Pragmatic is the study of language, communication and meaning. It takes into account how context, implication and the sender’s intention can affect the meaning of an utterance. It is an essential part of the way we understand one another, and without it, there would be no real understanding of what others mean by their words or actions.
A pragmatist is an individual who values results over theories. The word itself comes from the Greek root “pragma,” which means a practical matter. A pragmatist is someone who weighs the benefits of an action against its cost, then chooses the course of action that is most appropriate for the situation. This type of thinking can be quite beneficial, as it allows a person to compromise on truths and instead focus on getting the most done at an acceptable cost.
Being pragmatic is not always easy, though. The greatest difficulty with pragmatism arises in the interpersonal sphere, as friends, family and coworkers may misunderstand this character trait. For example, a colleague who is very pragmatic in his work can be accused of being cold-hearted and not caring about people.
It’s also possible for a pragmatist to get into trouble by taking shortcuts or using bad judgment in situations that require more thought. However, most people who consider themselves to be pragmatists are careful not to be too reckless or make decisions that could harm them in the long run. This is why they’re willing to try new things and take risks in the name of knowledge, as each experience will teach them something about their world.
The field of pragmatics is broad and encompasses many different topics. One area is computational pragmatics, which studies how a computer can best respond to a given input. A related topic is reference resolution, which involves the process of determining which terms are the most relevant for an utterance, for example “Elwood put his hands on Eloise.”
Other areas of pragmatics include a theory called relevance theory, which was developed by Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson, and Grice’s notion of implicature. Relevance theory is concerned with how listeners can determine what is meant by an utterance, while Grice’s notion of implicature states that each utterance contains some information about what the speaker has in mind or what he has in fact already done.
Learning about a language’s pragmatic features can help students improve their own communication skills. For example, if a student is having a difficult time communicating in the classroom, they should talk to their teacher or a speech therapist about their concerns. With the proper guidance and support, children can learn to communicate more effectively and develop a greater understanding of how other people are influenced by their behavior. They can even learn to be more pragmatic in their own lives. The most important thing to remember is that, in the end, being pragmatic is all about finding the right balance between what works and what doesn’t.
