UNIT 3 LANGUAGE FUNCTION

1. 2. 3. 4. Basic Functions of Language Discourse: Forms of Discourse Emotive & Cognitive Meaning Agreement and Disagreement

1. Basic Functions of Language

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It will be quite an improbable task to try and list all the functions of language for all practical reasons it can be considered endless.
They, at times, serve other purposes than they appear to be advancing
How

are you?

Communicating is the most widely recognized use, not the ONLY use.

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1. Basic Functions of Language

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LANGUAGE PERSPECTIVES

Unintentional

Intentional

Within the individual

Language & Society

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1. Basic Functions of Language

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Some Perspectives
Unintentional
Language,

in addition to nonverbal sources communicates emotional states, sex of speakers, and even their geographical origins.

Intentional
Beginning

with pre linguistic communication between mother and infant, intentional linguistic communication becomes the dominant mode of human communication.

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1. Basic Functions of Language

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Some Perspectives
Language
Here

Within The Individual

language supports thought, rationalization and attribution, creativity, memory, self-direction, self-expression, humor, and perhaps even aspects of consciousness.

Language
Building

and Society

upon both interpersonal and individual functions, a language in a sense defines a society.

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1. Basic Functions of Language

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The Informative Use

Involves an effort to communicate some content. Accomplished by formulating and affirming (denying) a proposition.

Information includes Misinformation Could be true, could be false.

Informative discourse is used to describe the world and to reason about it.

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1. Basic Functions of Language

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The Informative Use

Some

Examples
Wednesday, Aug 31, is a holiday. Logic is the study of correct reasoning. Ace: 4474712

Information
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is STATED.

1. Basic Functions of Language

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The Expressive Use

Involves an effort to express emotions, feelings or attitudes.

Expressive discourse, as expressive is neither true nor false.

Expression has two components:

Manifest (within the individual) Evoke (arouse similar feelings in the hearer) Or BOTH!

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1. Basic Functions of Language

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The Expressive Use

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1. Basic Functions of Language

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Some Examples
Wari

Jamuna, Paari Jamuna, Jamuna ko Phedai ma Manakamana

The

discourse loses its purpose if we apply the criteria of truth and falsehood.

Phewatal
Not

ko aangan ma lai lai machapuchre chaya

necessary that they are always false.

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1. Basic Functions of Language

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The Directive Use

When language is used to cause or prevent overt action. Directive discourse, is neither true nor false. Directive discourse has two components:

Reasonableness Impropriety

They both are analogous to truth & falsehood.

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1. Basic Functions of Language

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Drive defensively.

Remember the cemetery is full of law abiding citizens who had the right of way
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2. Discourse
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What is it???

To make a long formal speech about something. A serious speech or writing on a particular subject.

Serious conversation between people.

The language used in particular speech or writing.

It is all about LANGUAGE & the possible use we can put it into.

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2. Discourse
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Multiplicity of Discourse
Consider
To

a time when you were raising money through a Charity program .

some you communicated the benefits to the students from the money so donated (Informative) To others, you pleaded, putting up your best and the most innocent persona (Expressive) To others still, you just simply told them to fish out the money (Directive)

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2. Discourse
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Multiplicity of Discourse

CEREMONIAL
A

mix of language functions(usually expressive and directive) with special social uses

PERFORMATIVE
When

Verb

language is used informatively with a Performative

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2. Discourse
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Multiplicity of Discourse
Madan

brushes his tears away, to the Tibetan says,

When it is time to say good bye, eyes are full always

Cant leave this virtuous compound, its hard to go away,

Ask For something brother! Though I cant repay.

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2. Discourse
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Multiplicity of Discourse
The

Tibetan Says,

It was by chance, that kindness I could show, Charity seeks no returns, remember us and go. For our daily bread we toil, nothing free do we take, Theres nothing you can give brother, there is nothing I can take. Go home, tell them of Chyangba, and remember friend, The old womans blessing, onto these orphans send.
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2. Discourse
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Form & Function

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2. Discourse
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Form & Function: Where is it confusing???

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3. Emotive & Cognitive Meaning

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Arguments are a collection of propositions. Propositions are sentences which can be asserted or denied. What are sentences???
A

collection of words that make complete sense.

of different words can change the meaning of the whole sentence.

Use

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3. Emotive & Cognitive Meaning

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So far we had but sentences to consider; the fact remains that sentences are made of words. Words and phrases can have multiple meanings
Literal

Meaning:

Taking

words in their basic sense without metaphor or allegory

Emotive

Meaning:
emotion or feeling.

Arousing

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3. Emotive & Cognitive Meaning

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Consider the following words:

Bureaucrat Public

Servant Official

Government
You

can argue that the smell of a flower has nothing to do with what its name is!!!

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3. Emotive & Cognitive Meaning

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Euphemisms: Few WORDS about it

They

will change, most probably with some other euphemism

Peon

to Office Assistant Sweeper to House Keeper

Language has its own life

And

emotive meaning of a word can come from the context it is used in.

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3. Emotive & Cognitive Meaning

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Euphemisms
Use

of words or phrases to put something harsh to be said in a more positive manner.

2nd

Hand cars and Pre-owned vehicles Civil servant and Bureaucrat Equal opportunities and Reservations
This
I

influenced Bertrand Russell to devise: Conjugated Irregular Verbs

am FIRM; you are OBSTINATE; he is a PIGHEADED FOOL.

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4. Agreement & Disagreement

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Sentences have different functions and they may be performing the functions simultaneously Words have different meanings and these meanings often work independent of one another. The outcome: DISAGREEMENT.

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4. Agreement & Disagreement

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Disagreements can happen in:

Belief
When

two people disagree on whether or not something has happened.

Attitude
When

two people agree about the happening, but have different feelings about the event.

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4. Agreement & Disagreement

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Attitudes Vs Beliefs
Attitudes

relate to evaluation of some object

pro-anti, favoring-not favoring, and positive-

Liking-disliking,

negative.

Beliefs

are thoughts about the characteristic/s of the

and falsehood are the criteria used to asses and evaluate

object
Truth

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4. Agreement & Disagreement

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Dis/Agreements: The Kinds

Full

harmony in beliefs but disagree in attitudes in beliefs but agree in attitudes

Agree

Disagree Complete

disharmony

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