What is the functional model of language?
The functional model of language appreciates how in almost every aspect of our lives, language is involved. Essentially, this model recognises how the context of a situation determines the language choices that we use (Derewianka, 2012).
Activity 2: Consider these three examples of how social context affects our language choices.
Activity 2: Consider these three examples of how social context affects our language choices.
Writing an email to a friend about an event VS. Writing an email to your boss about an event
Recounting an experience to your friend VS. Recounting an experience to an interview panel
Describing how ill you feel to your partner or friend VS. Describing how ill you feel to a doctor
In each of these examples the register changes depending on the context of the situation. Register recognises that there are 3 key features in any context of situation:
1. Field: refers to the subject matter. For example, language differs in a school context according to each KLA.
2. Tenor: refers to the roles we take and our relationships with others in any situation. It encompasses how status, level of expertise, ethnic background and gender of the participants has an impact on the language used. Some examples of the various roles include: student, teacher, mother, child, customer, employee etc.
3. Mode: refers to the channel of communication being used. Importantly mode considers as students move from the oral language of home and the schoolyard to the increasingly dense and compact language of academic written contexts.
1. Field: refers to the subject matter. For example, language differs in a school context according to each KLA.
2. Tenor: refers to the roles we take and our relationships with others in any situation. It encompasses how status, level of expertise, ethnic background and gender of the participants has an impact on the language used. Some examples of the various roles include: student, teacher, mother, child, customer, employee etc.
3. Mode: refers to the channel of communication being used. Importantly mode considers as students move from the oral language of home and the schoolyard to the increasingly dense and compact language of academic written contexts.