Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-4-2-pragmatics [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [A Level](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level.md) › [English Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa.md) › Pragmatics # Pragmatics English Language: AQA A Level, topic 1.4.2 ## Pragmatics Pragmatics is about looking at the meaning behind things. It takes into account how meaning can be inferred, especially considering the context in which it was produced and is being received. ### Deixis ![Deixis](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/biology/6.3.1%20The%20theory%20of%20evolution/question-mark-2123967_640%20-%20Edited-min%20(1).jpg) - If you’ve ever joined in a conversation part way through, you may have experienced deixis. - For example, someone may say something like __‘I saw him there today’__, and without being part of that conversation, you do not know who __‘he’__ is and where __‘he’__ was __‘today’__. - It is important to note that just because you do not understand something, it does not mean it is deictic. Candidates may label a word they do not understand as deictic, when it is just not a word in their vocabulary. ### Deictic reference ![Deictic reference](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-11/583f920c-d2dd-4fd0-b219-43523e6dcac0/outsider-.jpg) - A deictic reference is a comment which is context dependent. In other words, it isolates those who are not part of that group. - In articles written for specialists, you may find references to events/procedures which the idealised reader (the person who it was written for) would understand, but you do not. ### Denotation vs connotation ![Denotation vs connotation](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/02cbe88b-9649-48fb-a612-eaeb0cb0a06e/dad-baby-father-child.jpg) - When considering a text’s semantical meaning, you will often consider what its denotation is. A denotation is a dictionary definition of a word. - When you take this further in pragmatics, you will often look at what the emotional attachment with the word is, and what the word implies. This is called a connotation. - For example, you may look at the denotation of the word __‘baby’__ as being an infant, but you can also look at the romantic connotations of calling a partner __‘baby’__. ## Test yourself on Pragmatics - Which of these are connotations of the head words? - What is the following sentence an example of?Those are my favourite shoes. - Which sentence uses deixis? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/1e248169-fb0c-4ca7-9692-7c46f316728b/section/3839a572-0012-4e77-a39e-b1196263a547/session) - Previous topic: [1.4.1 Semantics](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-4-1-semantics.md) - Next topic: [1.5.1 Discourse Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-5-1-discourse-structure.md) ## English Language: AQA A Level contents ### 1 Language Levels - 1.1 Assessment Objectives - [1.1.1 Assessment Objectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-1-1-assessment-objectives.md) - 1.2 Lexis - [1.2.1 Introduction](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-1-introduction.md) - [1.2.2 Common, Proper, Abstract & Concrete Nouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-2-common-proper-abstract-and-concrete-nouns.md) - [1.2.3 Collective Nouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-3-collective-nouns.md) - [1.2.4 Adjectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-4-adjectives.md) - [1.2.5 Main, Auxiliary & Copular Verbs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-5-main-auxiliary-and-copular-verbs.md) - [1.2.6 Dynamic & Stative Verbs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-6-dynamic-and-stative-verbs.md) - [1.2.7 Transitive, Intransitive, Active & Passive Verbs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-7-transitive-intransitive-active-and-passive-verbs.md) - [1.2.8 Mood of Verbs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-8-mood-of-verbs.md) - [1.2.9 Adverbs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-9-adverbs.md) - [1.2.10 Personal, Possessive & Reflexive Pronouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-10-personal-possessive-and-reflexive-pronouns.md) - [1.2.11 Relative & Demonstrative Pronouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-11-relative-and-demonstrative-pronouns.md) - [1.2.12 Determiners](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-12-determiners.md) - [1.2.13 Conjunctions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-13-conjunctions.md) - [1.2.14 Synonyms, Antonyms & Phonological Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-14-synonyms-antonyms-and-phonological-features.md) - [1.2.15 End of Topic Test - Lexis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-2-15-end-of-topic-test-lexis.md) - 1.3 Grammar - [1.3.1 Morphology](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-1-morphology.md) - [1.3.2 Clauses](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-2-clauses.md) - [1.3.3 Phrases](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-3-phrases.md) - [1.3.4 Present Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-4-present-tense.md) - [1.3.5 Past Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-5-past-tense.md) - [1.3.6 Future Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-6-future-tense.md) - [1.3.7 End of Topic Test - Grammar](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-3-7-end-of-topic-test-grammar.md) - 1.4 Semantics & Pragmatics - [1.4.1 Semantics](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-4-1-semantics.md) - [1.4.2 Pragmatics](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-4-2-pragmatics.md) - 1.5 Discourse Structure, Graphology & Orthography - [1.5.1 Discourse Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-5-1-discourse-structure.md) - [1.5.2 Graphology & Orthography](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-5-2-graphology-and-orthography.md) - [1.5.3 End of Topic Test - Semantics, Graphology etc.](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/1-5-3-end-of-topic-test-semantics-graphology-etc.md) ### 2 Language, The Individual & Society - 2.1 Children’s Language Development - [2.1.1 The Exam](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-1-the-exam.md) - [2.1.2 Phonemes, Vocal Tract & Articulation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-2-phonemes-vocal-tract-and-articulation.md) - [2.1.3 Writing About Phonemes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-3-writing-about-phonemes.md) - [2.1.4 Phonological Simplification](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-4-phonological-simplification.md) - [2.1.5 A Child's First Year & Consonant Acquisition](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-5-a-childs-first-year-and-consonant-acquisition.md) - [2.1.6 Beginning Stages of Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-6-beginning-stages-of-language.md) - [2.1.7 Lexical Development](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-7-lexical-development.md) - [2.1.8 Stages of Development](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-8-stages-of-development.md) - [2.1.9 End of Topic Test - Child Language Development](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-1-9-end-of-topic-test-child-language-development.md) - 2.2 Children's Language Development - Theories - [2.2.1 Behaviourism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-1-behaviourism.md) - [2.2.2 Interactionism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-2-interactionism.md) - [2.2.3 