Pragmatics is the study of those relations between language and context that are grammaticalized or encoded in the structure of a language.

[diamondcutter]

Pragmatics is the study of those relations between language and context that are grammaticalized or encoded in the structure of a language.

Source: Pragmatics, Stephen C. Levinson

I think the relative clause modifies “language and context” not “relations”, but it’s still hard to understand the whole sentence. Would you please paraphrase it for me?

 

[Tarheel]

Language only has meaning within its context (the situation). Pragmatics is the study of the relationship between language and context.

Why?

 

[5jj]

Pragmatics is the study of those relations [between language and context] that are grammaticalized or encoded in the structure of a language.

The relative clause modifies relations.

 

[Tdol]

I think the relative clause modifies “language and context” not “relations”, but it’s still hard to understand the whole sentence. Would you please paraphrase it for me?

How do you separate them?

 

[diamondcutter]

I agree with 5jj.

 

[Tarheel]

Why are you studying pragmatics? Is that a course requirement?

 

[diamondcutter]

No, it’s not a course requirement. I’m not a student any more. I teach children English in China and I’m interested in reading books concerning English teaching.