COMS 151

Functions of Language
1.1. FUNCTIONSOF LANGUAGE
Language, apart from its primary function as a
medium of communication, is used for many
things. Our social interaction could not be possible
without the use of language. It is part of our
integral life ; the body and the spirit do interact
with the use of language either verbal or non-
verbal. Jakobson (1952) identifies six functions of
language ( or communication functions). Each of
the functions has an associated factor. Here are six
functions of language:
. Communicative or informativefunction
. Conative function
. Emotive or Expressive function
. Poetic Function
. Poetic Function
. Metalingual function
1.2.1. Communicative or Emotive
function

 The communicative or informative function of May be called

referential function.
 This function of language allows to use words to refer to or
indicate fact of things. Language is primarilyused to provide
information or used to communicate. When we use language to
refer to fact of things, we are using the informative or referential
function. We use language to make statement, ask questions, give
command and express emotionsor feeling, caution, apologize,
promise, request, threat, make a wish, etc. But as long as we
focus on giving information ( to inform) , informative function
of language is at work.
 1.2.2. The conative.
This function involves the addressee
directly and is best illustrated by the use of
vocatives and imperatives , e.g. "Tom !
Come inside and eat ! " it is meant to draw
attention and 'engage' immediately with the
listener ( addressee). Mr. Chairman, permit
me to quote a portion of our constitution,
etc.
 1.2.3. The Emotive or Expressive
function
 The Emotive function of language focuses of expressing
emotions or feelings. When we speak not because we
want to provide information or persuade anyone but to
simply express our feelings , emotive function is at
work. With emotive functions , we communicate more
for ourselves than for other people.
 For example, if you are playing a football with your
friends and you step something that sharply pricks foot ,
what do you say ? You may say "Ouch!". That is an
example of emotive function of a language. Similarly,
when your team scores a spectacular goal, what do you
1.2.4 Phatic function
 The Phatic function of language consists in saying
something just to have contact with the person you are
speaking to. This function of a language is used to
express togetherness, solidarity, and maintaining social
relationship with others. Exchanging greetings or
sharing pleasantries is a way of expressing communion
with each other. Using language to express this Phatic
communionis a Phatic function of a language.
1.2.5. Poetic or aesthethic function

 Thisfunction of language refers to the use of

language as an art form to create beauty. Here,
the focus is on the messageitself for its own sake.
For instance, in poetry, the ordinary wordsin
language may be arranged in a new way so as to
pleasure , entertain, onomatopoea etc. to create
pleasure. E.g. she says she sells sea shells at the
sea shore.
1.2.6. Metalingual function
 The metalingual (alternatively called " metalingual " or
reflexive") function. This is the use of language (what Jakobson
calls "Code") to discuss or describe language itself. Definitions of
words or clarifications of expressions in language are an
example. Other examples are :
 . Language is the method of human communication, either
spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured
and conventional way.
 . A sentence is made up of a subject and a predicate.
 They are linguistics forms that are used to talk or comment about
on language. ( Yankah 1995 ) . A speaker should be able to let his
listener follow whate5is being said. This is effectively done by
the use of itemization and termination formulae. The itemization
include ; firstly, finally etc.
1.2.7. Persuasive function
 Persuasive function of a language concentrates on influencing
people to do something for or against their wish. This is the use
of language as a powerful tool to influence the thinking of other
people, appeal to their emotions with the intention to convince
them to agree with a particular point. Different sort of method
may be used to achieve this purpose: encourage, frighten, or
shame someone into doing something. Advertisers , politician,
religious leader etc. normally use this function of language to lure
people to their side.
 Persuasive words such as honorific ; my dear, Ohemaa, etc, tittle ;
Mr., Dr.,Prof. etc. and address forms ; Nana, Otumfo etc. and
other non-verbal forms; gesturea, picture, personalities etc. are
mostly used to achieve this. Example Ronaldo and Messi use
PEPSODENT.
1.3 Differences between Speech
and Writing

