Understanding Language: Form, Meaning, and Use
The Three Dimensions of Language in Communication
Form: Phonology, Graphology, Semiology, Morphology, Syntax – Accuracy – How is the Unit Formed?
The forms of a language consist of the visible or audible units: sounds, written symbols, inflectional morphemes, function words, and syntactic structures.
Meaning: Semantics – What Does It Mean?
Semantics is the study of meaning potential encoded in language. This is what we would learn about a particular form if we were to consult a dictionary. Although the expressions of meaning are distributed across all three dimensions, its prototypical units are words (lexemes), derivational morphemes, multiword lexicogrammatical units, and notions (they deal with space and time).
We are all aware that the meaning of a word that is actually realized in communication may be quite different from its dictionary definition.
Use: Pragmatics – Appropriateness / Language in Use – When & Why Is It Used?
Pragmatics is what people mean by the language they use. The units of this dimension are social functions and discourse patterns.
Different Levels of Scale
Though there are prototypical units that can be associated with each of the three dimensions, in order to arrive at a complete understanding of any one of the units, it must be described from all three perspectives. The same tripartite scheme can be applied at different levels of scale. Being able to use grammatical structures does not only mean using the forms accurately; it means using them meaningfully (semantics) and appropriately (pragmatics) as well.
Meaning Units:
Ex. House. An analysis of its form would include its pronunciation, spelling, type of word to be used accurately in syntax. FORM
What does it actually mean? MEANING
But although knowing its form and meaning are important, having this knowledge is not sufficient for someone to be able to use “house” appropriately. In order to do so, the person must be able to distinguish “house” from “home”. He/she must know when to choose it as opposed to one of its synonyms. The person must know too how “house” is different from flat, apartment, etc.
To say that someone knows a word entails a great deal more than simply knowing its meaning.
Use Units:
One could take a prototypical unit from the pragmatic dimension, a social function of offering an apology for a slight transgression and describe it using all three dimensions.
I’m (terribly) sorry.
Form: statement with & without an intensifier, & imperative with & without modulation. Sounds
Meaning: to apologize for something we did. To decline an invitation we use “I’m sorry” & not “excuse me”, since using the latter would be considered as a pragmatic error. Pragmatic errors are insidious in that they often lead proficient speakers of a language to misjudge the intentions of less proficient speakers.
Form Units:
“Existential There”
Form: “There” in subject position, usually followed by BE verb, The logical subject follows the verb and governs its number, a prepositional phrase often follows the logical subject.
Meaning: Existence, location
Use: To introduce new information in end-focus position.