Language educators need to study and understand pragmatics because of
several reasons.
Firstly, they can really comprehend how language is utilized in a certain context
so that they can use it appropriately. As we know, pragmatics is a set of skills that
permit people to know what to say, to whom, and how to deliver messages in a
certain context. By studying and understanding pragmatic, they can teach their
students how to utilize the language appropriately. This statement is supported by Deda (2013)
who states that the study of pragmatics explores the ability of language users
to match utterances with contexts in which they are appropriate. The teaching
of pragmatics aims to facilitate the learners’ sense of being able to find
socially appropriate language for the situations that they encounter. The goal
of instruction is not to insist on conformity to a particular target language
norm, but rather
to help learners become familiar with the range of pragmatic devices and
practices in the target language.
Secondly, they can know the meanings of what their students say. This
statement is supported by Martinez (2017) who explains that pragmatics is
concerned with the study of meaning as communicated by a speaker (or writer)
and interpreted by a listener or reader. It is study of speaker’s meaning.
This type of study necessary involves the interpretation of what people mean in
a particular context and how the context influences what is said. Also,
pragmatics is the study of contextual meaning. It explores how a great deal of
what is unsaid is recognized as part of what is communicated. Moreover, pragmatics is the study of how context affects meaning, such
as how sentences are interpreted in certain situations (or the interpretation
of linguistic meaning in context). Pragmatics
deals with the speech situations. Pragmatics can be seen as a way to solve
problems which can arise, both from the perspective or a speaker and a hearer.
For example from the speaker’s point of view, the problem us the planning about
how to produce an utterance. On the other hand, from the hearer’s point of view, the problem is related to the
interpretation, which forces the hearer to be able to interpret the possible
reason that makes the speaker saying the utterance.
Thirdly, language educators or the teachers can analyze the expression of
relative distance. This statement is supported by Vrenti (2016) who states that
pragmatics is the study of the expression of relative distance, such as the
physical, social, or conceptual distance (or closeness) between the speaker and
the listener. Fourthly, language educators will contend that pragmatics is a
really fun and interesting topic to study because they will learn that it has
the ability to re-shape more their understanding of everyday phrases,
sentences, expressions, statements, and questions than that are explicitly
stated. This statement is supported by Abbas & Ibrahim (2010) who state that pragmatics
is the study of the ability of natural language speakers to communicate more
than that which is explicitly stated.
References
Abbas, A. J., & Ibrahim, I. R. (2010). The Distinction Between
Semantic and Pragmatic Meaning With reference to the third year students-Dept.
of English, College of asic Education: A Practical study. journal of
the college of basic education, 15(65), 7-27.
Deda, N. (2013). The role of Pragmatics in English language teaching.
Pragmatic competence. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(4),
63.
Martínez Celis, A. (2017). The Role of Pragmatics in English Teaching: A
Study of Pragmatic Competence of Students from Spanish Institutions.
Vrenti, Siska. "PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE AS THE ART OF LANGUAGE USE IN
INTERACTION." JAMBI-ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING 1, no. 1
(2016).
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