Pragmatics: The Challenge of Definition and the Logic of Operation (An Attempt at Foundational Analysis)

Abstract

This article aims to thoroughly explore pragmatics as an emergent field that has garnered significant attention from academics across both Eastern and Western spheres. Despite their keen interest, these scholars have yet to satisfy their deep-seated need for a nuanced understanding, a pursuit that persistently permeates their scholarly works. On one hand, they are driven to affirm its authentic connection to linguistics; on the other, they recurrently dispute its resemblance to traditional linguistic studies, referring to it as a "patchwork of beggars" and "Spanish junk," piecing together elements from diverse disciplines.

This fluctuation in views within linguistic pragmatics, coupled with its diffusion across various cognitive sciences, invites us to ask probing questions: Is it time to reevaluate the teachings of Ferdinand de Saussure, as suggested by Michel Arrivé, and the linguistic principles he championed? What role does linguistic pragmatics play in this context? And to what extent can we develop an integrated Arabic linguistics that honors our linguistic legacy while fully embracing the human aspect of linguistic reality?