Itis acceptedby many linguists that speech

has priority over written language. The
following are the general areas for such
claim or consideration ( I.e. Historical
priority, Biological priority, Structural
priority and functional priority of speech )
1.3.1 Historical Priority
 Speech or spoken language is given a higher value in human life
because historically human beings first learnt how to
communicate with language. We learnt how to use speech before
the invention writing or written form of the language for
communication. Throughout history and across many cultures,
speech has held a higher status than writing. Stories, cultures,
customers, technological advances and laws were passed down
through oral language ( i.e. speech ) before the writing came into
existence. Even today illiteracy remains a global problem, yet
people who cannot read or write are perfectly capable of working
and leading normal lives without the need to write for
communication. Therefore, spoken language is viewed by many
as the primary form of language.
CONT’D
 On the other hand, writing of language is an act of human
cultures and civilization. It was meant to facilitate
communication in societies,which already were using and
continue to use spoken languages. In other words, speech or oral
language is part of early life of man but writing ( written,
geographical level or visual symbols) is a human invention which
came later in life. For example, children learn to read and write
much later ( usually once they start attending school ) than they
learn to understand and produce spoken language. We can
conclude that speech is thousands of years older than writing ( the
earliestknown writing is Sumerian cuneiform-- pictographs
inscribed in clay) and yet , people used speech for
communication long before the cuneiform was invented so
speech has primacy over writing.
1.3.2. Biological priority
 Speech is biologically crucial to existence of human beings. As
we have already indicated earlier in this book, human beings are
biologically programmed or born with Language Acquisition
Device ( LAD ) in the brain, which facilitates language
acquisition during our childhood ( LAD is active between zero to
twelve years ). Biologically, human beings use auditory and vocal
faculties in communication. Other linguists have added that the
visual faculty is also employed as the eye can non-verbally
communicate information to the brain. In sum, we are born with
the capacity to speak and hear language because we possess
certain specific anatomical structures in the ear, mouth, throat,
lungs and brain for that, and we spontaneously learn spoken
language by its presence but writing systems are artificial, man -
made symbols. It is a coding system used to record the spoken
language
CONT’D
 . It is a tool that attempts to extend the usefulness of spoken
language. Babies babble or cry to communicate their hunger,
thirst, insecurity or any other discomforts to their parents. Soon
after, they learn at very early age the use of speech (oral
language) not writing for communication. Because we are born
with capacity for speech, and we cannot wait till we learn to write
our needs, feeling and thoughts before we communicate them.
Thus, we learn or begin to use speech very early in life for our
very survival rather than written language. One of the advantages
of speech over writing is that it is an innate or inborn human
capacity which is crucial for our survivor but writing or written
language is later artificial invention for communication.
Furthermore, when we communicate, it is
an attempt to solve problem or need for
survival, which is biological ( inborn ).
Lastly knowledge of language is universal.
Apart from severe mental weakness or
social deprivation, every normally--
developing child acquires a native tongue
but not writing at that age.
1.3.3. Functional Priority

 In terms of language function, the speaker and the listener are

both present to the utterance or communication at the same time.
This ensures immediate feedback or response. There is no delay
in time or ( space ) distance between speaker, speech, and
listener, since the speaker hears himself speak at the same
moment as the listener. Moreover, we use speech in our daily life
to either give information or express our feelings more than we
do with written language. This means we use a lot more speech
( oral form of language ) to communicate daily than the written
language. Speech conveys " subjective " information as well as
the relationship between the speaker and the audience whereas
written language tends to convey 'objective' information only.
 CONT’D
 There is no real, physical expression of relationships
between the communicators. Writing does not
incorporate all the meaning potential of speech. Writing
is devoid of prosodic and paralinguistic effects which
would be evident in " direct face-to- face confrontation "
between speaker and listener. For example, there are
facial expressions that accompany the language to add
deeper meaning and feelings of the speaker .
Punctuation and variations in writing or typography are
often used by writers in an attempt to produce some of
those effects but the result is completely the same.
 1.3.4 Structural Priority
 Spoken ( oral) language is composed of words which are
made up of a limited set of vowels and consonants, and tone
but written language may have some conventionssuch as
letter symbols and punctuation marks to assist understanding
of sentences. Of course, there is an opportunity to correct
words used in writing. In spoken English, the rules of
grammar are learned implicitly. This means the child does not
consciously learn the rules of, for example, spellings, but
rather understand the language on the basis of experience
with, interaction or communication in a linguistic
environment. ( I.e., a community of speakers who speak in
the presence of the child ).
 CONT’D
 This helps the child to 'pick' the spoken language
withoutany conscious efforts to learn complex, written
grammar rules. Furthermore, much of the meaning of
words and statements are easily obtained by the context in
spoken language. This is quite opposite written language
where more of the meaning is provided directly by the very
structure of the text. Furthermore, in spoken language, the
truth of the statement is determined or obtained by
commonsense based on experience, but in written
language, a greater emphasis is placed on logical and
coherent (written) argument.
 CONT’D
 Moreover, written language has to be learned explicitly and
consciously thought it is no universal obligation for to write to
communicate. Indeed, there are many, many people on this planet
who have knowledge of language but cannot read or write. In
fact, writing is more complex than the acquisition of language, in
that, explaining how we can have writing systems requires in
part, an explanation of what the language we are writing down is
in the first place. We can say that written language is impersonal,
inactive, and insincere. Writing of language may be so technical,
unfamiliar and with sentences so complex that the listener will
have trouble following the trend of thought of the speaker written
language has no internalized rules, it reflects only the speaker's
internal rules and, possibly, a speakers regards for the prescriptive
rules of style of the language. Upon all the differences discussed,
we can identify some similarities between speech and Writing.
THANK YOU