Halliday's 7 Functions of Language

Question 1

Name all 7 functions

Answer 1

1)Instrumental
2)Regulatory
3)Interactional
4)Personal
5)Representational
6)Heuristic
7)Imaginative

Question 2

Instrumental language

Answer 2

-used to fulfil a need on the part of the speaker
-directly concerned with obtaining food, drink and comfort
-‘Me want juice’

Question 3

Regulatory language

Answer 3

-used to influence the behaviour of others
-concerned with persuading/commanding/requesting others to do what you want
-‘Go away/Give me’

Question 4

Interactional language

Answer 4

-used to develop social relationships and ease the process of interaction
-concerned with the phatic dimension of talk
-‘Love you, Mummy!’

Question 5

Personal language

Answer 5

-used to express the personal preferences and identity of the speaker
-‘Here I am!’ function- announcing oneself to the world
-‘Me good girl!’

Question 6

Representational language

Answer 6

-used to exchange information
-concerned with relaying/requesting information

Question 7

Heuristic language

Answer 7

-used to learn and explore the environment
-through questions and answers/running commentary
-‘What’s that?/Why is?’

Question 8

Imaginative language

Answer 8

-used to explore the imagination
-may also accompany play as children create imaginary worlds/storytelling