ASSIGNMENT

ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES

Functional Linguistics
Submitted to fulfil one of requirement of English subjects
Lectured by:
Dr. Wachyu Sundayana, M.A.
NIDN. 0008045401

By:
Azhrian Abdurrahman 1507046
Destian 1503833
Khairina Eka Kurnia 1503472
Khairiyah Kurnia 1506505
Luga Yanti 1506256
Regina gilang 1501361
Tanti Hardianti 1500801
Virna Rozianty 1500146
Wafa Amalia 1503906
Zakky Asyqolani 1506834

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE EDUCATION
UNIVERSITAS PENDIDIKAN INDONESIA
BANDUNG
2017
CONTENTS

Functional Linguistics ............................................................................................ 1

Functions Of Language ......................................................................................... 2

Micro Functions ..................................................................................................... 4

Macro Functions .................................................................................................... 5

References ............................................................................................................... 9

2
FUNCTIONAL LINGUISTICS

This term is used to indicate linguistic approaches that are centrally concerned with the
function of language – that is what language does, and how it does it in a given context. This
approach contrasts with more formal approaches that are primarily concerned with formal
structures, such as phonemes or sentence. Functional linguistics is focused on deriving
grammatical, syntactic and textual structures from the ways in which language is used. Many
functional linguists trace their work to either or both the British linguist, J. R. Firth and the early
twentieth century Prague School of linguists. Multimodality is complex and draws on a range of
origins, one of which is Systemic Functional Linguistics, notably the work of Michael Halliday
that builds on the work of Firth. Systemic-Functional Linguistics is a theory of language centred
on the notion of language function and which accounts for the syntactic structure of language.

In Language as Social Semiotic (1978) Michael Halliday proposes that the semiotic
resources of language are shaped by how people use them to make meaning, emphasising the social
functions they are put to. He holds that every sign serves three functions simultaneously: they
express something about the world (‘ideational metafunction’), position people in relation to each
other (‘interpersonal metafunction’) and form connections with other signs to produce coherent
text (‘textual metafunction’). Robert Hodge and Gunther Kress took up the linguistic ideas of
Halliday and theories of society derived from Marx to develop a critical account of language in
Language as Ideology (Kress & Hodge, 1979). In Social Semiotics (1988) they adopted a similar
stance to explore any set of semiotic resources that people use in everyday life, the resources of
language as much as the resources of image, and of other modes.

In the late 1980’s, Gunther Kress and Theo van Leeuwen began to develop a social semiotic
approach to the visual with a focus on print media, culminating in their book Reading Images
(1996). In Reading Images they propose a framework for the analysis of image, which draws on
the broad semiotic aspects of Halliday’s social semiotic theory and made use of the functional
linguistic system networks as a heuristic framework for theorizing meaning as choice. At the same
time, Michael O’Toole applied Halliday’s systemic functional grammar and the tools it offered to

1
examine the visual in his book The Language of Displayed Art (1994). These works laid part of
the foundation for Multimodality theory.

FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE

In general, the functions of language are:

Language as a means of communication:

It serves as a means of communication between members of the public.The function is used
in a variety of environments, levels and interests are diverse, for example: scientific
communication, business communication, workplace communication, and social
communication, and cultural communication.

Language as a means adaptation:

It is the means of adaptation, and people can express their views together. For example: the
reliability of the work in an institution, the integrity of the employees in a department, family
honor, the integrity of cooperation in the field of business, the integrity of the nation and state.

Language as a means of social control

language is a social control so that people involved in the communication can understand
each other. Every gestures and symbols indicates the direction of communication in
society. This control language can be realized in the form: rules, statutes, laws – laws and
others – others.

Language as a means to understand oneself

In building the character of a person, he should be able to understand his weakness, strength,
talent, intelligence, intellectual ability, willingness and so forth. A person can know himself
and other if he understands himself. By understanding of him, someone will be able to build
character learn positive image to create new vision.

Language as a means to understand the other person

For effectiveness of communication, one needs to understand another person, such as in

understanding him. With the understanding of a person use of language, he can recognize
various things include the condition of his own: the potential biological, intell ectual,

2
emotional, intelligence, character, paradigms, the underlying thought, motivate the
development itself, and others – others.

Language as a means of observing the environment around

language is a tool to observe the problem and give real life solutions. For example what is the
background for observation, how solving the problem, identify the object being observed,
explain how (method) to observe, what the purpose of observing how the observations, and
what conclusions.

Languages as a Tool for Self-Expression

We use language to express the feelings, emotion and, passion. As adults, we use language,
both to express them and to communicate. So, we can write to express ourselves. For example,
we may remember when we were happy, we collect our feelings and experiences in a book
called diary. As I write something in the diary, we do not think about who the readers. We just
loved our hearts and feelings without thinking about whether it’s writing to understand other
people or not.

At the time of using language as a tool to express ourselves, we need not consider or care who
the listener or reader. We use language only for private purposes. As a means to express self-
expression, it tells everything that is hidden in our hearts and minds. With language, humans
can learn everything they want it about social and natural science

Using a language as a primary means of communicating our thoughts is so natural for many people
that it is often difficult to realize what in fact are language functions. Some of the roles of language
are so mundane that they are hardly ever noticed, others are very elevated, or even abstract. Due
to their diversity the functions of language might be divided into two categories: micro
functions which refer to specific individual uses, and macro functions which serve more overall
aims.

3
 MICRO FUNCTIONS:

 Physiological function (releasing physical and nervous energy)

Although it might be striking this use of language is fairly common. It is easily recognizable when
devoted fans of sports are observed while watching their favourite discipline on TV. Such fans
often shout instructions, express support, or disappointment and while as a means of
communicating with sportsmen they are useless, such cheers are to release repressed energy.
Similarly curse words are used to serve this purpose, as they rarely convey any meaning and are
only to make the speaker feel better.

 Phatic function (for sociability)

The use of such phrases as ‘nice day today’, or ‘how do you do’ is characterized by lack of any
informative content and is intended to link people and make the coexistence peaceful and pleasant.
The phatic use of language is characteristic mainly of speech, however, in certain types of writing
it can also be noticed, as in letters for example, where the beginning Dear Sir/Madam and
ending Yours faithfullyalso serve that purpose.

 Recording function
Recording function denotes using language to make a durable record of things that ought to be
remembered. Owing to its omnipresence writing is probably the most significant function of
language. There is evidence that the first writing system was developed in the Middle East as early
as 4000 BC. At the beginning writing systems took forms of pictures representing the things they
referred to, gradually developing into the alphabets in their present forms.

 Identifying function
Language is used also to identify the objects and events in the world we live in. Without this
function language would be almost useless, as it is thanks to the names of things that we know
what is talked about. Many primitive societies unable to write believe that names hold great power.
Even in western culture names are thought to be immensely important: the God’s name ought not
to be used in vain, before giving a name to a newborn child parents consider the choice deeply.
We use names to classify different types of things, whether we call a car anautomobile, a lorry, a
van or a truck makes a big difference.

4
 Reasoning function (instrument of thought)
Before we say something we think and to do that we necessarily use language. In most cases it is
extremely difficult to think about anything without any use of words. In fact is it also difficult not
to think for a longer period of time as human brains work all the time processing information, thus
providing us with concepts formulated by means of language.

 Communicating function
This function would probably be pointed at by most language users without major consideration.
Indeed it is in all likelihood most commonly used languxage function by majority of speakers.
Requesting, apologizing, informing, ordering as well as promising and refusing are all reasons for
communicating our ideas.

 Pleasure functions
The fact that language often gives pleasure both to the speakers and listeners is not only supported
by the frequent use of assonance, alliteration and onomatopoeia in poetry. Depending on the
sounds of languages some are perceived as being mild as English for example, others crude as
German. People also derive pleasure from unusual use of syntactic rules, as well as novelties of
meanings juxtapositions and language games, which is often used by skilful writers.

MACRO FUNCTIONS:

 Ideational function
Ideational function refers to the conceptualizing process involved in our mental activities. Thanks
to language we are able to understand what happens around us.

 Interpersonal function
Interpersonal function emphasizes that language is mainly a social phenomenon, but apart from
enabling communication with other people it enables to project the speaker in the desired way and
to represent the speaker.

 Poetic function

5
 Here, the word poetic does not refer to the ability to write poetry, but the ability to manipulate
language in a creative way. With the use of jokes and metaphors we can play with words and
meanings simply for joy.

