EXPLORING THE INTERFACE BETWEEN SYNTAX AND PRAGMATICS IN ARGUMENT STRUCTURE

Abstract

This paper explores the nexus between syntax and pragmatics in argument structure, namely how the form of a sentence performs pragmatic functions. It shows how syntactic alternatives reveal or affect the manner in which speakers cope with conversational implicatures and presuppositions. Through an analysis of different syntactic constructions, including topic? comment structures, Focus and cleft sentences, this study illustrates how such grammatical devices serve to allow speakers to express non-deductive contextual meanings which are richer than the directly denotative meaning of the clause. The study uses a discourse analytical method, bringing together theoretical and empirical sources to clarify how syntactic choices influence the interpretive principles of conversational implicatures and presuppositions in communication. This study demonstrates the role of syntax in the coding process of pragmatic meanings, thus influencing how information is produced and comprehended with discourse. This investigation thus contributes to a fuller understanding of the connection between syntax and pragmatics, and sheds light on the ways in which these components work in concert in conveying conversational meaning.

Keywords: Syntax, Pragmatics, Argument Structure, Conversational Implicature, Presupposition, Discourse Analysis.