PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE AND CROSS-LINGUISTIC VARIATIONS: CULTURAL INFLUENCE ON LANGUAGE USE

Pragmatics, a fundamental aspect of linguistics, studies language use within context, focusing on how meaning is constructed through interaction. Unlike other fields such as semantics or syntax, which focus on the structure and meaning of words in isolation, pragmatics delves into how language functions in real-life situations. It considers the speaker's intent, the listener's expectations, and the socio-cultural norms that guide communication (Mey, 2001).