2015-09-06
2075
They are centered on defining meaning through its role in the process of communication. Thus, this approach studies words in action and is more interested in how meaning works than in what it is.
Thus, the sentence John came at 6 o’ clock besides the direct meaning may imply that John “ was 2 hours late; failed to keep his promise; was punctual as usual, etc ”.
Usage - the way in which words and phrases are actually used (as in a particular form or sense) in a language community.
The importance of differentiating the meaning from usage
Meanings are fixed and common to all people, who know the language system.
The usage is only a possible application of one of the meanings of a polysemantic word, sometimes very individual, sometimes more or less familiar.
