NAME: ISMAEEL Umar Adewale

MATRIC NUMBER: 207677

DEPARTMENT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERARY STUDIES
COURSE: ENG 309
DEFINITION OF LANGUAGE AND ITS FUNCTIONS
DEFINITION OF LANGUAGE
Language can be defined as the human specific ways of expressing their thoughts and communicating with
one another. It can also be said to be the mode of communicating ideas and passing on information to other
through both verbal and non-verbal ways.
Language is like a cord or string that binds people of the same speech community together. It is any
structured code or mode that gives mutual intelligibility in conversations between people of the same speech
community. It is also referred to as the natural endowment that separate humans from other animals because
it is only the human’s way of communication that can be referred to as a language.
The definition of language is wider than just being arbitrary vocal symbols and sounds used for interactions
and communication because there are some other means of human communication such as written and sign
languages. So definitions like that of Smith Jr (1969) cannot be said as a full representation of what
language means.
FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE
There are two main functions of language namely, transactional and interactional functions (Brown and
Yuletide 1983)
1. Transactional Function: Language is used transactionally to pass on information. It is used
to give details, instruct, argue, expatiate, clarify, investigate, respond, and any other activities
carried out by human being that is related to giving information. Language is used for
transactional purpose in both written and spoken form of languages. As we know that
language is part of culture, so the cultural values of every society will be embedded in their
language. So in the process of passing on their cultural values to their younger generations,
the transactional function of language is employed.
This function also touches the semiotic cues and other forms of sign and signal languages as
mostly used in the Yoruba culture where actions like nodding of head means approval or
disapproval depending on the direction of the nodding. Some facial expressions are also used
for warning, same as dangling of the index finger and so on. Other signals are like the
indicators for turning on vehicles and road signs. All these also fall under the transactional
function of language as they are all used to pass on information.
It should also be noted that the written form of language is mostly used for transactional
purpose especially the print format because almost everything written down has a piece of
information to pass on.
2. Interactional Function: Language is used interactionally to keep human relations intact,
establish and sustain social ties as well as to ensure harmony. For example, statements like
greetings “Good morning”, “Good evening” are not said to pass on any information rather it
is used to keep relationships alive or establish one. This function which is used for survival of
social system is also called phatic communion by Malinowski (1923).
Language is also used interactionally at the semiotic level as most of our smiles and laughs
are meant to establish a relationship or keep one.
APPROACHES TO STYLE
Style in language is referred to as the individual, situational and creative use of language. There are different
approaches to styles. Three of the approaches as enumerated by Lawal (1997) are;
1. Style as Choice from Variant Forms: this approach gives insight into the differences between
Linguistics choices that are stylistic and those that are non-stylistic. This approach views styles as the
independence of a communicator to pick from different options of related items to achieve a
particular linguistic goal. It is the choices made by a language user to pick among available linguistic
options to create an effect or present their view in the most appropriate manner. An example of this
is in the following sentence; Today is a beautiful day. Other possible choices include (good, nice,
happy fulfilling).
2. Style as Deviation from a Norm: this approach “is hinged on the notion that language is both a rule
governed behaviour and an accumulation of norms” (Lawal 1997:28). According to this approach,
style is viewed as a language user's proficiency in making choices that deviates from these rules at
the graphological, phonological/phonetic, lexico-semantic, morphological, syntactic and discoursal
levels without the intended meaning being eroded. According to Osundare (1982:7): “The
remarkable writer is one who has been able to bend, if not break, the pre-set rules of language, the
linguistic outlaw who has flouted its hallowed thou-shalt-nots. Every language has within its system
a loophole, an elastic edge for the adventurous user to widen and stretch”.
3. Style as the Relationship between Message and Medium: This approach views styles as the
dialectical relationship between the intending message to be passed and the medium to be used.
Bathes (1971) identifies two perspectives associated with this approach: the organic and the ornate.
The organist are those that believe it is impossible to separate, in dialectical terms, the message from
the medium. While the Ornatist believe otherwise.