Language and speech functions model for academic disciplines studying use of language

Vladimir I. Zaika

Uniwersytet w Białymstoku

Abstract

Language functions are considered as means 1) to provide communication (speech) and 2) to be a basis for knowledge and thoughts (gnostic function). Speech functions are understood as attitudes of an utterance to components of a communicative situation. Speech functions are divided into coordinative ones, when an utterance coordinates an interlocutor’s behavior (representative, appealing and emotive functions) and non-coordinative functions, when an utterance does not coordinate an interlocutor’s behavior (phatic, aesthetic, magic functions). The model can be applied in teaching stylistics, rhetoric and speech culture.

Keywords:

language functions, speech functions, coordinative functions, non-coordinative functions, communicative, appealing, emotive, phatic, magic, identifying, aesthetic functions