Referential (or denotative) function
Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2025 3:24 am
The referential function, also called the denotative or informative function, consists of the transmission of impartial information , facts, data or concepts without ambiguities, emotional appeals or figurative elements is the main objective of this function.
So, it is common in texts that aim to provide information , details or a clear and precise explanation.
Example:
“The Culture Committee of the hong kong mobile database of Deputies will discuss this Wednesday (18) the proposal to create the National Cultural Heritage Fund. The meeting will be held in plenary 10, at 3:30 pm.”
Source: Chamber of Deputies News Agency
Phatic function:
The phatic function focuses on maintaining and establishing contact , interaction and relationship between the sender and receiver of the message.
In other words, this function is used to check for communication , create a connection, or simply keep the conversation going.
Example:
Communication – Luis Fernando Veríssimo
“May I help you, sir?”
“You can. I want one of those, those…”
“Yes?”
“Um… what’s the name again?”
"Yes?"
“Oh! Oh… Oh… What a head I have. The word escaped me completely. It’s a simple, well-known thing.”
"Yes sir."
“You’ll laugh when you find out.”
"Yes sir."
“Look, it’s pointy, right?”
“What, sir?”
[…]
“Call the manager.”
“That won’t be necessary, sir. I’m sure we can come to an agreement. What is this thing you want made of?”
“It’s made of, I don’t know. Metal.”
“Very good. Made of metal. Does it move?”
[…]
“But it's simple! A simple thing. Look: like this, like this, one turn here, it comes, comes, another turn and click, it fits.”
“Ah, it clicks. It’s electric.”
“No! Click, I say, is the sound of it fitting together.”
“I know!”
"Excellent!"
“You want an external television antenna.”
“No! Listen here. Let’s try again…”
“Let’s try it another way. What’s the point?”
“It’s used to hold something together. You know? Something pointy that holds something together. You stick the pointy end in here, fit the end into the groove and hold the two parts of something together.”
“Right. These instruments you’re looking for work more or less like a giant safety pin and…”
“But that’s it! That’s it! A safety pin!”
“But the way you described it, it sounded like a huge thing, sir!”
“It’s just that I’m kind of expansive. Can I have a… a… What’s your name again?”
Metalinguistic function:
This function's main objective is to show aspects of language , used to discuss, define, describe or explain language, as well as to ensure that the sender (who is communicating) and the receiver (who is receiving the message) understand each other.
Example:
Picking Beans – João Cabral de Melo Neto
Picking beans is limited to writing:
you throw the beans into the water in the bowl
and the words onto the sheet of paper;
and then you throw away what floats.
Of course, every word will float on the paper,
frozen water, its verb lead:
because to pick up these beans, you blow on them,
and throw away the light and hollow, straw and echo.
Now, in picking up beans there is a risk:
that among the heavy beans there is
a grain, a stone or indigestible,
an unchewable grain, enough to break your teeth.
Not true when picking up words:
the stone gives the sentence its most lively grain:
it obstructs the fluent, floating reading,
it incites attention, it baits it like the risk.
So, it is common in texts that aim to provide information , details or a clear and precise explanation.
Example:
“The Culture Committee of the hong kong mobile database of Deputies will discuss this Wednesday (18) the proposal to create the National Cultural Heritage Fund. The meeting will be held in plenary 10, at 3:30 pm.”
Source: Chamber of Deputies News Agency
Phatic function:
The phatic function focuses on maintaining and establishing contact , interaction and relationship between the sender and receiver of the message.
In other words, this function is used to check for communication , create a connection, or simply keep the conversation going.
Example:
Communication – Luis Fernando Veríssimo
“May I help you, sir?”
“You can. I want one of those, those…”
“Yes?”
“Um… what’s the name again?”
"Yes?"
“Oh! Oh… Oh… What a head I have. The word escaped me completely. It’s a simple, well-known thing.”
"Yes sir."
“You’ll laugh when you find out.”
"Yes sir."
“Look, it’s pointy, right?”
“What, sir?”
[…]
“Call the manager.”
“That won’t be necessary, sir. I’m sure we can come to an agreement. What is this thing you want made of?”
“It’s made of, I don’t know. Metal.”
“Very good. Made of metal. Does it move?”
[…]
“But it's simple! A simple thing. Look: like this, like this, one turn here, it comes, comes, another turn and click, it fits.”
“Ah, it clicks. It’s electric.”
“No! Click, I say, is the sound of it fitting together.”
“I know!”
"Excellent!"
“You want an external television antenna.”
“No! Listen here. Let’s try again…”
“Let’s try it another way. What’s the point?”
“It’s used to hold something together. You know? Something pointy that holds something together. You stick the pointy end in here, fit the end into the groove and hold the two parts of something together.”
“Right. These instruments you’re looking for work more or less like a giant safety pin and…”
“But that’s it! That’s it! A safety pin!”
“But the way you described it, it sounded like a huge thing, sir!”
“It’s just that I’m kind of expansive. Can I have a… a… What’s your name again?”
Metalinguistic function:
This function's main objective is to show aspects of language , used to discuss, define, describe or explain language, as well as to ensure that the sender (who is communicating) and the receiver (who is receiving the message) understand each other.
Example:
Picking Beans – João Cabral de Melo Neto
Picking beans is limited to writing:
you throw the beans into the water in the bowl
and the words onto the sheet of paper;
and then you throw away what floats.
Of course, every word will float on the paper,
frozen water, its verb lead:
because to pick up these beans, you blow on them,
and throw away the light and hollow, straw and echo.
Now, in picking up beans there is a risk:
that among the heavy beans there is
a grain, a stone or indigestible,
an unchewable grain, enough to break your teeth.
Not true when picking up words:
the stone gives the sentence its most lively grain:
it obstructs the fluent, floating reading,
it incites attention, it baits it like the risk.