Functional analysis of a text

Here a technique of text analysis is offered to enable students to interpret or decode texts of every functional style. This technique has been in use for a number of years in Tyumen State University and has proved a good tool to deconstruct textual meaning and to produce a comprehensive analytical essay.

1. Theoretical background: This technique is deeply rooted in Roman Jakobson’s theory of linguistics functions and poetics. Roman O. Jakobson postulated his system of linguistic communicative functions in his famous work “Linguistics and poetics”(1958). This system is known as “Jakobson’s Communicative Model”:

		Context referential Message poetic
Addresser emotive				Addressee connative
		contact phatic code metalinguistic

In this model linguistic functions are defined as follows:

The context or referential function is what is being spoken of, what is being referred to. In the expression "PLEASE put the f---ing CAT OUT NOW!" the referential burden of the message is "I am requesting that the domesticated cat (that is in our care) be put outside the house (in which we now are) at this time (and not later)".

The poetic function is the focus on the message. The associations (equivalence, similarity and dissimilarity, synonymity and antonymity); the repetitions of sound values, stresses, accents; the word and phrase boundaries and relationships : as these are combined in sequence. "Just don't make a pass at every lass in the class”

The emotive or expressive function of language refers to the attitude of the addresser towards that of which (or to whom) he speaks: through emphasis, intonation, loudness, pace, etc. This is a really, really IMPORTANT point.

The phatic function is the use of language to keep people in contact with each other, the maintenance of social relationships -- includes 'idle chat'. Kinda interesting, eh? What do you think about being phatic together? Fun? Like your hat, get it at the Bay?

The metalinguistic function is that use of language by which people check out with each other whether they are 'on the same page', using the same codes in the same contexts. Are you with me on this one?

The connative function refers to those aspects of language that aim to create a certain response in the addressee. Learn this now!

[Prepared by Professor John Lye as a synopsis of part of Roman Jakobson's "Linguistics and Poetics" (1958) 1997]

Jakobson’s system of functions became a part of linguistic courses at every university and is implemented at every scholarly and academic level. Other accepted linguistic function include cognitive, nominative, constructive, accumulatative, informative, voluntative, aesthetic [см.: ЛЭС, 1990: 564-565]. Among them Yu.S. Stepanov’s system of functions, which rest upon semiotic principle, is of great importance. The scholar postulated the dominance of the three universal linguistic functions:

• Nominative (nominative and verbal classes of words being its markers);

• Syntactic (predication being its marker);

• Pragmatic [location or deixis (I-You –Now and Here) being its marker] [Степанов, 1973].

All these functions are used to describe how a language works. We employed these models and systems to develop a system of text functions. Ontologically, we started from the assumption that any text is a phenomenon of dual nature: it could be regarded both as a language unit and a product of speech or discourse.

We define a text as information and cohesive integral unit that could be expressed both verbally and nonverbally.

QUESTIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS: