when you go
home”) Kuthy (2002:3-4).
Pragmatics is a branch of linguistics concerned with the use of language in social contexts and
the ways people produce and comprehend meanings through language.
The term pragmatics was coined in the 1930s by psychologist and philosopher Charles
Morris.
Pragmatics was developed as a subfield of linguistics in the1970s (Nordquist, 2019).
Scope of pragmatics to include psychological, biological and sociological phenomena
which occur in the functioning of signs (Levinson, 1983).
Morris as cited in Nordquist (2019) explained that pragmatics is different from semantics.
Pragmatics involves all the social cues that accompany language. It also focuses not on
what people say but how they say it and how others interpret their utterances in social
contexts, says Geoffrey Finch in "Linguistic Terms and Concepts."
Semantics refers to the specific meaning of language.
Pragmatic study has thrown some light on the study of Literature, especially figures of speech
such as hyperbole, personification, and euphemism and soon, giving rise to literary pragmatics.
Uduni (2016) enumerated the three main types of contextual information:
Physical Context
This encompasses what is physically present around the speakers/ hearers at the time of
communication. What objects are visible, where the communication is taking place, what
is going on around, etc.
Example: I want that shoes (accompanying by pointing).
Be here at 12:00 noon (place/time reference).
Linguistic Context
This refers to what has been said before in the conversation, or the ‘history’ of things said
so far.
Example: I can’t believe you do that!
If Mama will saw you she will probably slap you.
Social Context
This refers to the social relationship of the people involved in communication. For
instance: Mr. President, stop bugging me and go home. (This sentence is only shocking
because you cannot talk like this to the President of the US). I do hereby humbly request
that you might endeavour to telephone me with news of your arrival at your domicile
when such arrival occurs. (Bizarre if said to a friend instead of “call me when you go
home”) Kuthy (2002:3-4).
