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Communicative Language
Introduction
Everything serves a purpose/function,so
does communicative language.
A lot of what we say is for a specific purpose.
Whether we are apologizing, expressing a
wish or asking permission, we use language
to fulfill that purpose. Each purpose can be
known as language purpose.
Definition of Communicative
language
Sauvignon describes a language function as the
use to which language is put, the purpose of an
utterance rather than the particular
grammatical farm an utterance takes
(sauvignon 1983)
Informative purpose
Language in this case is employed with
the intention of conveying information
to others.
News broadcasts, a bulletin board at
school are all examples of language
being used for this purpose.
Cognitive purpose
When language is used cognitively, it is with the
intention of affecting the audience in some way in
order to evoke some type of response.
When one uses language to persuade, entertain,
stir to anger or arouse sympathy, one is using
language cognitive purposes. Jokes, political
speeches and horror stories are different examples
of ways in which language can be used cognitively.
Poetic purpose
Language used in literary, stylistic or
imaginative ways is poetic. The user focuses on
the structure and pattern of the language and
places emphasis on the manner in which
language is manipulated.
Language used for poetic purposes is not
necessarily done in verse. It is the way in which
the language is used, and not its form, that
indicates its poetic purpose.
Phatic purpose
Sometimes language is used to establish contact among
people. This use of language is most obvious in spoken
communication. Language used for phatic purposes
does not necessarily seek to generate meaningful
response.
For example when we greet eachother by saying hello
or good morning we are using language to maintain
social costom. We say good morning automatically as
a greeting even though a thunderstorm is raging. In the
same way, you would not expect your cheerful How you
doing? to be responded with a litany (repetition) of all
the things that are going wrong with their lives.
Metalinguistic purpose
This is the use of language to comment
on, refer to or discuss language itself.
A critique of your friends essay or
speech is metalinguistic, so is the blurb
on the back of a novel. When you use
language to consider language your
purpose is metalinguistic.
Examples of Metalinguistic
purpose
The judging of essays for an essay competiton
The analysising of prose,poems and dramas in literature
The judging or critizing on ones reading skills
The learning of spelling,grammar tenses and sentence
structure
Answering comprehension questions based on a written
piece of work (prose,poem or drama).
Conclusion
The multiple purposes to which
language can be put make it the most
vulnerable tool of communication at our
disposal. In order to master the art of
communication it is important to master
the use of language for all its purpose.
Biblography
Simon Veronica,Sandra Osborne.Communication Studies
for Cape Examinations.Oxford:Macmillan Publishers
Limited,2009.
Subramanian Thiru R. Sankara,etal.Communicative
English for Higher Secondary-First Year. Chennai: Web
Offset,2004.