The Difference Between Semantics and Pragmatics

Group 1 : M. Najmudin
                  Aisyah Rahma Fauziah
                  Izzatuddini Islamiati

        Semantics VS Pragmatics 

      A.    Semantics

Semantics means the meaning and interpretation of words, signs, and sentence structure. Semantics largely determine our reading comprehension, how we understand others, and even what decisions we make as a result of our interpretations. (William Shakespeare)

So semantics are learning about the meaning used to understand the language spoken by the speaker

Example:

The word ' pipis ', in Sundanese the word means ' kencing ', but in Balinese language the word is ' uang jajan '. Another example of ' frog ', in Sundanese means ' to take something from a pocket ', while in Bahasa Indonesia means ' frog '.

B.     Pragmatic

Yule (1996:3) mentions 4 pragmatic Definitions:

(1) A field that examines the meaning of the Speaker,

(2) The field that examines meaning according to its context; 

(3) A field that exceeds the study of the meaning of being deposited, examines the meaning communicated or communicated by the Speaker, and

(4) The field that examines the form of expression according to the social distance limiting the participants involved in the conversation Certain.

Example: Bu, nasi kuningnya dua.

The sentence above is a common sentence used in a variety of spoken languages. In writing, the above sentence may have a less obvious meaning, especially in part two (whether two packs, or two plastic bags?). However, pragmatic, the above sentence has a clear meaning in which the meaning of the above sentence itself is Bu, I ordered the rice two packs.

Is there any oppinion that can describe what is semantic and pragmatic as well as a simpler example?.....................................................................

There are four areas that pragmatics is concerned with.

            1. Pragmatics is the study of speaker meaning.

            2. Pragmatics is the study of contextual meaning

            3. Pragmatics is the study of how more gets communicated than  is said.

4. Pragmatics is the study of the expression of relative distance.

C. Pragmatics is the study of speaker meaning.

Pragmatics is concerned with the study of meaning as communicated by a speaker (or writer) and interpreted by a listener (or writer). It has, consequently, more to do with the analysis of what people mean by their utterance than what the words or phrases in those utterances might mean by themselves.

D. Pragmatics is the study of contextual meaning

This type of study necessarily involves the interpretation of what people mean in a particular context and how the context influences what is said. It requires consideration of how speakers organize what they want to say in accordance with who they are talking to, where ,when, and what circumstances.

E.     Pragmatics is the study of how more gets communicated than is said

This approach also necessarily explores how listeners can make inferences about what is said in order to arrive at an interpretation of the speaker’s intended meaning. This type of study explores how a great deal of what is unsaid is recognized as part of what is communicated. We might say that it is the investigation of invisible meaning.

F.     Pragmatics is the study of the expresion of relative distance

This perspective than raises the question of what determines the choice between the said and unsaid. The basic answer is tied to the notion of distance. Closeness, whether it is physical, social, or conceptual, implies shared experience. On the assumption of how close or distant the listener is, speakers determine how much needs to be said.