A series of essays in which the author argues, through the analysis of particular problems, for separate semantic and pragmatic levels of an analysis within a formal-functionalist approach to language. While rejecting the opposition between formalist and functionalist linguistics, he advocates a distinction between the domains of grammar (including semantics) and rhetoric (including interpersonal pragmatics). It is argued that this approach leads to a more satisfactory treatment of such topics as performatives, indirect speech acts, and politeness phenomena, as well as throwing light on semantic problems connected with reported speech, referential opacity, and presuppositions.