Name : Muhammad Waseem

Roll no : Bsf1800781
Class : BS English 6th semester
Assignment submitted to : Sir Abdul Qayum

Semantics is the study of meaning in language while pragmatics is study of meaning in context.
The course of semantics and pragmatics helped me understand how language is used in a
specific context and to be able to use it appropriately. Pragmatics is a set of skills which allowed
me to know what to say, to whom and how to communicate ones message in a specific context
(what, how, whom, and when). By studying the course of pragmatic I have learned that how to
use the language appropriately, for example when I am asked “how are you?” in England, do I
need to provide a full and detailed description of my recent life or is it enough to shortly answer
“All right” or “Not bad”? it depends on the context and who I am talking to. if a patient in
hospital is asked “how are you” the patient may provide a more detailed response which is
appropriate given the circumstances.
The term pragmatics is used in contrast to semantics. Semantics has to do with the actual
definition of a word or text. Pragmatics refers to how words are used in a practical sense.
Example :
1. If you eat all of that food, it will make you bigger!
Semantically, "bigger" in this sentence would mean larger than you are currently. Think about
how this sentence, pragmatically, would mean something different depending on the context. If
it is said to a young child, pragmatically, it would mean to grow bigger. If it is said to a grown
person who is already obese, it would mean something entirely different.
The Course of semantics and pragmatics helped me to develop my verbal skills. This means
taking notice of how i choose my words and interpret the words in conversations with others.
For instance, in everyday conversation, common slang or jargon may be acceptable, but in a
professional setting, this kind of informal way of communicating language may not always be
appropriate.
Another benefit that I enjoyed while studying the course of semantics and pragmatics is that I
improved my nonverbal communication. This is the ability to read others' body language like
facial expressions and gestures. This helped me develop my ability to understand what others
may be feeling during an interaction, which can help me choose how to act, speak or otherwise
behave in the situation. All this gained by the deep down study of language semantically and
pragmatically. At the end I would say course of pragmatics not only enhanced my knowledge
about language but also improved my communication skills. I would like to explore more and
more about language in my upcoming semesters. It is the subject that makes me learn
something new everyday. If I woke up in the morning having bad mood and someone ask me to
take class I will prefer to study semantics and pragmatics. Last but not the least that all I learned
is because of our amazing teacher “Sir Abdul Qayum” who made this subject as easy as pie for
us. And I would like to request Sir to kindly take at least one class of ours in next semester.
These are my thoughts about course of semantics and pragmatics that I have undergone
throughout the semester. Thanks.