Semantics and Pragmatics

Abstract

Semantics and pragmatics are the study of meaning communicated through language. Linguists who work in these branches of linguistics are interested in the ways in which words acquire meaning, and the processes by which native users of a language are able to give stable interpretations to word strings. Problems of meaning are arguably among the most significant which addressers and addressees experience in communicating with each other. This is principally because of two things: first, the range of possible meanings of which many words are capable; and second, the considerable contextual features which influence how strings are interpreted. We are all aware, in everyday communication, just how much factors such as intonation, word stress, and situational context can affect the interpretation of utterances.