According to the influential linguist Roman Jakobson, any act of verbal communication requires six fundamental factors. The structure of language is organized around these factors, and each factor corresponds to a specific function of language.
The six necessary factors for communication are:
- Context (Referent): The surrounding reality or topic the message refers to.
- Addresser (Sender): The person who sends the message.
- Addressee (Receiver): The person who receives the message.
- Contact: The physical channel (e.g., sound waves, phone line) and psychological connection that links the addresser and addressee.
- Common Code: The shared system of language (e.g., English, specific jargon) that must be at least partially understood by both parties.
- Message: The actual content being sent.
A message is transmitted by the Addresser to the Addressee. For it to be understood, the message must relate to a Context and be encoded using a Common Code. Finally, a reliable Contact channel is essential to establish and maintain the communication link.
Roman Jakobson’s Six Functions of Language
Each of the six factors listed above determines a specific function of language. The dominant focus of a given message on one of these factors dictates the primary function being utilized.
1. Referential Function (Focus on Context)
This is the most common and arguably the primary function of language. It is denotative or cognitive, purely focused on transmitting objective information about the Context. It is used to state facts or truths.
- Example: “The meeting is scheduled for 2 PM tomorrow.” or “Water boils at 100 degrees celsius”
2. Emotive Function (Focus on Addresser)
Also known as the Expressive Function, this function focuses on the Addresser and directly expresses their attitude, feeling, or emotion towards the topic or the addressee. It often involves non-informational utterances.
- Example: Interjections used to express sudden emotion: “Ouch!”, “Yuck!”, “Bah!” or variations in tone (prosody) that reveal the sender’s mood when saying a simple phrase like “this evening.”
3. Conative Function (Focus on Addressee)
The Conative Function is oriented towards the Addressee. Its purpose is to influence or persuade the receiver to act or think in a certain way. This function is most purely expressed through grammatical imperatives and vocatives.
- Example: Orders and requests: “Go away,” “Drink that water,” or “Please consider my proposal.”
4. Phatic Function (Focus on Contact)
The Phatic Function is used to establish, prolong, or discontinue the communication Contact. Its sole purpose is to check whether the channel is working or whether the psychological connection is still maintained. This is the first verbal function acquired by infants.
- Example: Greetings and channel checks: “Hello!”, “Are you listening?”, “Do you hear me okay?”.
5. Metalingual Function (Focus on Code)
The Metalingual Function focuses on the Common Code itself. It is used whenever the addresser and addressee need to confirm that they are using the same code, or when language is used to speak about language.
- Example: Seeking clarification: “What do you mean by ‘plucked’?”, or “Is ‘krill’ a type of fish?” The acquisition of a first language relies heavily on metalingual actions.
6. Poetic Function (Focus on Message)
The Poetic Function is an orientation toward the Message for its own sake. It focuses on the aesthetic and structural qualities of the language used, rather than just the content or context. While often associated with poetry, it appears whenever there is a focus on the arrangement of words, rhythm, or sound patterns.
- Example: Using alliteration like “horrible Harry” instead of “terrible Harry” or carefully choosing the order of words for emphasis (“John and Margery” versus “Margery and John”). This function highlights how something is said over what is said.
