atomica defines semiotics as "The theory and study of signs and symbols, especially as elements of language or other systems of communication, and comprising semantics, syntactics, and pragmatics. [E.A.]

i had no idea that 'pragmatic' had any meaning besides the usual one... how does 'pragmatics' (defined as The study of language as it is used in a social context, including its effect on the interlocutors.) relate to pragmatic? which meaning came first?

And BTW, what is meant by a word's effect "on the interlocutors"? does that refer to the people being directly spoken to, or those overhearing? i usually tend to think of an interlocutor as a 'man-in-the-middle'.