Chapter I

Introduction

A. Background

When having a conversation with someone, we initiate with a greeting, introduce a

topic, and take turns commenting. Within that conversation, each person needs to be
able to read the other person’s tone, facial expressions, eye contact, and nonverbal
cues to determine if their partner is still interested, when it is appropriate to interject
or add a comment, and when it is time to end the conversation or change the topic.
Individuals that have difficulty with use of social language may provide too much
information on a topic, use inappropriate phrases/sentences within conversation,
change the topic suddenly and/or frequently, and retell a story or recent event that is
hard to follow. There may also be little variety in the use of language, which can
make their language appear scripted or rote.

B. Formulation of the problem

a) What is pragmatics, meaning, and use of language?

b) What is the difference between pragmatics and semantics?
c) What are the examples of pragmatics?
 Chapter II

Discussion

1. The basic concepts

According to Yule, 1996. The study of meaning as communicated by a speaker and

interpreted by a listener. Levinson (1983: 5) defines that pragmatics is the study of
language use, that is the study of relation between language and context which is
basic to an account of language understanding which involves the making of
inferences which will connect what is said to what is mutually assumed or what has
been said before. Pragmatics can also solve the problem between the speaker and
the hearer, especially the problem about point of view.

Pragmatics is concerned with the use of these tools in meaningful communication.

Pragmatics is about the interaction of semantic knowledge with our knowledge of
the world, taking into account contexts of use.
Some experts said that pragmatics is a branch of semiotics which study about
signs and symbols used by man for communicating in a particular language. From
the definition above, it seems to be clear that pragmatics is:
1. A single science of language that different from other field since it studies
about the external meaning of language, not the external structure of
language.
2. Used as a means that study about one of the functions of language namely
to communicate.
3. Relating with the context of the language use. It explains the way language
use understood well after connecting it to the situation where, when and by
whom it is uttered.

Meanings are often personal. The meaning of any sign depends on the space-time
context in which we observe it. Crusoe’s reaction to the footprint was due to the
circumstances of his life, the fact that until this moment it had been impossible for
him to see any human footprint other than his own. This is clearly an unusual case,
but all the time we interpret differently in different contexts. Conventional signs
 can have different meanings in different contexts or different circumstances. It has
different intentions and are interpreted differently.

Pragmatics is defined as the study of language use and linguistic Communication.

In pragmatics there is study of speech act. Speech act is a part of pragmatic
discussion which relates to what a certain sentence and utterance possesses certain
act within it. Speaking a language is performing speech acts, acts such as making
statements, giving commands, asking questions, making promises, and so on.

2. The difference between pragmatics and semantics

Pragmatics and semantics can be viewed as different parts, or different aspects, of

the same general study. Both are concerned with people’s ability to use language
meaningfully. While semantics is mainly concerned with a speaker’s competence
to use the language system in producing meaningful utterances and processing
(comprehending) utterances produced by others, the chief focus of pragmatics is a
person’s ability to derive meanings from specific kinds of speech situations—to
recognize what the speaker is referring to, to relate new information to what has
gone before, to interpret what is said from background knowledge about the
speaker and the topic of discourse, and to infer or ‘fill in’ information that the
speaker takes for granted and doesn’t bother to say. Obviously the boundary
between semantics and pragmatics is vague, and at the present time various
scholars are apt to disagree about where the boundary is. Some of the contents of
this chapter may be considered more ‘pragmatics’ than ‘semantics’ by some
people.

3. Examples

a) “We have no any chalk here”

Semantically, this sentence is a statement to inform that there is no chalk here. But,
pragmatically, it is a request. It means that the speaker asks someone as the hearer
to take the chalk.

b) “This room is very clean and tidy”

Semantically, it is a statement to inform the hearer that he room is very clean. But,
pragmatically, It may mean the opposite of what the words mean, “this room is
very dirty”.

c) “ I want more sugar in my coffee”

Semantically, it is a statement or request in which the speaker request for the sugar,
but, pragmatically, this means that the speaker wants the hearer to do the action.
 Chapter III

Conclusion

Based on the previous chapter, we can conclude that:

1. Pragmatics is about the interaction of semantic knowledge with our knowledge of the
world, taking into account contexts of use. Also, in pragmatics there is a study of speech act.
Speech act is a part of pragmatic discussion which relates to what a certain sentence and
utterance possesses certain act within it.

2. For the difference between Semantics and Pragmatics, they can be viewed as different
parts, or different aspects, of the same general study. Semantics deals with the study of
meaning of word without the context while Pragmatics understands the language meaning
but, keeping the context of the word in mind.
 References

Blakemore, D. (1992). Understanding Utterances: an Introduction to Pragmatics. Oxford: Blackwell.

Griffiths, P. (2006). An Introduction To English Semantics and Pragmatics. Edinburgh: Edinburgh

University Press.

Verschueren, J. (1999). Understanding Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

 Pragmatics
Basic Concepts of Pragmatics

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 Anggun Khairun N / 1713042035
 Putri Novia / 1713042051
Class : A

English Education Study Program

Arts and Language Education Department
Education and Pedagogy Faculty
Lampung University