Professional Documents
Culture Documents
of the
7 Functions of Language
by
Michael halliday
Michael Halliday
Michael Alexander Kirkwood Halliday (often M. A. K.
Halliday; born 13 April 1925) is a British-born Australian
linguist who developed the internationally influential systemic
functional linguistic model of language. His grammatical
descriptions go by the name of systemic functional grammar
(SFG).Halliday describes language as a semiotic system, "not in the sense of a
system of signs, but a systemic resource for meaning".
Biography
Halliday was born and raised in England. His fascination for language
was nurtured by his parents: his mother, Winifred, had studied French, and his
father, Wilfred, was a dialectologist, a dialect poet, and an English teacher with a
love for grammar and Elizabethan drama. In 1942, Halliday volunteered for the
national services' foreign language training course. He was selected to study
Chinese on the strength of his success in being able to differentiate tones. After
18 months' training, he spent a year in India working with the Chinese
Intelligence Unit doing counter-intelligence work. In 1945 he was brought back to
London to teach Chinese. He took a BA Honours degree in Modern Chinese
Language and Literature (Mandarin) through the University of London. This was
an external degree, with his studies conducted in China. He then lived for three
years in China, where he studied under Luo Changpei at Peking University and
under Wang Li at Lingnan University, before returning to take a PhD in Chinese
Linguistics at Cambridge under the supervision of Gustav Hallam and then J. R.
Firth. Having taught languages for 13 years, he changed his field of
specialisation
to
linguistics, and
developed systemic
functional
linguistics,
7 Functions of Language
INSTRUMENTAL
language is used to communicate preferences, choices, wants, or needs
Classroom Experiences --Problem solving, gathering materials, role playing
Examples:
1. May I take your pen?
2. I want to have that bag too.
3. I want you to make an example of a brochure that highlights the
tourist spots of our province.
4. I prefer to write a story than to craft a poem.
5. I only want you to share your ideas but not your answers.
REGULATORY
INTERACTIONAL
Examples:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
PERSONAL
This is the use of language to express feelings, opinions, and individual
identity
Classroom Experiences - Making feelings public and interacting with others
Examples:
1. I believe I am a good mom to my kids.
2. Do not be afraid, just watch me.
3. Im sorry, but I think that is not the right answer.
4. Well for me, this sounds much better.
5. Here I am, standing in front of you to discuss my topic.
HEURISTIC
environment
Classroom Experiences - Question and answer, routines & inquiry
Examples:
1.
What is the tractor doing?'
2.
What is the process in making food for the plants?
3.
Is there any drug to cure AIDS?
4.
Why does the sun hides at night?
5.
Why is it raining so hard?
IMAGINATIVE
Here language is used to tell stories and jokes, and to create an
imaginary environment
Classroom Experiences - Stories and dramatizations, rhymes, poems, &
riddles
Examples:
1. Lets pretend that we are sleeping so mom will not ask us to do the
chores.
2. Let us assume that were in the palace.
3. I am Arielle and you will be Sebastian.
4. Write an essay on the topic "You are on the clouds".
5. What will be your platforms if you will be the president of our
country in the next 20 years?
REPRESENTATIONAL
Classroom Experiences - Conveying messages & telling about the real world
Examples:
1. The president gave a speech last night.
2. Anything that occupies space is matter.
3. Ive got something to tell you.
4. Raymark Saluria graduated Cum Laude at Foundation University.
5. Dr. Mira Sinco was a former president of Foundation University.