Functions of language

1) Social/Phatic function (involves maintaining social relations using the

meaningless small talk of everyday life), e.g.: Hello; nice to meet you; good
evening

2) Informative/ideational function (involves conveying information, ideas, and

thoughts), e.g.: I’m a student; Jack lives in Duhok; Paris is the capital of
France.

3) Emotional function (involves expressing feelings and emotions), e.g.: oh, I

just love music; I don’t feel ok today; wow, what a lovely couple!

4) Aesthetic/poetic function (involves using language for its beauty, i.e. for
aesthetic reasons), as in writing poetry or other forms of literature.

5) Physiological function (involves using language to release nervous tension),

e.g.: damn; shit; shut up.