Voice function

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The language function is understood to be the tasks or purposes that language has for humans. When someone expresses himself, he is always performing several purposes at the same time - intentionally or unintentionally. You can z. B. not only inform someone (representation function) without revealing something about yourself with the same utterance (expression function). Depending on the research perspective, the researchers have developed different models for language functions, which have also come to be known under different terms.

Speech functions in detail

Overview
Reference point Buhler Jakobson Schulz von Thun
object Representation, designation referential function Factual page
Channel Expression, announcement expressive, emotive function Self-disclosure
receiver appeal appellative (conative) function Appeal side
Contact medium --- phatic function Relationship side
code --- metalinguistic function ---
Embassy --- poetic function ---
Only the language functions according to Bühler, Jakobson and Schulz von Thun are listed here. There are also others, e.g. Some concepts with the same content.
Representation function, referential function, factual aspect, reference to context
“Language relates to the world, to objects and facts. In this way it fulfills its display function. " This turns language signs into symbols (Bühler). Instead of the representational function, one speaks of a referential function , semantic function , representative function ( representational function of speech ) - sometimes with different nuances of meaning .
Expression function; expressive, emotive function (emotional function); Self-disclosure, attitude to what is spoken
The expression function means that something is expressed by the sender himself through language and that he announces something about himself. This can happen unconsciously or consciously.
Appeal function, conative, appellative function, appeal side, orientation towards the recipient
In relation to the recipient, language has a moment of appeal: the speaker tries to influence the recipient - by request, request, command, wish, etc.
Phatic function, relationship side, orientation towards contact
The phatic function is the function of “maintaining contact or establishing, extending or interrupting linguistic contact”, according to Jakobson, according to Pelz, the “channel” -related function that serves to “check whether the contact medium is in order”.
Metalinguistic function, orientation on code
The metalinguistic function (Jakobson) is used to name the function of language to talk about language. "Language can function as a metalanguage for all other information and communication systems, but at the same time it is also the metalanguage for itself, ie for the language itself." The metalinguistic function should only be possible with human language.
Poetic function, focus on communication
For Roman Jakobson, the poetic function is the function of language, which "in its formal appearance becomes a kind of special information." It dominates in artwork and is important in advertising. The poetic function is of course particularly interesting for literary studies. It "projects the principle of equivalence from the axis of selection onto the axis of combination." Poetic language is also characterized by the fact that it uses connotations (associated word meanings) and thereby creates polysemy (ambiguity). The poetic language is auto-functional, due to the dominance of the linguistic form over the content, the literary text draws the reader / listener's attention to itself.

Models of language functions

Such models for language functions play a role primarily in general linguistics and psychology . Some of the most famous models are:

The language functions are sometimes also called "communication model" or "character model", although these terms are usually reserved for other issues in linguistics.

Language functions and system needs

There are similar ideas under the term “system requirement” in linguistic synergetics . “System needs” are the needs that the speaker / listener has when using the language. It is taken into account that the needs of the speaker and the listener are not always the same, but rather have to adjust to one another. So are z. B. the needs of "minimizing the coding effort" and "minimizing the decoding effort" compared to each other. In the first case the speaker tries to reduce his production effort (speaking effort), in the second the listener tries to reduce his comprehension effort. Both must be in balance for communication to be successful. Such needs are taken into account by Köhler (1986, 2005) when modeling an elementary language model.

literature

  • Reinhard Köhler: On linguistic synergetics: structure and dynamics of the lexicon. Brockmeyer, Bochum 1986. ISBN 3-88339-538-2
  • Reinhard Köhler: Synergetic Linguistics . In: Reinhard Köhler, Gabriel Altmann, Rajmund G. Piotrowski (eds.): Quantitative Linguistics - Quantitative Linguistics. An international manual. de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2005, pp. 760–774. ISBN 3-11-015578-8
  • Theodor Lewandowski: Linguistic Dictionary . 4th, revised edition. Quelle & Meyer, Heidelberg 1985. ISBN 3-494-02050-7 . Article: Language Features .
  • Denise Francois: Functions of Language. in: Martinet, André (ed.): Linguistics: a manual. - Stuttgart: Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung 1973, pp. 71-76 (in-depth and critical)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Kocsány, Piroska: Basic Linguistics: a workbook for beginners. - Paderborn: Fink, 2010, p. 26
  2. ↑ Bußmann, Lexikon der Sprachwissenschaft, 3rd edition (2002) / Representation function of language
  3. ↑ Pelz, Linguistik (1996), p. 29
  4. ^ Pelz, Linguistik (1996), p. 30
  5. ↑ Kocsány, Piroska: Basic Linguistics: a workbook for beginners. - Paderborn: Fink, 2010, p. 31
  6. ↑ Kocsány, Piroska: Basic Linguistics: a workbook for beginners. - Paderborn: Fink, 2010, p. 31
  7. ↑ Kocsány, Piroska: Basic Linguistics: a workbook for beginners. - Paderborn: Fink, 2010, p. 30
  8. ^ Roman Jakobson: Linguistics and Poetics. In: Ders .: Poetics. Selected essays 1921-1971. Edited by Elmar Holenstein and Tarcisius Schelbert. Frankfurt / M. 1979. pp. 83-121

Web links

Wiktionary: Language function  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations