Ffunctions Of Language
Topic: Language is not merely a means of communication but a social entity which has the ability to unify us well as separate us. Discuss this statement using the function of language.
The relevance of language is borne out of man’s innate need to communicate therefore exploring the communication process will precede any discussion regarding the function of language. The use of language transcends communication but is crucial to the creation of bonds between the various social entities /tiers . Let us explore the communication process which I believe determine the use of the language selected. The communication process as you might already know consists of the sender whose ideas need to be expressed and who determines the media, language of the message and the function of the language selected as it relates to its relevance to the message. Then there is the receiver or recipient of the message who interprets the message based o the language selected and then responds.
Now in this above model the sender determines which language is selected, the use of the selected one will now become the springboard for this essay. The five main functions of language are as follows:
• pedagogic: to teach, instruct, and to train (e.g., ‘That’s a truck, Katie. It’s a truck.’)
• Directive: to give orders or commands . control: for attention-getting, establishing hierarchy, and to monopolize (e.g., ‘Stop!)
• Expressive: to express affection/emotion: endearing language to express preference (e.g., ‘milkie’ for milk), and diminutives (e.g., ‘horsie’ for horse)
• Phatic/ social exchange: used to keep channels of communication open, phatic (e.g., use of nonce forms, invented words known only to the child and the caregiver, like ‘ki’ for milk)
• informative: to cite facts and to convey knowledge/information.
Basically how the language is used or the function of it , depends...
View Full Essay