MacKenzie frequently tells her brother to "shut up", but she would never tell her mother to "shut up". MacKenzie is demonstrating the concept of
A) semantics.
B) pragmatics.
C) morphology.
D) syntax.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Pragmatics is the study of how language is used in context, including the social rules for language use. MacKenzie is making a pragmatic distinction between appropriate language use with her brother (where "shut up" may be acceptable) versus appropriate language use with her mother (where it may be seen as disrespectful). The other options (semantics, morphology, and syntax) do not apply in this situation.

MacKenzie Frequently Tells Her Brother to "Shut Up", but She