"Semantics provides a complete account of sentence
meaning for the language, [by] recursively specifying
the truth conditions of the sentences of the language
[...] Pragmatics provides an account of how sentences
are used in utterances to convey information in context".
R. M. Kempson.
I believe there is a bit of disagreement between what Grice dubs
"pragmatics" and what RT does. And what OED dubs. I will only quote here
I. What the OED dubs. -- II. some comments on what HPG dubs "pragmatics" --
III. Some quotes, - incl. one by RT-ist RM Kempson, as per an online essay
by Bach.
Comments welcomed.
====
I. From the OED
pragmatic (præg'mætIk), a. and sb. [= Fr. pragmatique, Ger. pragmatisch,
etc., ad. L. pragmaticus skilled in business, esp. law (Cic.), in late L.,
relating to civil affairs (also sb.), a. Gr. pragmatiko´j active,
business-like, versed in affairs, relating to matter of fact, also sb. a
man of business or action; f. pragma, pragmat- a deed, act, affair,
state-affair, business, etc., f. pra´ttein to do.]
A adj. 1 Relating to the affairs of a state or community. pragmatic
sanction, rendering late juridical L. (Cod. Justin.) pragmatica sanctio
(jussio, annotatio), also pragmaticum rescriptum: `an imperial decree
referring to the affairs of a community', the technical name given to some
imperial and royal ordinances issued as fundamental laws.Applied first to
edicts of the Eastern Emperors; subsequently to certain decrees of Western
sovereigns, as the Pragmatic Sanction attributed to St. Louis of France,
1268, containing articles directed against the assumptions of the Papacy;
those of Charles VII of France in 1438, and of the Diet of Mainz in 1439,
embodying the most important decisions of the Council of Basle, the former
being the basis of the liberties of the Gallican church. In more recent
European history, applied particularly to the ordinance of the emperor
Charles VI, in 1724, settling the succession to the Austrian throne; also,
to that of Charles III of Spain in 1759, granting the crown of the Two
Sicilies to his third son and his descendants.
1643 Prynne Sov. Power Parl. App. 32 In this Parliament the pragmatick
sanction was restored. 1688 Answ. Talon's Plea 17 To abrogate and to annull
at the same time, the pragmatick Sanction, and the Concordat too. 1699
Burnet 39 Art. xxxvii. (1700) 385 Pragmatick Sanctions were made in several
Nations to assert their Liberty. 1710 J. Harris Lex. Techn. II, Pragmatick
Sanction, is a Term in the Civil Law for a Letter written to a Corporation,
or any Publick Body, by the Emperour in answer to their Request to enquire
or know the Law of him. 1767 Hist. Europe in Ann. Reg. 30/1 The King then
published his pragmatic sanction, or royal ordinance, for the expulsion of
the Jesuits. 1848 W. H. Kelly tr. L. Blanc's Hist. Ten Y. II. 220 The
revocation of the pragmatic act which left the youthful Isabella heiress of
the Spanish crown. 1858 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. v. ii. I. 552 `Pragmatic
Sanction' being, in the Imperial Chancery and some others, the received
title for Ordinances of a very irrevocable nature, which a sovereign makes
in affairs that belong wholly to himself, or what he reckons his own
rights. 1885 Encycl. Brit. XIX. 657/1 After his [Charles VI's] death, the
pragmatic sanction led to the War of the Austrian Succession.
2 Busy, active; esp. officiously busy in other people's affairs;
interfering, meddling, intrusive; = pragmatical a. 3, 4.
1616 B. Jonson Devil an Ass i. vi, I loue to hit These pragmaticke young
men, at their owne weapons. 1674 Govt. Tongue vi. §33 Common estimation
puts an ill character upon pragmatic medling people. 1777 Robertson Hist.
Amer. II. vi. 238 Cepeda..a pragmatic and aspiring lawyer, seems to have
held a secret correspondence with Pizarro. 1879 Farrar St. Paul II. 282
note, If St. Paul said Kuri´ou, the marginal Qeou of some pragmatic scribe
might easily have obtruded itself into the text.
3 Conceited in one's own opinion, opinionated; dictatorial, dogmatic; =
pragmatical a. 4 b.
1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 202 It was in vaine to chalenge the
pragmatique Pagan in point of honour. 1653 R. Sanders Physiogn., Moles 17
It signifies her to be pragmatique, proud, and one that will domineer over
her husband. 1771 Foote Maid of B. i. Wks. 1799 II. 214 She is as pragmatic
and proud as the Pope. 1872 Minto Eng. Prose Lit. 599 A strong contrast to
the pragmatic Cobbett was the amiable, indolent, speculative Sir James
Mackintosh. 1872 Spectator 7 Sept. 1131 To spoil by..irrelevant and
pragmatic dogmatism a very able and useful paper.
