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What Are Language Functions_ - The Language Library

Roman Jakobson identified six key functions of language: referential, poetic, emotive, conative, phatic, and metalingual, each serving different communicative purposes. These functions illustrate that language is used not only to convey information but also to express emotions, influence behavior, and maintain social interactions. Understanding these functions enhances communication effectiveness and appreciation of language complexity.

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2 views

What Are Language Functions_ - The Language Library

Roman Jakobson identified six key functions of language: referential, poetic, emotive, conative, phatic, and metalingual, each serving different communicative purposes. These functions illustrate that language is used not only to convey information but also to express emotions, influence behavior, and maintain social interactions. Understanding these functions enhances communication effectiveness and appreciation of language complexity.

Uploaded by

johnaljenllonado91
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What Are Language Functions?

Roman Jakobson was a linguist who studied the structure of language and was particularly
interested in the difficulties that appear in many languages. He was one of the pioneers in
structural linguistics, which is the theory that language is a structured system of interrelated
formal units. Structural linguistics analyzes how units such as word structure, sentence
syntax, and phonetics relate to each other.
Jakobson was also interested in philology—the study of literary texts, and oral and written
records, as well as establishing their authenticity. His work eventually led to creating a
theory of communication in which he established what he called the six functions of
language.

What are language functions? If you've ever wondered how language works beyond just
conveying simple messages, you're about to uncover a fascinating aspect of communication.
Let's explore what language functions are and how they help us interact with each other.
Language functions are the various ways we use language to achieve different goals.

Roman Jakobson, a renowned linguist, identified six key functions that help explain how
language operates in different contexts. First, there's the referential function. This is when
we use language to describe a situation, object, or mental state.

For example, saying, the autumn leaves have all fallen now is a referential statement
because it provides information about the current state of the leaves. Next is the poetic
function, which focuses on the message itself rather than the information it conveys. This
function is prominent in poetry and slogans, where the way the message is constructed is
just as important as the message itself.

The emotive function is about expressing the speaker's feelings or emotions. When you say,
wow, what a view, you're using the emotive function to convey your excitement or awe. The
conative function involves directing the message at the receiver to influence their behavior.

For instance, saying, Tom, come inside and eat is a conative statement because it is aimed at
getting Tom to take a specific action. Then there's the phatic function, which is all about
maintaining or establishing communication. This includes greetings, small talk, and other
interactions that keep the communication channel open.

Saying, hello, or how are you, are examples of the phatic function. Finally, there's the
metalingual function, where language is used to discuss or describe itself. This is common in
language classes or when explaining grammar rules.

For example, explaining what a verb is in the context of language itself is a metalingual
function. In addition to these, some sources also mention other functions like the heuristic
function, which is about learning and discovering through language, such as asking
questions during a lecture. And the representational function, which involves requesting or
relaying information directly, like saying, my cat is asleep.

These functions show that language is not just a tool for conveying information, but also for
expressing emotions, influencing others, maintaining social interactions, and even discussing
its own structure. Understanding these functions can help you communicate more
effectively and appreciate the complexity of language in everyday life.

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