8. Categorial principles of pragmatics and conventional rules of grammar (linguistic postulates)

Pragmatics develops from semantics + context, in other words it is not meaning in isolation but meaning in use. Semantics is related to grammar as an abstract formal system of language. Pragmatics includes complementary additional domains to semantics.

The centrality of formal linguistics in the meaning of Chomsky competence must give answers to a more actual framework which combines functional and formal explanations. So far the formal approach to language elements was dominating. It is directly related with the use of grammatical rules which are rigid, do not depend on the context, cannot being changed, are more or less universal in all the languages. Grammatical rules with their exceptions are not always relevant- not everything can be explained with the stable rules, language is developing and rules in their actual use may be violated. Violation is caused by every particular context. Formal approach was completed by functional approach to pragmatics. The task of researchers is to show the correlation of grammatical rules and pragmatic principles. Rules are stable, principles are flexible.

8 postulates

1. The semantic representations of logical form of the sentence are distinct from its pragmatic interpretation. One and the same grammatical model is invariable from the point of view of grammar and its stable rules. This pattern in reality is verified and depends on concrete substitution of every grammatical symbol by functionally oriented actualization of this symbol. One and the same model in Pragmatics may represent several situations.

e.g Peter read the book at night.

The teacher presented the lecture at 3.

According to correlation of rules and principles in pragmatic interpretation is based on semantic/logical forms of representation.

2. Semantics is governed by rules because it’s first of all grammatical. General pragmatics is controlled by principles. Principles are rhetorical. Rhetorics is more important for pragmatics. Grammar is in different parenthesis.

3. The rules of grammar are fundamentally conventional. The principles of pragmatics are non-conventional but motivated. This motivation depends on the goal.

Convention – it’s always the rule that is followed automatically by all members of language community. It’s done without discussion and possibility of its change.

e.g definition of a sentence is the same in all the languages and doesn’t depend on any possibility to be changed.

Motivation principles change. What is relevant in one context becomes irrelevant in other one.

4. General pragmatics relates the sense (grammatical meaning) of the utterance to its pragmatic or illocutionary force. This relation may be direct (form and function correspond – open the door!) or indirect (form and function do not correspond – there is no salt in the table)

5. Grammatical correspondences are defined by schemas. Pragmatic correspondences are defined by problems and their solutions. Pragmatics presupposes obligatory the presence of the context which exists beyond the language surface level. Grammatical correspondences ignore the context.

6. Grammatical explanations are first of all formal. Pragmatic explanations are functional. Grammar is a kind of formalism, pragmatics – functionalism.

e.g I know that the ceiling fell on your head.

In this case for grammar is enough to say that it’s a complex sentence with a subordinate clause. Pragmatics analyzes the objective situation which happened and influenced the victim. Grammar doesn’t expect any reaction.

7. Grammar is an ideational discipline. Pragmatics is interpersonal and textual. Ideational are those notions which are too abstracted and detached from reality. These are grammatical notions. As for pragmatics there is a principal difference if there is one situation or several – reactions of the participants will be different.

8. Grammar is described with the help of terminology which is discrete. Pragmatics is described in the terminology of continuous and non-discrete notions. Grammatical terminology is relatively autonomous. Because these terms are universally defined according to the agreement between the representatives of different linguistic schools. As for pragmatic terminology it is interrelated and interconnected. It means there’s an agent as the initiator of the action and also must be the receiver on whom the action is directed.