Language Pragmatics

From Geography

The Language Pragmatics theory is developed by Jürgen Habermas, as new few to action theories like the ones of Anthony Giddens and Benno Werlen. criticism The core concept of language pragmatic action theory is speech act. This is the central analytical concept and is the biding force force of actions and consequences. This approach involves not only human interactions but also nonhuman. This perspective is similar to the actor-network theory. A nonessentialist view is adopted. Language is considered a means of representation and an instrument to coordinate actions and everything that people do (Zierhofer, 2002, p.1362). Language gives the precondition of how we can speak, express ourselves, give meaning. Language is a means of communication and relies on interpretation and acceptance of other actors. A key concept that is close related with Language is transaction costs. In this approach there are two ideal types of rationality, namely instrumental rationality and communicative rationality. The former describes language as a means of communication, whereas the latter describes language as binding force. The physical setting is important to social life, and thus communication. Space is seen a scheme of interpretation and can be seen in different orders. First order space is used to draw distinctions, whereas second order space generates meaning (Zierhofer, 2002).

Language pragmatic action theory differs from other versions of action theory like Giddens’ structuration theory and Werlen’s theory of everyday regionalizations. Language pragmatic focuses on speech acts and language philosophy. In other approaches language is regarded as a means to transport meaning, whereas language pragmatics considers language to generate meaning (Zierhofer, 2002, p. 1362). Instead Giddens and Werlen look to intersubjectivity and the coordination of action. The Language pragmatic theory sees intersubjectivity as a container for meaning, whereas speech acts from the meaning of coordination. Only speech acts involve a kind of binding force (Zierhofer, 2002).

"Spaces, in consequence, are seen as phenomena which are constituted and applied by agents pursuing particular projects by using their specific semantic competences" (Zierhofer, 2002, p.1371). Space is thus an element of speech acts. Language and speech acts influence geography by constructing geographical realities. E.g. I live in Nijmegen (Huib Ernste, personal communication, 05-10-10).

Usefull links

On the next link there are some examples of the use of language pragmatics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKbp4hEHV-s

References

Zierhofer, W. (2002). Speech acts and space(s): language pragmatics and the discursive constitution of the social. In Environment and Planning A, vol.34, pp 1355-1372.

Contributors

Published by Sabrina Willems & Anouk Soomers

Links added by Aafke Brus --AafkeBrus 15:59, 25 October 2011 (CEST)

Link added and edited by Pieter van Luijk 23 October 2012.

Edited by Bert Hegger