Semantics
* Focuses on literal meaning: Semantics explores the meaning of words, phrases, and sentences as they are defined within a language.
* Objective and independent of context: The meaning of a word or sentence is considered independent of who is speaking, where, or when.
* Examples:
* Understanding the dictionary definition of "happy"
* Recognizing that "cat" and "feline" have the same meaning
* Analyzing the grammatical structure of a sentence to determine its literal meaning
Pragmatics
* Focuses on intended meaning: Pragmatics examines how context influences meaning, including the speaker's intentions, the social setting, and cultural norms.
* Subjective and dependent on context: The meaning of a sentence can vary depending on who is speaking, to whom, and in what situation.
* Examples:
* Understanding sarcasm or irony in a sentence
* Recognizing that "Can you pass the salt?" is a polite request, not a question about ability
* Interpreting the intended meaning of a metaphor
How they are alike:
* Both deal with meaning: Both semantics and pragmatics aim to understand how language conveys meaning.
* Both rely on context: While semantics considers the context of a sentence's structure, pragmatics focuses on the broader context of the situation.
How they are different:
* Level of analysis: Semantics analyzes the meaning of individual words and sentences, while pragmatics examines how meaning is understood in context.
* Nature of meaning: Semantics focuses on literal meaning, while pragmatics focuses on intended meaning.
* Objectivity vs. subjectivity: Semantics aims to be objective, while pragmatics is inherently subjective, taking into account factors like speaker intentions and social norms.
An analogy:
Imagine a dictionary and a conversation. The dictionary provides the literal definitions of words (semantics), while the conversation itself is a dynamic interaction where meaning is interpreted based on context (pragmatics).
In essence, semantics is about the building blocks of meaning, while pragmatics is about how those blocks are assembled and used in specific situations.