Is there a history of pragmatics

摘要: Abstract Pragmatics, the last of three levels (the others being syntactics and semantics) linguistic analysis to attract widespread interest systematic research, is still generally perceived as a newly born subject with no history boast of. My working assumption that ‘new’ theories language may have roots in past, and, furthermore, merit these can be, part, checked by such philosophical roots. A methodology for seeking out suggested, profitably adopting definition pragmatics ‘explicit essential’ mention user language. Examples ‘case studies’ using this are presented various areas historical study. The traditional disciplines grammar rhetoric first candidates but it philosophy - specifically, past true unearthed. Such ‘discoveries’ raise more fundamental question: what rationales looking harbingers pragmatics? approximation an answer entertained its positive, negative, implications today.