Language Game

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

Wittgenstein's concept that language use is always embedded in a form of life and a set of activities — utterances only acquire meaning from the rules, practices, and social contexts in which they are used

History and origin

Wittgenstein, 'Philosophical Investigations' (published posthumously 1953); developed to challenge the idea that language works by picturing facts

Examples

• Asking 'What time is it?' at a dinner table operates within a different language game than the same question in a philosophical seminar.
• Wittgenstein argued that philosophical puzzles arise when we take expressions out of their natural language game.

Synonyms: Sprachspiel (German original), form of life