Is the Semantics-Pragmatics Distinction a Stipulative Distinction?

Abstract

In linguistics and philosophy, the division of labor in the study of language is commonly schematized by the basic triad that consists of syntax, semantics, and pragmatics each of which typically stands for complementary yet distinct aspects of the language- formal or natural- in question. These aspects, at face value, provide us a methodological convenience by schematically representing the structure of a language with respect to diverse linguistic roles and their explanatory significance. Although endorsing the basic triad offers some methodological convenience for the analysis of languages, the viability of the basic triad has, in recent years, been frequently challenged with the question of how to ground the distinction between semantics and pragmatics. Hence, it has become significant to answer the question of how far the semantics-pragmatics distinction in its connection with the basic triad is theoretically warranted considering the assumptions on which it rests. If the distinction cannot be grounded, it seems to have no substantial significance other than its methodological convenience as stipulative categories in a stipulative schema. In this paper, I discuss these underlying assumptions to the effect that the semantics-pragmatics distinction is a stipulative one rather than a well-grounded distinction

Keywords

• the basic triad,the semantics-pragmatics distinction,deflationarism,philosophy of language,philosophy of linguistics

Anlambilim-Edimbilim Ayrımı Keyfi bir Ayrım mıdır?

Abstract

Dilbilim ve felsefede; dil çalışmasındaki iş bölümü, genellikle her biri tipik olarak söz konusu dilin -formel veya doğal- tamamlayıcı fakat farklı yönlerini temsil eden sözdizim, anlambilim ve edimbilim temel üçlüsü üzerinden şematize edilir. Bu yönler, görünürde, söz konusu dilin yapısını bu dildeki farklı dilsel roller ve bunların açıklayıcılık işlevleri üzerinden şematik olarak temsil ederek bize metodolojik bir kolaylık sağlarlar. Böylelikle, temel üçlü genellikle doğal ve formel dillerin şematik bir şekilde nasıl tahlil edileceğini veya edilmesi gerektiğini göstermek için öne sürülür. Temel üçlüyü kabul etmek dillerin tahlili için bazı metodolojik kolaylıklar sunsa dahi temel üçlünün geçerliliği anlambilim-edimbilim ayrımının nasıl temellendirileceği sorusuyla son yıllarda sıklıkla zorlanmıştır. Bundan dolayı, dayandığı varsayımlar düşünüldüğünde bu ayrımın temel üçlü ile ilişkisinde teorik olarak ne kadar desteklenebileceği cevaplamaya değer olmuştur. Eğer ki ayrım temellendirilemezse, bu ayrım keyfi bir şematik gösterimdeki keyfi bir ayrım olarak sunduğu metodolojik kolaylıktan başka bir önem taşımaz. Bu makalede; temel üçlünün altında yatan varsayımları, anlambilim-edimbilim ayrımının sağlam temellendirilmiş bir ayrım olmaktansa keyfi bir ayrım olduğu mealinde tartışacağım.

Keywords

• anlambilim,edimbilim,temel üçlü,dil felsefesi,dilbilim felsefesi

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