4 Treating the facts of history systematically, in their connexion with
each other as cause and effect, and with reference to their practical
lessons rather than to their circumstantial details. [= Ger. pragmatisch,
after pragmatiko´j, pragmatei´a, in Polybius.] Cf. pragmatism 3.
1853 M. Arnold Irish Ess., etc. (1882) 291 For the more serious kinds, for
pragmatic poetry, to use an excellent expression of Polybius. 1864 Webster,
Pragmatic history, a history which exhibits clearly the causes and the
consequences of events.
5 Practical; dealing with practice; matter-of-fact; = pragmatical a. 2.
1853 C. L. Brace Home Life Germany 124 A strict and pragmatic people, like
the mass of the Scotch. 1882-3 Schaff's Encycl. Relig. Knowl. II. 1613 The
pragmatic school only looked at Christianity as a system of doctrine. It
failed to look upon it as an historical development.
6 a Belonging or relating to philosophical pragmatism; concerned with
practical consequences or values. See pragmatism 4.
1902 W. James Varieties Relig. Exp. 518 This thoroughly `pragmatic' view of
religion has usually been taken as a matter of course by common men. 1906
Hibbert Jrnl. Jan. 337 Whether it is applied to knowledge or to faith, the
pragmatic test is a severe one. 1907 W. James Pragmatism 45 The pragmatic
method in such cases is to try to interpret each notion by tracing its
respective practical consequences.1907 W. James Pragmatism iv. 136 The
pragmatic value of the world's unity is that all these definite networks
actually and practically exist. 1932 C. Morris Six Theories of Mind vi. 282
The pragmatic contribution to the theory of mind. 1948 Mind LVII. 358 These
`pragmatic paradoxes' as they have been called, are worth examination. 1964
A. W. Burks in Moore & Robin Stud. in Philos. C. S. Peirce 2nd Ser. viii.
143 Peirce's pragmatic principle of meaning. 1971 G. Petrovic´ in R.
Klibansky Contemp. Philos. IV. 393 To the uninformed the pragmatic theory
of truth seems identical with that of Marx.
b spec. Relating to the practical interpretation of political or social
issues. Cf. pragmatism 4 b.
1961 Mem. & Proc. Manch. Lit. & Philos. Soc. CIII. 58 This was an explicit
pragmatic democratic philosophy of an older generation. 1964 Listener 29
Oct. 654/2 Isn't there a danger that this kind of practical, pragmatic
socialism, taking problems as they come, is going to rob you of a
long-sighted view into the future. 1966 Times 11 Mar. 8/6 Mr. Wilson
replied..that his `policy was already very socialist and very pragmatic'.
1970 Bull. Inst. for Study of U.S.S.R. Aug. 17 The technocrat is more or
less content with any ideology provided that it does not hamper pragmatic
development. 1976 Howard Jrnl. XV. i. 3 Taking into account an admission of
guilt or willingness to compensate for damage should only be done on the
grounds that it is to the advantage of society to have the offender admit
his guilt or pay for the damage. This is a very pragmatic attitude.
7 Linguistics. Of or pertaining to pragmatics. Cf. sense B. 4 below.
1935 B. Malinowski Coral Gardens II. iv. iv. 52 Since it is the function,
the active and effective influence of a word within a given context which
constitutes its meaning, let us examine such pragmatic utterances. 1953 C.
E. Osgood Method & Theory Exper. Psychol. xvi. 699 The pragmatic dimension
of semiotic, the relation between signs and their users or the effect of
signs upon their users. 1957 C. Cherry On Human Communication vi. 226
Statistical communication theory abstracts from the semantic and pragmatic
aspects of the set of signs used. 1964 E. A. Nida Toward Sci. Transl. iii.
36 There is a steady tendency for many terms to shift within the pragmatic
area from an ethical response to an esthetic one. 1967 R. A. Waldron Sense
& Sense Devel. iii. 49 The attitudes to language dealt with in the last
chapter came into conflict with tradition in the stress they lay upon the
pragmatic functions of language.
B sb.
1 A decree or ordinance issued by the head of a state; = pragmatic
sanction: see A. 1.
1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1364/2 His excessiue authoritie hath
beene, and still is restreined, checked and limited by lawes and
pragmatikes, both ancient and new, both in France and Spaine and other
dominions. 1656 Blount Glossogr., Pragmatic,..a Proclamation or Edict. 1766
Char. in Ann. Reg. 11/2 There were even two pragmatics: one that ceded the
possessions of the house of Austria to the Archduchess of Poland, the other
that contended they were the property of Mary Theresa. 1861 J. G. Sheppard
Fall Rome vi. 286 It was a solemn occasion, and the emperor deemed it
worthy of a solemn document, or `Pragmatic', as it was called.
