The use of polite words such as 'Please' and 'Thank you' in everyday speech is called

Man is an animal but different from other species of animal. So, what sets man apart from others? It is an ability to communicate information using language - which refers to a complicated set of symbols, sounds, gestures, and rules of combining them to communicate one’s views to others. Language is expressed through gestures, speech, and writing.

Key PointsPragmatics is the study of language use in interpersonal communication. Pragmatics refers to the underpinnings of conversation: how something is said, the intentions of the speaker, the relationship between the participants, and the cultural expectations of the exchange.

• Pragmatics is a societal rule related to language. It refers to the social rules of language.
• As language is a social tool of interaction, it has some underlying rules (examples of pragmatics) such as:
  • how to behave as a listener
  • how to coordinate in a conversation
  • what one can say in public or private
  • what one should say in a particular situation
• Please and thank you are the polite words used in speech for showing gestures.

Thus, it is concluded that the use of polite words such as 'Please' and 'Thank you' in everyday speech is called Pragmatics.

Hint

• Morphology:  It is the "study" of the "origin" of the words, their relationship with other words, and their formation.
• Semantics: It refers to the set of rules by which we understand the meaning of words and sentences. For example, adding "-ed" at the end of the word refers to past tense.
• Syntax: These are the grammatical rules which explain how different words can be combined to make a meaningful sentence.