UNIVERSIDADE LICUNGO

DEPARTMENT OF LETTERS AND HUMANITIES

Student: Joaquim Gabriel Tomas

Subject: Introduction to Literature in English

Function of Language

Text 1: Dear mr Byers, I am writing to ask whether my students (Hotel regulation,

maximum 25), aged 17 or 18, could visit your Hotel for a field trip. I am a teacher of
business administration and this semester my students are studying the basic theories of
hotel management.

I was wondering if we could come next week.

If this is not possible, may I suggest Thursday the 17th or Friday December 18th before
holidays begin?

As my students know very little about the various kinds of jobs in the hotels, they would
like to talk to some employees in an informal question on and answers section.

I hope it will be possible for you to arrange the business and I am sure it will be very
helpful to the students cause work.

I am looking forward to hear from you.

Text 2: I received your letter of November 16th and I think your students will benefit for
a field trip in our hotel.

However, because of the practical situation, there must be some changes.

As we will be busy with a tourist group from East-Asia next week, you should not come
then because we do not want you to disturb our work.

However, December 17th will be fine, but you can only come in the morning because no
one will be available to welcome you in the afternoon.
Our hotel regulations state that we cannot receive more than 27 visitors at one time, you
should ask the extra five students not to come, also, as all visits must be over 18, those
ages 17 will not be welcome.

Finally, I must tell you that, you can stay in our hotel for no more than 3 hours, so you
need to leave before noon.

As to your request to talk to our new employees, this is not possible since they are not
allowed to talk to the visitors during work hours.

Text 3: he chats his eyes and saw a vision of her in the velvet-clock.

Swaying into the litter restaurant where they sometimes dined.

Together in London, three quarters of an hour late and at his table, haggard with
imitations, hunger period or, she was damnable!

Questions

1- Identify the function of languages on the following texts 1-3.

2- Try to formulate your opinion about the tone and effectiveness of the answer of
the text 2. Choose from the following options:
a) Very polite and effective;
b) Polite but not very effective;
c) Impolite but not effective;
d) Arrogant and rude and probably damaging relationship.

Present and explain your choice.

 Answers

1. The function of language is in text 1 is Transactional because it is a request as

well as written.
2. In the text 2 is interactional because the manager of the hotel is being friendly
with the teacher.
3. In the text 3 is about non-pragmatic/aesthetic because the text is calling the
readerʾs attention.

Text 2.

2. The tone and effectiveness of the answer of text 2 is polite but not very effective
because the manager was trying to help the teacher but because of the
regulations of that hotel, it was not possible to help the teacher.