2 One versed in business; a person deputed to represent another in
business or negotiation, an agent; cf. `man of business', business 22 d.
Obs.[Cf. also obs. It. `pragmatico, an atturnie or practicioner in the
lawe, a proctor... Also one wont to stand by a pleader or oratour
instructing him in lawe points. Also one expert in doing of things' (Florio
1598).]
1589 G. Harvey Pierce's Super. Wks. (Grosart) II. 150 Since those busie
limmes began to rowse, and besturre them, more then all the Pragmatiques in
Europe. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. viii. §48. 559 Pandulphus (the Popes
Pragmaticke) hauing first desired safe conduct of King John, arriues at
Douer. 1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. i. v, My man o' Law! Hee's my Attorney
and Sollicitour too! A fine pragmaticke!
3 An officious or meddlesome person; a busybody; a conceited person.
1645 Milton Colast. Wks. 1851 IV. 369 These matters are not for pragmatics,
and folkmooters to babble in. 1659 Gauden Tears Ch. iv. xvi. 502 Such
pragmaticks..labour impertinently. 1835 Fraser's Mag. XII. 269 The
flippants and pragmatics who infest all the highways of society.
4 pl. const. as sing. Linguistics. The study or analysis of linguistic
signs as they relate to the human user and his behaviour (see quot. 1937).
Also attrib.
1937 C. Morris Logical Positivism 4 Analysis reveals that linguistic signs
sustain three types of relations (to other signs of the language, to
objects that are signified, to persons by whom they are used and
understood) which define three dimensions of meaning. These dimensions in
turn are objects of investigation by syntactics, semantics, and pragmatics.
1952 Mind LXI. 205 The `pragmatics' group would say that `points of view'
are the business of philosophers. 1954 Mind LXIII. 360 The step..from
descriptive pragmatics to descriptive semantics. 1964 E. A. Nida Toward
Sci. Transl. iii. 35 Pragmatics, in contrast to both semantics and
syntactics, deals with the relation of symbols to behavior. 1969 I. I.
Revzin in R. Klibansky Contemp. Philos. III. 332 In this domain there has
been a general shift of interest from syntactics (the first set-theoretical
and generative models) to semantics (and possibly pragmatics). 1971
Language XLVII. 522 The philosophical dichotomy is between `semantics' and
`pragmatics', roughly corresponding to reference and inference
respectively. 1975 Language LI. 37 Partee..expresses reservations about the
place of the referential/attributive distinction in natural language, and
sees the possibility of assigning it to pragmatics. 1978 Sci. Amer. Nov.
82/2 The grammar of language includes rules of phonology, which describe
how to put sounds together to form words; rules of syntax, which describe
how to put words together to form sentences; rules of semantics, which
describe how to interpret the meaning of words and sentences; and rules of
pragmatics, which describe how to participate in a conversation, how to
sequence sentences and how to anticipate the information needed by an
interlocutor.
====
II. What Grice says here and there:
Now, how did Grice get this via Morris (if at all) is probably via
STEVENSON, ETHICS & LANGUAGE which is probably related to Morris.
Thus Grice writes in STUDIES IN THE WAY OF WORDS: "I include under the
head of "mean" any usages of "mean" foudn in sentences of the pattern".
1. Mr Wilson means something by x.
"This is overrigid but it will serve as an indication" (p.215). STUDIES
does not index "pragmatics", but there's this interesting use on p.375: "I
canvassed the idea taht the alleged divergence betwween modernists' logic
and vulgar logical connectives might be represented as being a matter not
of LOGICAL but of pragmatic import"... He had previously written, that when
Strawson wrote _Logic_, Grice was "devoting much attention to what might be
loosely called the distinction between LOGICAL AND PRAGMATIC INFERENCES...
to elucidate problems in the philosophy of perception ("seem" vs "is") etc.
Lots of problems seemd to me to rest on A BLURRING OF THE LOGICAL-PRAGMATIC
DISTINCTION.
Grice cites Stevenson in the previous quote about Mr Wilson... But in
general, it is wiser to see with LR Horn, that if an Oxford can use
"semantics" instead of "pragmatics", he will...
(Horn, Why Gricean Inference is Gricean, in _The Legacy of Grice_, in K
Hall, et al).
