Semantics vs Pragmatics
Most of the conflicts are due to language
Have you ever realised that you may read what’s written but perceive differently? Have you ever realised that you didn’t write or say something that the other person has perceived by his understanding?
The fact is that when we write or say words each and every part of their meanings, sounds, and structures holds a significant status. Let's have a brief and deep plunge into the world of words!
Language — a communication system:
Language is a unique human communication system, existing in
speech, writing, and sign modes. Linguists study language objectively,
focusing on pragmatics (contextual language use) and grammar
(linguistic structure). Language acquisition is an innate human capacity,
occurring in predictable stages.
The smallest part of the structure of a word is called morpheme, and its study is called morphology, and the smallest part of the regularly used sounds is called phoneme, and its study is called phonology.
Kinds of speech features:
When learning English we will find two kinds of speech features:
1. Segmental features, which refer to sound units, arranged in a sequential order; or it is about consonant and vowel.
2. Suprasegmental features refer to stress, pitch, length intonation and other features that always accompany the production of segmental.
It will be a diverse and vast topic if I am to explain their further categories, so I'll write about them some other time.
Coming to the point!
There are two types of meaning in the English Language; one is semantics, and the other is pragmatic.
Semantic meaning is the surface or dictionary meaning. For example, if I write a sentence, "I can't digest it." It refers to something that you eat and your digestive system is unable to break it into small particles.
Pragmatic meaning is the inner or context meaning and it depends on the situation, articulatory ways of the speaker, and auditory sense of the listener. If I again take the above example, I can change its meaning by changing the context. I may refer to something that I can't believe; thus, I said, "I can't digest it."
Even if a teacher delivers a lecture, the words that he uses will be different from the words of his student if he delivers the same lecture to his friend. Although he was listening to him, the pragmatic meaning changed.
Take some other examples, if someone is gazing at you, how will you perceive that? Maybe he is noticing something queer in your dressing, but you may perceive that he is envious of your beauty.
You are discussing a matter with your friend. He wants to go hiking, but you want to take a break and relax. In the whole discussion, you have used a single word that your friend was not expecting from you or maybe your tone or pitch has changed. And then blast! He gets annoyed with you.
If you post something that is related to the reality of life, other people can assume that you've especially posted it for them. It may also happen to you. Most of the confusion in our lives is due to misunderstandings.
And it's all due to pragmatic meanings. That's why I consider pragmatic meaning a clever way to give hints.
If we only use semantics, we'll never suffer through such situations. But salute to poets and linguistics who use hidden meanings and pragmatics to invite the readers to engage in their writings and keep using their minds to find the true meanings. Even different people can explain a poem differently.
Thus the language hangs between the usage of words and sounds and perception.
Solution:
To avoid all such misunderstandings, conflicts, and confusion, there's only one way that you should use clear words in your speech and not use gestures to convey your perspectives.
Thanks for reading!
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