Pragmatics and Speech Act in Classroom Communicative Interactions

Abstract

In the present society pragmatics and speech acts are vital linguistic compendiums that can help us in the present dispensation This is because pragmatics has to do with the use of language in human communication as determined by the societal conditions Since human beings communicate through the use of language it then becomes imperative to have the knowledge of the pragmatic functioning of language Also in communication we carry out many acts through the process of speech In other words we are doing things with words Whether we greet invite warn and so on we are performing an act So in human interaction pragmatics and speech act are vital in our communicative process more so since interaction will include both linguistic and extralinguistic factors by breaking away from the strict local paradigm of grammar This is where the notion of context comes in This paper therefore looks into the notions of pragmatics as well as speech act with a view to throwing light into their functionality in the classroom setting