The distinction in _Studies_ between "logical" and "pragmatic" may not
coincide with Grice's in his lattest book, Aspects of Reason. After all,
nonmonotonic reasoning may be dubbed "logic", and "pragmatic"...:
_Aspects of Reason_, by (H.) Paul Grice. Ed. R. O. Warner. Oxford. 165
pp.; ISBN 0-19-824252-2. Reasons and reasoning were central to the work of
Paul Grice, one of the most influential and admired philosophers of the
late twentieth century. In the John Locke Lectures that Grice delivered in
Oxford at the end of the 1970s, he set out his fundamental thoughts about
these topics; Aspects of Reason is the long-awaited publication of those
lectures. They focus on an investigation of practical necessity, as Grice
contends that practical necessities are established by derivation; they are
necessary because they are derivable. This work sets this claim in the
context of an account of reasons and reasoning, allowing Grice to defend
his treatment of necessity against obvious objections and revealing how the
construction of explicit derivations can play a central role in explaining
and justifying thought and action. Grice was still working on Aspects of
Reason during the last years of his life, and although unpolished, the book
provides an intimate glimpse into the workings of his mind and will refresh
and illuminate many areas of contemporary philosophy Paul Grice (1913-1988)
was Fellow of St John's College, and, until his retirement in 1980,
Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley. Richard
Warner is Professor of Philosophy at Chicago-Kent College of Law. CONTENTS:
R Warner, Introduction: Grice on Reasons and Rationality, Richard Warner
=== H P Grice, Proem. Essay 1: Reasons and Reasoning. Essay 2: Reason and
Reasons. Essay 3: Practical and Alethic Reasoning (Part I). Essay 4:
Practical and Alethic Reasoning (Part 2). Essay 5: Some Reflections about
Ends and Happiness. Index
===
III. A chronology of definitions, from Morris to neo-Griceans,
via Kempson.
From http://online.sfsu.edu/~kbach/semprag.html
.....................................
Semantics deals with the relation of signs to … objects which they may or
do denote. Pragmatics concerns the relation of signs to their interpreters.
Morris, Foundations of the Theory of Signs, p. 35.
........................................
Syntax studies sentences, semantics studies propositions. Pragmatics is the
study of linguistic acts and the contexts in which they are performed.
There are two major types of problems to be solved within pragmatics:
first, to define interesting types of speech acts and speech products;
second, to characterize the features of the speech context which help
determine which proposition is expressed by a given sentence. … It is a
semantic problem to specify the rules for matching up sentences of a
natural language with the propositions that they express. In most cases,
however, the rules will not match sentences directly with propositions, but
will match sentences with propositions relative to features of the context
in which the sentence is used. These contextual features are part of the
subject matter of pragmatics.
Stalnaker, Pragmatics, p. 383
.............................................
I draw the theoretical line between semantic interpretation and pragmatic
interpretation by taking the semantic component to properly represent only
those aspects of the meaning of the sentence that an ideal speaker-hearer
of the language would know in an anonymous letter situation, … [where there
is] no clue whatever about the motive, circumstances of transmission, or
any other factor relevant to understanding the sentence on the basis of its
context of utterance.
Katz, Propositional Structure and Illocutionary Force p. 14.
................................................
PRAGMATICS = MEANING - TRUTH CONDITIONS (p. 2)
What we need in addition is some function that tells us about the meaning
of utterances. … The domain of this pragmatic function is the set of
utterances, which are pairs of sentences and contexts, so that for each
utterance, our function will return as a value a new context-the context as
changed by the sentence uttered … . And we can treat the meaning of the
utterance as the difference between the original context and the context
arrived at by utterance the sentence. [This applies to only] a restricted
subset of pragmatic aspects of meaning.
Gazdar, Formal Pragmatics, p. 4.
....................................................
Semantics provides a complete account of sentence meaning for the language,
[by] recursively specifying the truth conditions of the sentences of the
language. … Pragmatics provides an account of how sentences are used in
utterances to convey information in context.
Kempson, Grammar and conversational principles. In Newmeyer, F. (ed.):
Linguistics: The Cambridge Survey, Vol. II. Cambridge, Eng.: Cambridge
University Press, pp. 139-163.
p. 139
.......................................................
Pragmatics is the study of language which focuses attention on the users
and the context of language use rather than on reference, truth, or grammar.
Fotion, the Oxford Companion to Philosophy, p. 709
..........................................................
Pragmatics studies the use of language in context, and the
context-dependence of various aspects of linguistic interpretation. … [Its
branches include the theory of how] one and the same sentence can express
different meanings or propositions from context to context, owing to
ambiguity or indexicality or both, … speech act theory, and the theory of
conversational implicature.
Lycan, the Cambridge Dict. of Philosophy, p. 588.
..............................................................
The distinction between semantics and pragmatics is, roughly, the
distinction between the significance conventionally or literally attached
to words, and thence to whole sentences, and the further significance that
can be worked out, by more general principles, using contextual information.
Davies, the Blackwell Companion to Philosophy, p.124.
===
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