ABSTRACT. Chomsky's research program of Generative Linguistics has had syntax in focus, but its conception of objectives, scientific methodology and philosophical foundations transcend syntax and lend themselves to interesting applications. Pragmatics is an area to which they have been applied. The introduction of a theoretical notion of pragmatic competence imports into pragmatics the form of theoretical objectives, the scientific methodology and the philosophical foundations of Chomsky's research program of Generative Linguistics.