Pragmatics

What Is Pragmatics?

Definition

The study of how language is affected by the situation in which it is used, of how language is used to get things or perform actions, and of how words can express things that are different from what they appear to mean

In a formal setting or when speaking with a superior, instead of saying, “Give me the report,” one might say, “Could you please pass me the report?”

Politeness

if it’s raining heavily and someone says, “Great weather, isn’t it?” they don’t actually mean the weather is pleasant.

Sarcasm

Pragmatics Examples

Consider a habitual procrastinator who announces, “I’ll start my project right away.” If we know this person’s history of putting things off, we might interpret their statement as ironic.

Deixis

If someone says, “Time is a thief,” they don’t mean this literally. Rather, they’re conveying the idea that time can pass quickly and unexpectedly, much like a thief might operate.

Metaphors

Pragmatics Examples

Multiple Choice

Which of the following options is an example of Pragmatics?

• Slang

• Sarcasm

• Jargon

Multiple Choice

What is Pragmatics?

• The study of meaning in language

• The grammatical arrangement of words in a sentence

• The study of how language is affected by the situation in which it is used

Multiple Choice

The following sentence: “Could you please pass me the report?” is an example of politeness?

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

"I could eat a horse" is an example of:

• Deixis

• Joke

• Metaphors