PIANA, ROSSEL JANE S.
BADEO, ARIADNNE JOY F.
ASSIGNMENT NO. 2 – TITLE: WHAT IS LANGUAGE
1. Language and its Significance
2. Function of Language
It refers to the various roles or purposes that language serves in communication and
interaction.
1. Instrumental Function – Is used to gain or make things happen, emphasizing the
speakers needs and desire.
Example: “I want a glass of water.” This statement conveys the speaker’s desire.
2. Personal Function – Used to express the speakers identity and personal
opinions, focusing on the individual and their self – expression.
Example: “I believe that art is a powerful form of expression." This statement
reflects the speaker's personal belief and perspective.
3. Regulatory Function – Used to influence the behavior of others, emphasizing
the speaker's control or authority over the listener.
Example: "Please be quiet during the meeting." This directive aims to regulate
the behavior of others in a specific setting.
4. Interactional Function - Used to establish and maintain relationships,
emphasizing social connections and mutual understanding between individuals.
Example: "It's great to see you again! How have you been?" This greeting fosters
a positive interaction and shows interest in the other person.
5. Imaginative Function - Used to create and express imaginative worlds,
emphasizing creativity, fiction, and artistic expression.
Example: "Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom..." This opening line
introduces a narrative and sparks the imagination of the audience.
6. Representational Function - Used to convey information about the world,
emphasizing facts, descriptions, and objective reality.
Example: "The population of the city has grown by 10% in the past year." This
statement presents a factual piece of information.
7. Heuristic Function - Used to seek and provide information, emphasizing inquiry,
exploration, and discovery through language.
Example: "Can you tell me more about this topic?" This question seeks
additional information and encourages further exploration.
3. Characteristic of Language
4. Components of Language
1. Phonology - Phonology is like the sounds of the alphabet. It's how we make
sounds with our mouths and how those sounds work together to form words.
Example: Think of the word "cat." It has three sounds: "c," "a," and "t."
Phonology tells us how to make those sounds and how they combine to create
the word.
2. Morphology - Morphology is like the bricks we use to build a wall. It's about the
smallest parts of words that have meaning, called morphemes.
Example: The word "unbreakable" has two morphemes: "un" and "breakable."
"Un" means "not," and "breakable" means "able to be broken." By combining
these morphemes, we get a new word with a different meaning.
3. Syntax - Syntax is like the blueprint for our house. It tells us how to arrange
words in a sentence to make sense.
Example: "The cat sat on the mat" is a correct sentence because it follows the
rules of syntax. But, "Sat the mat on cat the" doesn't make sense because the
words are in the wrong order.
4. Semantics - Semantics is like the furniture in our house. It's about the meaning
of words and how we understand them.
Example: The word "happy" has a positive meaning, while the word "sad" has a
negative meaning. Semantics tells us what those words mean and how they
relate to each other.
5. Pragmatics - Pragmatics is like the way we decorate our house. It's about
understanding how language is used in different situations and with different
people.
Example: If you say "It's cold in here" to a friend, they might just agree. But if
you say it to someone who is in charge of the thermostat, they might
understand you're asking them to turn up the heat. Pragmatics tells us how to
use language to get our point across effectively
5. Language and Culture
