The pragmatic view on dual character concepts and expressions

Abstract

This article introduces a new pragmatic framework for dual character concepts and their expressions, offering an alternative to the received lexical-semantic view. On the prevalent lexical-semantic view, expressions such as “philosopher” or “scientist” are construed as lexical polysemes, comprising both a descriptive and a normative dimension. Thereby, this view prioritizes established norms, neglecting normative expressions emerging in specific contexts. In contrast, the pragmatic view integrates pragmatic modulation as a central element in explaining context-dependent dual character concepts and expressions. This not only accounts for a wider range of phenomena but also addresses several theoretical shortcomings of the lexical view.