Exploring Language and Linguistics

PREVIEW

This chapter examines how language users employ aspects of context in the production and interpretation of utterances. Context pervades every aspect of language use, from the lexical choices that we make to the way in which we disambiguate linguistic expressions. Its pervasive character is such that it has been shown in recent years to permeate those aspects of meaning that were once thought to be strictly semantic in nature. In fact, the debates which take place at the semantics–pragmatics interface are some of the most contentious in modern linguistics. This chapter begins by delineating the contributions of semantics and pragmatics to this interface. A simple cleavage between these disciplines is neither possible nor desirable, it will be argued. The chapter will then turn to the notion of context. More often than not, context is alluded to, rather than directly examined, in discussions of pragmatics. Context will be characterized along social, physical, linguistic and epistemic aspects in this chapter. Several pragmatic concepts exemplify the influence of context on language meaning. These concepts include deixis, presupposition, speech acts and implicatures. Speech acts and implicatures reflect the influence on the development of pragmatics of the language philosophies of John L. Austin, John Searle and H. Paul Grice. The views of these philosophers of language will be briefly examined. By the end of the chapter, you will have an understanding of the significant contribution of pragmatics to the study of language meaning as well as the key concepts and ideas that have shaped this linguistic discipline.

INTRODUCTION

This chapter will introduce you to a key set of ideas and concepts that has come to define the discipline of pragmatics. Many of these ideas emerged from a dissatisfaction about how far semantics could take us in the study of language meaning. One of the earliest insights to shape the emerging discipline of pragmatics was the idea that linguistic utterances can do more than merely describe states of affairs in the world. Rather, utterances can be used to perform a range of actions such as issuing requests and warnings, undertaking promises and apologies and extending congratulations and threats to others. None of these speech acts are possible without permitting a role for language users in an account of meaning.