Challenging Interactionism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-3-challenging-interactionism.md) - [2.2.4 Nativism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-4-nativism.md) - [2.2.5 Nativism - Exam Answer](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-5-nativism-exam-answer.md) - [2.2.6 Cognitivism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-6-cognitivism.md) - [2.2.7 Social Constructionism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-7-social-constructionism.md) - [2.2.8 Writing About Spoken Acquisition](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-8-writing-about-spoken-acquisition.md) - [2.2.9 End of Topic Test - Development Theories](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-2-9-end-of-topic-test-development-theories.md) - 2.3 Literacy Development: Reading - [2.3.1 Introduction](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-1-introduction.md) - [2.3.2 Phonics vs Whole Word](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-2-phonics-vs-whole-word.md) - [2.3.3 Debates in Reading](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-3-debates-in-reading.md) - [2.3.4 Modelling Reading Acquisition](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-4-modelling-reading-acquisition.md) - [2.3.5 Other Reading Theories](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-5-other-reading-theories.md) - [2.3.6 End of Topic Test - Reading](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-3-6-end-of-topic-test-reading.md) - 2.4 Literacy Development: Writing - [2.4.1 Orthography](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-1-orthography.md) - [2.4.2 Kroll's Theory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-2-krolls-theory.md) - [2.4.3 Barclay's Theory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-3-barclays-theory.md) - [2.4.4 Creativity vs Accuracy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-4-creativity-vs-accuracy.md) - [2.4.5 Other Writing Theories](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-5-other-writing-theories.md) - [2.4.6 The Exam](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-6-the-exam.md) - [2.4.7 End of Topic Test - Writing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/2-4-7-end-of-topic-test-writing.md) ### 3 Language Diversity & Change - 3.1 The Importance of Gendered Language - [3.1.1 Writing About Gender](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-1-writing-about-gender.md) - [3.1.2 Dominance Theory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-2-dominance-theory.md) - [3.1.3 Interruptions - Zimmerman & West](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-3-interruptions-zimmerman-and-west.md) - [3.1.4 Deficit Theory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-4-deficit-theory.md) - [3.1.5 Difference Model](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-5-difference-model.md) - [3.1.6 Difference Model - Men](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-6-difference-model-men.md) - [3.1.7 Diversity Model](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-7-diversity-model.md) - [3.1.8 End of Topic Test - Gendered Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-1-8-end-of-topic-test-gendered-language.md) - 3.2 Social Groups - [3.2.1 Writing About Social Groups](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-1-writing-about-social-groups.md) - [3.2.2 Social Class](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-2-social-class.md) - [3.2.3 Social Class 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-3-social-class-2.md) - [3.2.4 Age](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-4-age.md) - [3.2.5 Age - Teen Speak](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-5-age-teen-speak.md) - [3.2.6 Milroy’s Belfast Study](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-6-milroys-belfast-study.md) - [3.2.7 Labov’s Martha’s Vineyard Study](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-7-labovs-marthas-vineyard-study.md) - [3.2.8 End of Topic Test - Social Groups](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-2-8-end-of-topic-test-social-groups.md) - 3.3 Occupational Groups - [3.3.1 Writing About Occupational Groups](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-3-1-writing-about-occupational-groups.md) - [3.3.2 Jargon](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-3-2-jargon.md) - [3.3.3 Conversations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-3-3-conversations.md) - [3.3.4 Hierarchy & Power](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-3-4-hierarchy-and-power.md) - [3.3.5 End of Topic Test - Occupational Groups](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-3-5-end-of-topic-test-occupational-groups.md) - 3.4 Accents & Dialects - [3.4.1 Writing About Accent & Dialect](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-1-writing-about-accent-and-dialect.md) - [3.4.2 Introduction to Accents & Dialects](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-2-introduction-to-accents-and-dialects.md) - [3.4.3 Accents - Matched Guide Experiment](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-3-accents-matched-guide-experiment.md) - [3.4.4 Accents - Received Pronunciation & Brummie](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-4-accents-received-pronunciation-and-brummie.md) - [3.4.5 Dialects - Dialectal Variations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-5-dialects-dialectal-variations.md) - [3.4.6 Accent & Dialect Case Study - London](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-6-accent-and-dialect-case-study-london.md) - [3.4.7 End of Topic Test - Accents & Dialects](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-4-7-end-of-topic-test-accents-and-dialects.md) - 3.5 Language Change - [3.5.1 Writing About Language Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-1-writing-about-language-change.md) - [3.5.2 Modelling Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-2-modelling-change.md) - [3.5.3 Modelling Change 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-3-modelling-change-2.md) - [3.5.4 Lexical Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-4-lexical-change.md) - [3.5.5 Semantic Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-5-semantic-change.md) - [3.5.6 End of Topic Test - Language Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-5-6-end-of-topic-test-language-change.md) - 3.6 History of English - [3.6.1 Old English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-1-old-english.md) - [3.6.2 Old English 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-2-old-english-2.md) - [3.6.3 Middle English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-3-middle-english.md) - [3.6.4 Middle English 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-4-middle-english-2.md) - [3.6.5 Early Modern English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-5-early-modern-english.md) - [3.6.6 Late Modern English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-6-late-modern-english.md) - [3.6.7 Present Day English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-7-present-day-english.md) - [3.6.8 Global English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-8-global-english.md) - [3.6.9 American English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-9-american-english.md) - [3.6.10 Modelling Global English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-10-modelling-global-english.md) - [3.6.11 End of Topic Test - History of English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-language/aqa/3-6-11-end-of-topic-test-history-of-english.md)