Functions of Language2

Functions of Language

Year 11 English Language

Unit 1

AoS 1: The nature and function of language

Some questions to get started….

1. What is language?

2. Does language involve facial expressions

and gestures, or are these outside your

definition of language?

3. Are humans the only animal to use language?

We are Uniquely Language-Users

Other Animals Communicate• Cats arch their back to scare the neighbor

cat• Bees tell each other when they have found

food• Chimpanzees can be taught to use

primitive sign language to communicate desires.

We are Uniquely Language-Users

We Use Language

• We can separate our vocalization from a given situation (cats only arch their back in the appropriate situation).

• We can lie (animals only report)• We can speculate (animals are bad

at counterfactuals)

What is language?

• Language is an expression of thinking and feeling: a way of representing our thoughts and of signalling our thoughts and feelings to others.

• Dictionary definition (Collins, 2010): “System of spoken sounds or conventional symbols for communicating thought.”

Webster' s New World Dictionary (Pp. 759)

Language is [ 1 ] • (a) human speech;• (b)the ability to communicate by this

means;• (c) a system of vocal sounds and

combinations of such sounds to which meaning is attributed, used for the expression or communication of thoughts and feelings;

• (d) the written representation of such a system;

Webster' s New World Dictionary (Pp. 759)

[2]

• (a) 'any means of expressing or communicating, as gestures, signs, or animal sounds;

• (b) a special set of symbols; letters, numerals, rules etc. used for the transmission of information, as in a computer; ...

A Generally Accepted Definition

• Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.

Understanding the Definition

• 1. Why a system?

• 2. Why arbitrary?

• 3. Why vocal?

• 4. Why symbols?

• 5. Why human?

• 6. Why communication?

Some more definitions Sapir: “a purely human and non-instinctive method of

communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols.”

Bloch & Trager: “a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social group cooperates.”

Hall: “the institution whereby humans communicate and interact with each other by means of habitually used oral-auditory arbitrary symbols.”

Chomsky: “a set (finite or infinite) of sentences, each finite in length and constructed out of a finite set of elements.”

What is Language?

A dialect with an army.

Africa 2,092 Americas 1,002 Asia 2,269 Europe 239 Pacific 1,310 TOTAL 6,912

Language as a system of signs:

An open-ended, arbitrary symbol system –

A signal is transmitted from a sender to a receiver (or group of receivers) along a channel of communication. The signal will have a particular form and will convey a particular meaning (or message). The connection between form and meaning constitutes a code.

Activity: Using examples, explain in your own words the above explanation of language. Is there anything missing from the definition?

ACTIVITY

• Explain which definition of language you prefer and explain why, or else provide your own definition.

Characteristics common to languages

• Spoken– Exceptions: sign language and dead

languages (Latin)

• Arbitrary– Chair / aardvark– All must agree on the selected term

• Linear– One element follows another

What are the functions of language?

• Using a language as a primary means of communicating our thoughts is so natural for many people that it is often difficult to realise what in fact are language functions.


1. Informative

• Language serves an informative function when it is used to tell what the speaker believes, to give information about facts, or to reason things out.

• By use of Declarative Sentences


2. Interrogative: When language is used to get information from others, it serves an interrogative function

• Through Questions that expect answers.


3. Interpersonal:

Language serves an interpersonal function when it is used to establish and maintain their status in a society.

• Five sub-categories of interpersonal function: performative, directive, emotive, expressive, and phatic.


• 3.1 Performative:

the use of language to “do things”, to perform actions.

• Through quite formal and even ritualized language.


• 3.2 Directive:

When language is used to get the hearer do something, it serves a directive function.

• Most Imperative sentences.


• 3.3 Emotive:

the use of language to create certain feelings in the hearer.

• Through Jokes, Advertising, Propaganda, etc.


• 3.4 Expressive:

the use of language to reveal something about the feelings and attitudes of the speaker.

• Through Exclamations, etc.


• 3.5 Phatic:

the use of language to establish an atmosphere or maintaining social contact.

• E.g. Greetings, Farewells, and Comments on the weather, etc.


• 4. Recreational:

the use of language for the sheer joy of using it.

• E.g. baby’s babbling, poetry, etc.


• 5. Metalingual: the use of language to talk about language itself.

• This makes language infinitely self-reflexive: We human beings can talk about talk and think about thinking, and thus only humans can ask what it means to communicate, to think, to be human.

Activity

• Why do we use language?

• Create a mind-map which explores the different things you use language for during the day.

Other Functions

• Physiological• Recording• Identifying• Reasoning• Communicating

Physiological Function

• Releasing physical and nervous energy.

• Sports fans – shouting instructions, express support/disappointment, cheers (release repressed energy).

• Cursing – rarely convey meaning and are only to make the speaker feel better.

Recording Function

• Denotes using language to make a durable record of things that ought to be remembered.

• Typically written language

• Began with pictures and moved to the alphabet we use today

Identifying Function

• Language is used to identify the objects and events in the world we live in.

• Without this function language would be almost useless.

• “and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof” (Genesis 2:19)

• Car or Automobile• Truck or Van or Lorry

Reasoning Function

• Instrument of thought• Before we say

something we think and to do that we necessarily use language.

• It is difficult to think about anything without any use of words.

Communicating Function

• Often the first function that people identify.

• Most commonly used by the majority of speakers.– Requesting– Apologising– Informing– Ordering– Promising– Refusing

Activity

A means to convey information

• Drawing using only verbal instructions.

Giving instructions:

1. How easy or difficult was it to give clear and effective instruction?

2. Did you have any particular verbal signals that helped your partner to draw more effectively?

3. What were they?

Following Instructions

1. How easy or difficult was it to draw the image?

2. Did your partner give you any particular clues that helped you?

3. What were they?

• Whatever function language is serving, it is being used to communicate by linking EXPRESSION to CONTENT.

• Two further aspects that are critically important for communication and interpreting meaning:– AUDIENCE– CONTEXT

Audience

• Language choice is dependent on audience.

Context

• Language choice is dependent on where the communication is taking place.

• Notions of inappropriate language use depends upon attitudes and context. Is this Cotton On Kids T-shirt appropriate?

Metalanguage Terms

EXPRESSSION: refers to the words, phrases and sentences.

CONTENT: refers to the meaning of the words, phrases and sentences.

AUDIENCE: refers to the addressee(s) of the words, phrases and sentences

CONTEXT: refers to the social situation in which words, phrases and sentences are used.

FUNCTION: refers to what the words, phrases and sentences are designed to do. (Consider: is there a difference between function and purpose?)

Activity

• McMillan pp.11-12– Activity 1.4 Q1– Activity 1.5 Q1

Documents

Functions of Language2