Pragmatics

The pragmatics (Greek πρᾶγμα pragma " action ", " thing " ) is a branch of linguistics. It deals with the description of context-sensitive and non- literal meanings in the use of linguistic expressions in each concrete situations and the conditions for their emergence. After a now-classic tripartite division of General Linguistics, it is distinguished by the syntax and the semantics.

The semantics investigates the meaning of linguistic expressions ( these are, for example, words, phrases and sentences, but, regardless of their expression). The pragmatics on the other hand examines the contents of specific linguistic expressions (these are all those possible expressions, which actually articulated in a concrete situation and in a particular context by a speaker or were perceived by a listener ).

• 3.1 history of modern pragmatics
• 3.2 The emergence of the term pragmatics Peirce and Morris
• 3.3 Other provisions of the pragmatics

Content and methods of pragmatics

Synchronous pragmatics

The pragmatics examines how language is used and what types of speech acts using a speaker. Austin formulated in 1962 grip that in the pragmatics answers to the question How to do things with words? be searched ( How can I do something with words? ). With linguistic expressions can promise something, threaten someone, someone warn, assert something. Often it 's not about true or false facts to which the logic focuses for 2000 years. One question is neither true nor false. Pragmatics is a child of the 20th century, it derives philosophically by Aristotle and the Stoics, by John Locke, Ludwig Wittgenstein, in the " Philosophical Investigations ", by John L. Austin and John R. Searle ago. In linguistics, Wilhelm von Humboldt, Philipp Wegener (1848-1916) and especially Karl Buhler can be considered as the founder.

The various approaches and methods can be relatively difficult to bring to a common denominator. Among the best known currents and objects of investigation include the speech act theory of John L. Austin and John R. Searle, the conversational maxims of Paul Grice, the " universal pragmatics " of Jürgen Habermas, the transcendental by Karl- Otto Apel and claiming to be affected Karl Bühler functional pragmatics (Konrad Ehlich, Jochen Rehbein ). The constructivist -oriented conversation analysis in the tradition of Harvey Sacks and phenomenology ( Alfred Schutz, Harold Garfinkel ) is also sometimes attributed to pragmatics, although not central is (and rarely truly constructivist going on ) action. In the functional pragmatics, the category of the purpose of an action is crucial; the action is socially in purpose-related behavior patterns (eg, question - answer task - solution ) is formed, which corresponds to a specific knowledge of the actors. Purpose about the question pattern is the Addressing knowledge deficits of the speaker.

As a result of Stephen C. Levinson (1983/2000) are cited as branches of pragmatics often:

• Deixis
• ( Conversational ) implicatures
• Presupposition
• Speech acts
• Conversational structure
• Politolinguistik

Historical pragmatics

From the 1980s onwards, one can speak of the existence of a historical pragmatics. Andreas Jucker, who also manages a Bibliography of Historical Pragmatics, and Irma Taavitsainen have established as the central organ of publication, the Journal of Historical Pragmatics. The question of how a particular speech act has been realized in the course of history, also falls within the range of onomasiology. So, edited by Joachim Grzega, Alfred Bammesberger and Marion Beautiful magazine Onomasiology Online has also begun to take articles from this area.

Relation to other disciplines in the semiotic understanding of pragmatics

Pragmatics is concerned with the use of language, as opposed to semantics, which focuses on the context-independent meaning of words and the truth conditions of sentences. The American linguist Gerald Gazdar defines pragmatics as " meaning minus truth conditions" (meaning, apart from truth conditions ). Unique assignment of problems to any of the two areas are generally not possible. So for some linguists the semantics part of pragmatics: meaning is - according to a set of Wittgenstein - the rule of use. In addition, the pragmatics touches issues of sociolinguistics and the sociology of language that relate to the use of language on society or social and cultural factors.

History of linguistic pragmatics

The modern pragmatics emerged in the 30s of the 20th century with the modern semiotics. It was then also the subject of linguistics. In linguistics, one also speaks of linguistic pragmatics.

History of modern pragmatics

A distinction is the history of the term " pragmatics " of the history of theories of the situations referred to by the term " pragmatics ".

As candidates for the history of pragmatics Ramón Lull or Aristotle are called.

As far as can be seen mostly Karl Bühler is no mention of in 1934 of " speech act " spoke and emphasized the importance of language practice.

The origin of the term pragmatics Peirce and Morris

The term pragmatics goes back to Charles Sanders Peirce. From the philosophical pragmatism he developed the linguistic pragmatics emerged. In his semiotics Peirce considered as an aspect of the sign relation ( relation) of a character to the user of the sign.

According to Charles W. Morris developed the classic tripartite division into syntax - semantics - pragmatics: syntax as the relationships between the characters, semantics as the relationships between the characters and their meaning and pragmatics as the relationship between character and user.

Morris defined pragmatics as "the study of the relation of signs to interpreters ".

The pragmatics was initially based in semiotics. It was followed by the pragmatics in terms of linguistics. This is also called linguistic pragmatics.

Other provisions of the pragmatics

For psychologists and systems theorist Norbert Bischof " pragmatics virtually congruent with the ultimate causes system theory " is.

Textbook detention pragmatics is defined inter alia as follows:

Or - in other emphases: