Functions of Language BBS First Year Business English
Functions of Language
Language helps to express our feelings and thoughts. Language also assists to perceive the world differently based on the situations. The language supports to develop the interpersonal skills to bring together. Different functions of language are briefly mentioned below:
Expressive Functions
Expressive language helps us to express what we see or hear which may include factual statements. Eg: The Manager announced that they had a recruit in the office. Language also contributes to expressing thoughts, opinions and experiences like:Today’s companies focus too much on investors’ returns. Language helps to express our feelings and emotions and needs like: I am very happy to get the Dashain bonus. (emotion), I want to buy a motorbike. (needs)
Power Functions
Language power refers to one's ability to communicate effectively in a given language, specifically one that is not native to the speaker. Individuals with strong language power possess the ability to communicate effectively in a social environment. Language serves as a control mechanism as language is our identity. For example: ‘Pahade’ for Hilly people and ‘Maade’ for Marvari people. Language also affects our credibility which depends on how we communicate and what we say, how we back up our ideas with facts. Language is used to praise someone for positive reinforcement and to criticize for negative reinforcement. Some language is binding or performative such as relating to a promise, an oath. The language of the court, institution, and organization is very powerful as it can be declarative or information.
i. The criminal is life imprisoned. ( declarative )
ii. Our company is going to be closed for three days. ( informative)
Recreational Functions
Poets, writers, and comedians build their careers on their ability to use language for fun and recreation. Language also serves humour and creativity, word games and crossword puzzles. Puns (jokes), riddles (puzzles) and bloopers are popular among them for the sheer fun they offer them but they are to be understood otherwise there could be a misunderstanding.
Dynamic Functions
Language gets changes itself in vocabulary fields because of changes in society. Language is changeable as two words are combined or clipped to form new words. In English, key + board = keyboard, feed + back = feedback, news + paper = newspaper are compound words. Words like ad, exam, and perp are clipped words of advertisement, examination and preparation. New technological development introduces neologism (coinage) words like Google, blog, Cyberia, webinar, troll. Slang or newly adopted words that are specific to a group also makes language dynamic.
Relational Functions
Interpersonal skills or verbal communication of language play a significant role to bring people together and maintaining relationships. Pronouns such as I, you, we or us are used to suggest relations. A study has shown that honest and open people are found to be very sociable and they experience very less stress compared to others. A language that is shared in a group has the power to unite the people. However, language differences or critical use of language may divide people. If we evaluate the language used by Gandhi, Hitler, and Nelson Mandela, we can see the power of language that unites or divide people.
Professional and Technical Functions
The advancement in science and technology has brought diversity in vocabulary. Every innovation brings new symbols to refer to new phenomena or products or services. The term like acid, ozone, radio, internet, endoscopy and many others are adopted verbatim (literal) by other languages.
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