 Textual function
Textual competence refers to our ability to create long utterances or pieces of writing which are
both cohesive and coherent. Unlike animals people, by use of certain linguistic devices, are able
to produce long sentences and text, and not only simple phrases.
The above mentioned functions are only one point of view on language. Most certainly there are
many other functions that natural languages fulfill, yet depending on approach to this issue the
number of functions and their names might vary.

According to Experts

Halliday (1978) proposed that there are 7 stages or functions of a child's speech. These are as
follows:
Instrumental function - language that is used to fulfil a need, such as to obtain food, drink
or comfort. This typically includes concrete nouns.
Regulatory function - language that is used to influence the behaviour of others including
persuading, commanding or requesting.
Interactional function - language that is used to develop relationships and ease interaction. This
could include phrases like "I love you mummy" or "Thank you".
Personal function - language that expresses personal opinions, attitudes and feelings including a
speaker's identity.
Representational/Informative function- language that is used to relay or request information.
Heuristic function - language that is used to explore, learn and discover. This could include
questions or a running commentary of a child's actions.
Imaginative function - the use of language to tell stories and create imaginary constructs. This
typically accompanies play or leisure activities.

6
Jakobson's model of the functions of language distinguishes six elements, or factors of
communication, that are necessary for communication to occur: (1) context, (2) addresser (sender),
(3) addressee (receiver), (4) contact, (5) common code and (6) message. Each factor is the focal
point of a relation, or function, that operates between the message and the factor. The functions
are the following, in order: (1) referential ("The Earth is round"), (2) emotive ("Yuck!"), (3)
conative ("Come here"), (4) phatic ("Hello?"), (5) metalingual ("What do you mean by 'krill'?"),
and (6) poetic ("Smurf").

Factors of communication and functions of language

Target factor and

TARGET FACTOR SOURCE FACTOR FUNCTION
function no.

1 Context Message Referential

2 Addresser Message Emotive

3 Addressee Message Conative

4 Contact Message Phatic

5 Code Message Metalingual

6 Message Message Poetic

 The referential function: corresponds to the factor of Context and describes a situation, object
or mental state. The descriptive statements of the referential function can consist of both
definite descriptions and deictic words, e.g. "The autumn leaves have all fallen now."
Similarly, the referential function is associated with an element whose true value is under
questioning especially when the truth value is identical in both the real and assumptive
universe.[3]
 The poetic function: focuses on "the message for its own sake"[4] (the code itself, and how it
is used) and is the operative function in poetry as well as slogans.
 The emotive (alternatively called "expressive" or "affective") function: relates to the Addresser
(sender) and is best exemplified by interjections and other sound changes that do not alter

7
 the denotative meaning of an utterance but do add information about the Addresser's
(speaker's) internal state, e.g. "Wow, what a view!"
 The conative function: engages the Addressee (receiver) directly and is best illustrated
by vocatives and imperatives, e.g. "Tom! Come inside and eat!"
 The phatic function: is language for the sake of interaction and is therefore associated with the
Contact/Channel factor. The Phatic Function can be observed in greetings and casual
discussions of the weather, particularly with strangers. It also provides the keys to open,
maintain, verify or close the communication channel: "Hello?", "Ok?", "Hummm", "Bye"...
 The metalingual (alternatively called "metalinguistic" or "reflexive") function: is the use of
language (what Jakobson calls "Code") to discuss or describe itself.

8
References

Christodoulou, N. (2009). Halliday’s Functions of Language in the Child Language Acquisition

Debate (by Nick Christodoulou) . (Online). Retrieved from
http://francisgilbert.co.uk/2009/06/hallidays-functions-of-language-in-the-child-
language-acquisition-debate-by-nick-christodoulou/

Halliday, M. A. K. (1985) An Introduction to Functional Grammar, London: Arnold

Herbert, L. (n.y.). The Functions of Language. (Online). Retrieved from

http://www.signosemio.com/jakobson/functions-of-language.asp

Kress, K and van Leeuwen, T (1996) Reading Images: the Grammar of Visual Design, London:
Routledge

Wiśniewski, K. (2007). Language Functions. (Online). Retrieved from

http://www.anglozof.com/linguistics/language-functions.htm

n.n (2016). 10 Functions of Language in Linguistics. (Online) Retrieved from

http://notesread.com/functions-of-language/