Pragmatics is the study of human language as it is used in social interactions. It looks beyond the phonetic and grammatical forms of an utterance to its intended meaning and what it may imply about the speaker and listener. It is a subfield of linguistics, but also has strong connections to philosophy and other subjects. The pragmaticists are a group of philosophers who developed a way to think about the nature of reality and truth that has had a significant influence on many other disciplines.
Pragmatism is a philosophical doctrine that rejects the idea of truth as something innately inherent in statements or objects and instead defines it as a function of context and experience. It is a school of thought that was developed in the United States by philosophers Charles Sanders Peirce, John Dewey, William James, and G. H. Mead, among others. While there is no pragmatist creed (no list of essential tenets endorsed by all pragmatists), it is possible to identify certain ideas that have loomed large for pragmatists.
There are many ways that pragmatics is incorporated into classroom instruction. One common way is through introducing learners to cultural norms and expectations, such as the appropriate times to say hello or goodbye in different cultures. Another way is through teaching how to communicate effectively in different situations, such as giving directions, making requests, or offering an apology. Lessons on pragmatics are often linked to content in textbooks, and can include both the home and target languages.
In a more philosophical sense, pragmatics is the study of how we understand other people’s behavior and what motivates their actions. This can apply to anything from the way people greet each other to how we choose to react to a tragedy. For example, if you are faced with the decision of whether to act on an ethical issue or not, most people will take into account their moral values and decide how best to proceed.
However, the problem with pragmatics is that it is often taken to mean relativism rather than as a philosophy with concrete and universal values. This is especially the case when it is applied to moral issues, such as whether it is acceptable to lie in order to protect someone.
While the notion of pragmatics as a means to understand human behavior and communication has had significant implications in other fields, it is particularly important in the field of education, where it has helped shape the development of instructional methods. For example, it has been suggested that students learn better through interactive activities than lecturing, and that the way in which a teacher conducts an activity or provides feedback affects how well the student is able to understand it.
The classroom is a safe place for students to experiment with using their language in various situations, and this allows them to develop pragmatic competence. In addition, it can help them become aware of how their own culture influences the way they communicate with others and how to adapt their communication styles to those of other cultures.
