Pragmatics

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

The branch of linguistics and philosophy of language concerned with how context, speaker intention, and social convention affect the interpretation of utterances beyond their literal semantic content

History and origin

Term used by Charles Morris (1938); developed through Grice's cooperative principle, Austin's speech act theory, and Levinson's textbook 'Pragmatics' (1983)

Examples

• Pragmatics explains why 'It's cold in here' can function as a request to close the window.
• Grice's maxims of quantity, quality, relation, and manner are the foundation of modern pragmatics.

Synonyms: pragmalinguistics, conversational analysis (related)