SEMANTICS AND PRAGMATICS: MEANING AND CONTEXT IN LANGUAGE USE

Abstract

This paper explores the fields of semantics and pragmatics, which are two fundamental branches of linguistics concerned with meaning in language. While semantics focuses on meaning independent of context, pragmatics studies meaning as it is influenced by context, speaker intention, and social factors. The paper aims to define both disciplines, examine their main features, and highlight their similarities and differences through examples from the English language. The study also emphasizes the importance of context in interpreting meaning and demonstrates how semantics and pragmatics complement each other in real communication.