ST. PETER OF VERONA ACADEMY INC. CEEJAY O.

PORGATORIO
Hermosa , Bataan Teacher
FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION
Name of Student G11
MODULE
STUDENT’S LEARNING MODULES Topic Grade and Section
2020-2021 ORAL COMMUNICATION 11 AUGUST 16-20, 2021
School Year Subject Days Covered

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. Deliberate the functions of communication

2. Evaluate the effectiveness of an oral communication activity through a discourse analysis presented
through different linguistic forms and pragmatic functions.

Explain
Functions of Communication
Communication as a human activity always serves a function. Functions of communication refer to how
humans use language for different purposes. Theoreticians such as Roman Jakobson, Michael Halliday, and
Bronislaw Malinowski have categorized the different uses or functions of communication. There are 5
common functions of language for communication/discourse. These are regulation/ control, social
interaction, motivation, information, and emotional expression.

REGULATION AND CONTROL

Communication can be used to control the behavior of human beings. It can be used to regulate the
nature and amount of activities humans engage in. Examples of regulation/control include doctors’
prescription. Parents’ instructions, friends giving advice, scolding, and making orders.

Communication as a means of regulation or control can come in the form of commands (grammatically
known as “imperative”) such as the following:
a. Please, come in.
b. Get a chair.
c. Run.
Another form in which communication can take as a form of control would be rhetorical questions that
influence behavior.
a. Why don’t we go to the dining room now?
b. Do you have a pen?
c. Can you pass the salt?
Statements (grammatically known as declaratives) may also be the form in which communication
becomes a means of regulation or control. The idea is that when a person says something, he or she
wants the listener do something. The following are examples:
a. I want to be alone.
b. You need to hurry.
c. That’s not the right thing do.

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SOCIAL INTERACTION

Communication as social interactions functions primarily as a tool to form connections, relationships and
networks. Moreover, it is also used as a form of language to maintain bonds, intimacy, relations and
associations. Other examples include: pick-up lines, invitations, greetings, appreciation, encouragement, and
proposals.

Below are several examples of expressions that produce social interaction.

a. Let’s be friends…

b. Will you marry me?

c. Be my group member

d. I love you…

e. You mean so much to me.

f. Hello/Hi

MOTIVATION

Motivation as a function of communication refers to a person using the language to express desires, needs,
wants, likes and dislikes, inclinations and choices, and aspirations. Examples of communication used as
motivation include expressing one’s ambition, talking about preferences, ordering in a fast food, asking for
choice. Motivation can be grammatically realized as declaratives, imperatives and rhetorical questions.

a. I need…

b. I want…

c. Give me…

d. I dream of…

e. I like…

f. We pray …

g. Do you have …

h. Can I …

GIVING AND OBTAINING INFORMATION

Communication can be used for giving and getting information. Giving information usually comes in the form
of statements of facts. And sometimes in terms of rhetorical questions. Getting information can come in
interrogatives, imperatives and even through statements.

Giving Information using Statements:

• I have three brothers

• Philippine Normal university was established in 1901

Giving Information using Rhetorical Questions:

• Did you know that…

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 Getting Information:

• Where is Mount Halcon?

• Tell me how much a can of corned beef

• I don’t know where to find the city hall.

Communication as information source enables humans to learn, process worldly structures and process
cognition.

COMMUNICATION AS EXPRESSION (Emotions and Opinions)

People always need to express their emotions both verbally and non-verbally. Emotions are a central part of
who we are. Our well-being are established by how we express our emotions, whether it is joy, love, fear,
worry, anger or even subjective opinions.

The following are language forms that mainly functions to express:

• I think…
• I believe that…
• In my opinion…
• Let me say that …
• The way I see it…

However, most expressions are usually seen as gestures, facial expressions and other non-verbal forms of
communication or movements.

SUMMARY OF MODULE 3

The classification of communication depends on the number of the participants, the level of adjustments
and clarifications needed and the context or the setting where the process happens.

The type of communication is intrapersonal, interpersonal, public and Intercultural.

Interpersonal communication is further divided into two: Dyad communication and Small Group
Discussion.

The function of communication depends on the purpose of the speaker and the language form in which
designed to achieve the purpose.

The functions of communication are for: Control, Social interaction, Motivation, Getting and Obtaining
Information and Expression.

Aside from the language form where we code the function of our discourse there are also nonverbal
features of language designed to support the message.

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 ST. PETER OF VERONA ACADEMY INC. CEEJAY O. PORGATORIO
Hermosa , Bataan Teacher
Types of Communication
Name of Student G11
ACTIVITY
LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET (LAS) Topic Grade and Section
2020-2021 ORAL COMMUNICATION 11 AUGUST 20, 2021
School Year Subject Date of Submission Score

EXTEND (Regulation and Control)

Humans need sense of control in their lives and the world around them. Hence, communication as
regulation or control ranges from simple requests to laws governing territories.
As communication students, how can you control a behaviour using communication? Give one situational
example.
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EXTEND (Social Interaction)

Give a sample discourse or situation where you communicate to make someone closer to you.
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EXTEND (Motivation)

Do you think that confidently speaking up our choices and desires and at the same time being able to listen
to others strengthens personal or social relationships? Why? And why not?

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EXTEND (Expression)

Why is it important for us to know how to express ourselves in a communication process properly?

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Elaborate
Observe how your family communicate for the entire day. Categorize every utterance, phrases, or any
discourses as one or two of 5 linguistic functions of Communication.
USE THE SPACE PROVIDED BELOW in transcribing spoken words into writings. Classify the utterances by
writing the function after each phrase, sentences, or conversation.