Views on the Relationship between Pragmatics and Semantics

Abstract：This thesis was aimed at exploring the nature of language and its subsystem.As we all know，language is not only a subsystem but a carrier of culture system.The knowledge of pragmatics and semantics means a lot to communication.

Key Words：language subsystems；pragmatics；semantics

一、Introduction

This paper deals with the most crucial parts of language：pragmatics and semantics based on the book The Study of Language written by George Yule.It explores a wide range of questions： The origins of language， how conversation takes place， how language varies between regions， how children learn language in the critical period，why children learn language quickly than the adults， why women and men speak differently， and how social factors influence language and culture. All the subsystems of linguistics lay a solid foundation for semantics and pragmatics.

二、The definition of Semantics and pragmatics

In the early 1970s， semantics was taken as the basis of the study of linguistics，which focused on the meaning of language.Then we come to the terms with the place of ‘meaning in linguistic description.In the chapter eleven of The Study of Language， the role of semantics. From this chapter we know the meaning of the words， phrases and sentences. It concentrates on the meaning in language as a product of the meaning of words. Each word has two meanings： conceptual and associative meaning，they mean a lot to our daily speech.As to semanticroles： agent， theme， instrument， experience， location， source and goal. These factors fulfill within the situation described by the sentence and distinguish each element. Not only can the words be treated as ‘containers as fulfilling ‘role，they can also have ‘relationships.I mean the lexical relation such as synonymy， antonymy， hyponymy， prototypes， homophony， homonymy， polysemy and so on.From these aspects，we know the complexity and diversification of semantics.

Then context was taken into consideration，pragmatics aroused linguists attention as an independent discipline.As to the next chapter pragmatics. It often refers to the invisible meaning that depends on shared experience and presupposition.We have noticed the context plays a crucial role in language especially in our daily talk. It is essential to understand how people communicate and what others say.

Another factor related to pragmatics is discourse analysis.To understand what speakers mean we should have the ability to recognize correct or incorrect forms. Usually， we attach more attention to cohesive links to let others make sense of what they read or hear. For the most part， conversational interaction will follow the co-operative principle （quality， quantity， relation， manner） mentioned by Grice.Since it has been realized that we communicate via language is based on the shared experience and background knowledge.

三、The relationship between semantics and pragmatics

Pragmatics and semantics are related to the study of meaning as two subsystems of linguistics.But their close relationship has made it difficult to set a clear boundary between them and the distinction between semantics and pragmatics have puzzled and are still puzzling linguists and philosophers of language（Jef， 2000）.Semantics is the basis and has been affected by pragmatics，which is a discipline of speakers language inerpretation . Pragmatics and semantics are distinct and complementary（Leech， 1981）.The reductionist approach holds that some linguistic phenomena are both related to pragmatics and semantics.However，pragmatics and semantics are regarded as two independent linguistic disciplines by the complementarist.The existence of pragmatics is based on semantics as a branch of linguistic.

In most cases， pragmatics is related to context and linguistic expressions.The relationship between pragmatics and pragmatics tends to go with the distinction between meaning（language） and language use， or more generally，that between competence and performance（Leech，1983）.Pragmatics is a field with all the aspects of meaning but not captured in semantics.

四、Conclusion

From the macro and micro perspective， this book gives us clear basic contents of the linguistics that we havent elaborated in this dissertation.As to the argument， Pragmatics and semantics are related to the study of meaning as two subsystems of linguistics，concerning the transmission of meaning.Current presentations of the distinction between

semantics and pragmatics tend to be riddled with inconsistencies and unjustified assumptions（Thomas，1995）.The distinction and relationship between semantics and pragmatics are still abstract and sweeping in this book.An intensive discussion on the argument is needed for better understanding of the nature of language.

References：

[1] Jef Verschueren.Understanding Pragmatics [M].Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press，2000.

[2] Leech G.Semantics[M].Penguin Books，1981.

[3] Leech G.Principles of Pragmatics[M].London： Longman，1983.

[4] Thomas.Meaning in Interaction： An Introduction to Pragmatics

[M].London：Longman，1995.

作者簡介：刘丹（1990-），女，汉族，四川达州人，硕士研究生学历，单位：西华师范大学外国语学院，研究方向：课程与教学论（英语）。