Functions of language

Question 1

Three realities of language

Answer 1

SCG –> Social, cognitive, genetic

Question 2

Social reality - social group

Answer 2

• language acquisition through cultural transmission.
• learned and used in a social environment
• children require linguistic stimuli to acquire language

Question 3

cognitive reality - individual

Answer 3

• cultural transmission and genetic inheritance
• can possess knowledge of a language
• produce and interpret linguistic objects
• tacit knowledge eg. turning statement into question

Question 4

genetic reality - for the species

Answer 4

• language acquisition through genetic inheritance
• humans innate (natural) capacity for language
• children develop native lang without explicit instruction
• acquire language through exposure in infancy

Question 5

Linguistic competence (knowledge of language)

Answer 5

PSS –> pragmatic, semantic, structural

Question 6

Pragmatic competence

Answer 6

• communicative
• knowledge
  –> do things with language (jokes, speak)
  –> select linguistic expression for purpose/situation
  –> interpret speakers intentions via language
  example - asking for the time requires yes/no and response

Question 7

semantic competence

Answer 7

• meaning
• knowledge of what linguistic expressions mean (words, phrases, sentences
• these mean something, about something, call something to mind
  EG - procrastinate - to put things off

Question 8

structural competence

Answer 8

• grammatical
• knowledge of what is/isn’t a possible form in given lang
• speakers distinguish well from ill-formed expressions
  EG syntax

Question 9

cfc

Knowledge

Answer 9

context
form - grammar
content

Question 10

Form + content

Answer 10

• semantics
• relation between form and content asks what language is about

Question 11

Form + context + content

Answer 11

• pragmatics
• form-content pairing (words, sentences) in particular contexts for particular effects

Question 12

overall function ideas

Answer 12

• language as a system of signs
• language as communication
• language as species specific

Question 13

Two functions + purpose

Answer 13

1. Social
2. Individual-centred
   to organise cooperation, maintain social order, life skills to generations

Question 14

Social functions

Answer 14

aka interpersonal
- communicative - representative, directive, ritual functions
- emblematic - marker of group identity

Question 15

A. Communicative

Answer 15

• transmission of content to others
• transfer of something from one individual (source) to another (destination)

Question 16

Communicative - giving vs communication

Answer 16

• giving - transfer is of a concrete object
• communication - transfer of a message

Question 17

3 Functions of a message

Answer 17

• representative - represents something about the world (real or imagined). comment, describe, state of affairs.
  example - home is girt by sea.
• directive - manipulate, encourage or direct someone to do something.
  example - please open the window. where are we going?
• ritual social - serve a social purpose
  example - hi how are you? good, and you? good.

Question 18

non-linguistic communication

Answer 18

natural language can be spoken, written, signed
gesture, movement

Question 19

B. Emblematic

Answer 19

language as a marker of group identity
- Homo sapiens organised into groups
- eg. ethnic, religious, schools, age, sports
Examples
- nations can have official language Aus eng
- national identity with language - Hindi and Urdu are mutually intelligible, but referred to as seperate languages
- some political contention

Question 20

2. Individual-centred functions

Answer 20

• cognitive - internal self-talk
• emotive - articulating speaker’s emotional state

Question 21

A. Cognitive

Answer 21

• self-talk as silent internal monologue
• not all directed towards others
• procedural knowledge - how to perform tasks

Question 22

B. Emotive

Answer 22

language reflecting speaker’s emotional state
- frequently utterance when speaker is alone
- reinforce or punctuate the speaker’s feelings
eg. stubbed toe, OUCH!