Pragmatics and discourse are related in that pragmatics is the means by which the purpose of discourse is achieved. They involve deeper concepts than just word definitions and sentence structure and focus on the meaningfulness of spoken or written language. Pragmatics and discourse go hand in hand with context, and failure to follow social rules of pragmatics can drastically affect discourse.
In language, pragmatics and discourse are closely connected. Speech is the method, written or verbal, by which an idea is communicated in an orderly and understandable way. Used as a verb, discourse refers to the exchange of ideas or information through conversation. Comparatively, pragmatics involves the use of language to satisfy specific needs or for a predetermined purpose. As such, pragmatics and discourse are related in that pragmatics is the means by which the purpose of discourse is achieved.
Both pragmatics and discourse involve much deeper concepts than just word definitions and sentence structure. Unlike grammar, which involves the rules governing correct linguistic structure, pragmatics and discourse focus on the meaningfulness of spoken or written language. Whether storytelling, explaining, instructing, or prompting, a speaker or writer has an intended purpose to communicate. How a speaker or writer constructs sentences to achieve their intended purpose involves both pragmatics and discourse.
For example, there are several ways to alert a person to the risk of burns associated with a hot surface. The process of explaining the concept must follow a logical order to be understood by the listeners. A speaker might change the wording of such explanations, depending on the age and developmental capacity of the listeners. Determining the order of the explanation is discourse, while determining how to formulate the explanation for different audiences is pragmatic.
Pragmatics and discourse go hand in hand with context. Changing the language used for an audience is an integral part of pragmatics, but it can easily influence context cues and thus affect discourse. Sentences changed too much or taken out of context lose their ability to carry a conversation. Without the necessary information preceding or following a particular sentence, its meaning can easily be lost. Such omissions affect the cohesion of a conversation or text, thus making it difficult to maintain common understandings.
Likewise, failure to follow the social rules of pragmatics can drastically affect discourse. While not necessarily rules in the same sense as grammar, rules of pragmatics include concepts such as allowing both speaker and listener time to express ideas, expanding or reframing ideas to increase understanding, or choosing words to better fit the purpose of the speaker. If a speaker requests something, for example, poor choice of words can make the request sound more like a request. Alternatively, a complex sentence structure or too long an explanation can undermine the purpose of the talk by making it impossible for listeners or readers to follow along.
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