Pragmatic is a word that describes an approach to life and problems that is practical, sensible, and realistic. It is usually contrasted with idealistic, which describes a philosophy that holds firmly to ideals and ideas without taking into account real world issues and concerns. For example, a four-year old girl who wants a unicorn for her birthday might not be being pragmatic because she doesn’t know what is actually available to her at this time, or how expensive unicorns are to purchase and care for.
A central concept of pragmatism is the idea that we should take into consideration the effects that actions and words have on the reality in which we live, rather than simply focusing on the logical or theoretical implications of an argument. This concept also applies to the way we use language, and is reflected in the study of Pragmatics.
In some ways, Pragmatics is a philosophical cousin to other areas of linguistic study, such as semantics, syntax, and semiotics. However, it is a different kind of study. Semantics focuses on the rules that determine the literal, linguistic meanings of expressions; syntax examines how to combine words into sentences with specific meaning; and semiotics studies how we communicate using signs and symbols. Pragmatics, on the other hand, combines semantics and syntax with social or environmental context to study how we communicate in the real world and what we actually mean when we say things.
The development of Pragmatics began with the work of a group of philosophers called the Metaphysical Club that met at Harvard in the 1870s, including Charles S. Peirce and William James. Both of these men authored articles about pragmatism, though their definitions of the concept were slightly different. For example, Peirce used the term “pragmatism” to refer to a maxim for clarifying concepts and hypotheses, while James confined it to a set of principles that help us identify empty disputes that are not worth our time.
Pragmatics is an interdisciplinary field, and many different theories have been woven into its fabric. For example, Morris drew heavily from anthropology (the study of human societies and cultures) and sociology (the study of relationships between people) in developing his theory. As well, his work incorporated aspects of linguistics, psychology, and history.
As a result, many of the ideas in Pragmatics are not completely consistent and may seem contradictory at times. This is especially true of the concept of context, which plays a crucial role in how Pragmatics defines meaning. For example, a mother might tell her daughter that eating cookies can make her fat, which would be a perfectly truthful statement based on semantics. However, it could be perceived by a listener as an insult because of the social context in which it is delivered.
The study of pragmatics is important for understanding how we communicate in our everyday lives, as well as the implications of what we say and the reactions that follow our utterances. For this reason, the field of Pragmatics is constantly expanding as new research and discoveries are made in the world around us.
