chpt1-3

5.4 Emotive function
The emotive function of language is one of the most powerful uses of language because it is crucial in changing the emotional status of an audience for or against someone or something. It is a means of getting rid of our nervous energy when we are under stress, e.g. swear words, involuntary verbal reactions to a piece of art or scenery; conventional words/phrases, e.g.
For example, in Chinese when someone breaks a bowl or a plate the host or the people present are likely to say 岁岁平安 as a means of controlling the invisible forces which the believers feel might affect their lives adversely.
5.5 Phatic communion
Phatic communion refers to the social interaction of language, originating from Malinowski's study of the functions of language. For example,
5.2 Inteห้องสมุดไป่ตู้personal function
By far the most important sociological use of language, and by which people establish and maintain their status in a society.
various grades of interpersonal relations.
Language marks our identity, physically in terms of age, sex, and voiceprints; psychologically in terms of personality and intelligence; geographically in terms of accents and dialects; ethnically and socially in terms of social stratification, class, status, role, solidarity and distance.
It is also called ideational function in the framework of functional grammar.
Halliday notes that
“Language serves for the expression of ‘content’: content’ that is, of the speaker's experience of the real world, including the inner world of his own consciousness. ...
5. Functions of language
Linguists talk about the functions of language in an abstract sense, that is, not in terms of using language to chat, to think, to buy and sell, to read and write, to greet, praise and condemn people, etc. They summarize these practical functions and attempt some broad classifications of the basic functions of language.
The interpersonal function is such a broad category that it is often discussed under various other terms as in the following performative, emotive, expressive and phatic functions of language. They seem to emphasize different aspects of the interpersonal function.
Different cultures have different topics of phatic communion.
According to David Crystal, the weather is not a universal conversation filler as the English might like to think. Rundi（隆迪人） Rundi（隆迪人） women (in Burundi布隆迪 Burundi布隆迪, Central Africa), upon 布隆迪, taking leave, routinely and politely say “I must go home now, or my husband will beat me.” me.”
5.3 Performative function
This concept originates from the philosophical study of language represented by Austin and Searle, whose theory now forms the back-bone of pragmatics (Chapter back8). For example,
For example, the ways in which people address others and refer to themselves (e.g. Dear Sir,
Dear Professor, Johnny, yours, your obedient servant) indicate the
5.6 Recreational function
The recreational function of a language is often overlooked because it seems so restrictive in purpose and supposedly so limited in usefulness. However, no one will deny the use of language for the sheer joy of using it, such as a baby's babbling or a chanter's chanting.
Mrs. P sneezes violently.
Mrs. Q: Bless you. Mrs. P: Thank you.
We all use such small, seemingly meaningless expressions to maintain a comfortable relationship between people without involving any factual content.
I now declare the meeting open. I bet you two pounds it will rain tomorrow.
The performative function of language is primarily to change the social status of persons, as in marriage ceremonies, the sentencing of criminals, the blessing of children, the naming of a ship at a launching ceremony, and the cursing of enemies.
Halliday proposes a theory of metafunctions of language, that is, language has ideational, interpersonal and textual functions. Ideational function constructs a model of experience as well as logical relations, interpersonal function enacts social relationships and textual function creates relevance to context.
God, My, Damn it, What a sight, Wow, Ugh, Oh.
For example, a man may say Ouch! after striking a fingernail with a hammer, or he may mutter Damn when realizing that he has forgotten an appointment. Exclamations such as Man! Oh boy! and Hurrah! are usually uttered without any purpose of communicating to others, but as essentially a verbal response to a person's own feelings.