need help

Status
Not open for further replies.

Frank Antonson

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Let me try on that one. This may be wrong, but I think when you are talking about language "pragmatics" refers to all that communication that goes on which would not show up in the written script of what was said -- facial expression, tone of voice, volume, etc.
 

annellis14

New member
Joined
Jul 7, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Hi - Pragmatics is the branch of linguistics concerned with meaning in context, or the meanings of sentences in terms of the speaker's intentions in using them - so you would need to know the context to understand a particular text or utterance - for example:

Flying planes can be dangerous - this could have two meanings - 1. that planes in the air are dangerous or 2. that piloting a plane is dangerous - you would only know which is which if you knew the context

Jokes and newspapers make good use of this ambiguity

Hope this helps
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top