Pragmatic is the study of language used in real-world contexts, focusing on speakers’ communicative intentions and the uses of language to convey these intents, accomplish social actions and navigate interpersonal relations. Pragmatics is distinct from semantics, which is primarily concerned with the meaning of words and sentences. Despite its distinct nature, pragmatics often intersects with semantics and is commonly considered to be its sister discipline.

One of the most common pragmatic issues occurs when people misunderstand what another person is trying to say. For example, if someone says, “Can you pass me the bottle?” and the listener takes it as a direct question about whether they can or cannot do so, this can lead to many misunderstandings between people. Pragmatics addresses these issues by interpreting what the speaker is really trying to say based on their context.

The concept of pragmatics is extremely important for understanding how humans interact with one another. This is because communication is so much more than the literal meaning of a word or sentence. It’s essential that individuals understand the subtle rules that govern how pragmatic language is used, as this can significantly impact their interactions with others. For example, children and individuals on the autism spectrum often struggle with picking up on the subtle cues that govern pragmatic language use. This can lead to a number of misunderstandings and frustration in their interactions with others. This is because they are unable to interpret the meaning behind what other people are trying to communicate with them.

A pragmatic approach to problem-solving is often more successful than an idealistic one. For example, if a person is attempting to save wildlife and they are battling against entrenched viewpoints, a pragmatic approach is often more effective than trying to change their views altogether. A pragmatic approach is also useful in business, as it allows people to make decisions based on what will most likely work rather than what they would prefer to do.

This is because a pragmatic approach is often more practical and less risky in the long run. Taking this approach can help to reduce stress, improve morale and overall productivity.

In order to teach pragmatics effectively, it is important to provide students with activities that allow them to practice these skills in a safe environment. For example, the classroom can be an excellent place to practice pragmatics because it’s a place where learners can experiment with different ways of communicating with their peers. Moreover, it’s easy to incorporate pragmatic lessons into content that students are learning in the classroom. For example, when going over textbook content on apologies, instructors can add lessons on how to apologize in various situations.

In addition, a pragmatist perspective can be applied to the classroom by using a ‘problem-centered pedagogy’ that follows a pragmatist epistemology understood as the theory of inquiry (Dewey 1977). This involves teachers facilitating contact with a phenomenon that proves genuinely puzzling to their students, then guiding them through a process of investigation, testing and evaluating hypotheses to reach a resolution that is satisfying for all involved.