Pragmatics: An Introduction (review)

Reviewed by: Pragmatics: An introduction by Jacob L. Mey Marco Shappeck Pragmatics: An introduction. 2nd edn. By Jacob L. Mey. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2001. Pp. 392. ISBN 0631211322. $33.95. This textbook is primarily intended for linguistics students and scholars seeking a circumstantial introduction to the study of pragmatics. According to the author, over half of the first edition was rewritten, consolidating the familiar topics in the field while giving further treatment to metapragmatics, 'critical' pragmatics, and his own theory of 'pragmatic acts'. The work consists of three parts: 'Basic notions' (1–35), 'Micropragmatics' (39–170), and 'Macro-pragmatics' (173–332). In Part 1, Mey defines the theory and practice of pragmatics, historically contextualizing its philosophical influences in linguistics [End Page 183] as well as its departure from the truth-value abstractions of linguistic philosophers. Like many pragmatists, he argues for a paradigmatic shift in linguistics from theoretical grammar to the applied measures of the language user in social contexts. The majority of Part 2, 'Micropragmatics' (Chs. 3–6), parallels Stephen Levinson's seminal publication (Pragmatics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983) by revisiting the topics of deixis, conversational implicature, conversation analysis, and speech acts. Each topic is explained clearly and succinctly with ample space dedicated to current pragmatic issues. This review of 'traditional' pragmatics, however, is intended to provide grounding for the introduction of a pragmatic theory influenced by 'action theory' (developed in Ch. 8)—a theory that broadens the theoretical view to social contexts and communicative interactions. In Part 3, 'Macropragmatics' (Chs. 7–11), M departs from frequently visited topics and ventures into often neglected territory. He begins Ch. 7 ('Meta-pragmatics', 173–205) by examining how one deliberately shapes the language used in discussing the topics of language, pragmatics, and communication and ends by making connections to 'critical pragmatics', that is, the relationship between societal powers and discourse. In Ch. 8 ('Pragmatic acts', 206–35) M sets forth a pragmatic theory of action that focuses on the 'doing' in addition to the 'saying' of a communicative event. The theory of pragmatic acts accounts for the limitations and affordances allowed in specific social, linguistic, and cultural environments, downplaying the role of the individual while underscoring the force of the social surroundings. The theory is marked by a new set of terminology; for example, pragmatic act or pragmeme includes non-speech communication as well as speech acts; the force of the pragmeme essentially covers both illocutionary and perlocutionary forces, and so on. Ch. 9 ('Literary pragmatics', 236–61) explains how the pragmatic study of literary texts is a collaborative process between the author and reader. The co-production of meaning in a text is discussed in terms of reference, tense, and discourse. Ch. 10 ('Pragmatics across cultures', 262–88) illustrates the varied manifestations of pragmatic acts in distinct cultural settings by addressing what is often understood as the universality of Grice's 'Cooperative Principle'. Finally, Ch. 11 ('Social aspects of pragmatics', 289–328) takes a 'critical' look at pragmatics in relation to power and the overall social struggle by incorporating work from critical discourse analysis into his theory of pragmatic acts. The author should be commended for an engaging presentation of pragmatics, well-argued positions, an abundance of examples, and detailed exercises and illustrations at the end of each chapter. The textbook is accessible to students from various backgrounds in the social sciences and is thoroughly referenced for those who wish to read more about certain aspects of pragmatics. Marco Shappeck Northeastern Illinois University Copyright © 2004 Linguistic Society of America