Expressive function of language: what it is, its characteristics and examples

Let's see what the expressive function of language is and how it influences human communication.

The functions of language are the various ways in which human beings communicate verbally, transmitting messages according to the different intentions of the sender.

Among them, we find the expressive function of language, where the emotions and feelings of the sender take special relevance, since they are sentences with an important subjective component.

In the following, we will go deeper into this expressive function.We will also look at its linguistic features and give some examples to understand it a little better.

The expressive function of language

The expressive function of language, also called the emotive or symptomatic function, is a linguistic function that is used for the purpose of communicating to a receiver the mood, feeling, emotions, beliefs, or other subjective aspects of the sender. of the sender.

It is one of the 6 functions of language described by the Russian philologist and linguist Roman Jakobson along with the appellative, referential, phatic, poetic and metalinguistic functions.

This type of function is one of the most widely used and aims to show the speaker's intention when conveying certain information. This function is based on the subjectivity of the sender, so the one who transmits the message plays the most important role in communication, since it is that person who expresses his or her feelings to the receiver.

In addition to transmitting information, the speaker expresses at the same time his attitude towards what he is saying and can also reveal his personality traits..

Linguistic aspects

The expressive or emotive function of language usually makes use of specific verbal forms. Since this almost always refers to the sender of the message, they are usually formulated by conjugating the verbs in the first person.

I think you are the most beautiful person in the world.

However, messages with an expressive function can also be sent by means of impersonal formulas, as in the following example:

How beautiful the sea is!

In this case, the expressive function is used, since the sender is transmitting an emotionally charged message, although he does it through an impersonal form. In other words, the sender's feelings are being shown but the sentence does not use first person verb forms..

Another characteristic of the expressive function of language is that it usually uses the subjunctive mood, exclamatory sentences, interjections or onomatopoeias with the aim of highlighting the feelings of the sender. Wishes, preferences and sensations are also expressed subjectively.

I wish Susana loved me!

Oh, what a pain!

It is also worth mentioning that the expressive function of language can be highlighted by means of non-verbal aspects of languagesuch as gestures, tics or the intensity of the voice. A sentence can acquire a truly emotive tone not only with the words that are used, but also with the form in which the emitter emits it, using nonverbal language that reinforces the verbal expressions themselves.

The expressive function and the means of communication

During the first stages of life, human beings have only nonverbal language to express their moods and emotions.. Babies, even if they do not know how to speak, manage in one way or another to convey what they want to convey (hunger, pain, joy) through their gestures, crying, voice inflections and body contacts. In fact, it could be said that infants only have affective language to convey their moods.

However, as we grow older and master verbal language, we acquire the ability to use the other functions of language. Adult human gestures can be intentional and have more than one interpretation, but the direct message is expressed using words but reinforced with nonverbal language, as mentioned above.

This is something we can see relatively easily with the media. the media. These platforms transmit messages of opinion on an issue of interest to a community, aiming to make the public opinion take a certain position on reality and, as far as possible, modify their behavior in the direction the media wants. Thus, its message has a subjective component in which it uses sentimental expressions to arouse emotions in the audience. Thus, we are not only talking about the expressive function of language, but also about the appellative function.

Opinion messages can take different forms, all of them resorting to the expressive or emotive function of language to a greater or lesser extent.

1. Interview

The interview consists of one or more journalists asking questions to the interviewed person.. These questions usually revolve around a monographic theme or in relation to the interviewee's own history and life.

2. Collaborations

In the collaborations, a prestigious figure gives his or her opinion, usually on a regular basis, on the current issues of the day or week. of the day or week. Sometimes his opinion is about very specific and specialized areas, case which receives the name of specialized critic.

3. Debates and colloquia

In debates and colloquiums, different people talk about a topic that raises speak about a subject that raises passions and for which they usually do not agree.. Because of this, it is practically inevitable that they resort to the expressive function of language, exposing the emotions that the topic to be debated arouses in them and what they think of the opinions of others.

4. Editorial

The editorial section is a text that expresses the opinion of a medium, usually a newspaper, on a given subject.. Although the objective of newspapers is to transmit information in the most objective way possible, it is inevitable that its director and editors have certain opinions about what is happening in the world, being the space of the editorial the place reserved to make public such opinions.

Examples of sentences with expressive function

Now that we have seen what is the expressive function of language and what are its linguistic characteristics, we are going to see a few sentences as examples to finish to finish understanding it:

• My back hurts so much!
• I'm tired of so much nonsense!
• I love being with you in class.
• I'm frustrated waiting for your call. It's been a week already!
• I'm so glad you got that job!
• Of all the islands, Menorca is my favorite.
• How you have grown!
• I am very angry with you. Not only have you disrespected me, but you have not apologized to me.
• I am very sorry. I was wrong. It won't happen again.
• You are the most handsome model ever!
• It's so good to see you again!
• It's finally Friday!
• I've had enough!
• I'm afraid of what might happen.
• It smells so bad!
• I love you.
• It hurts!
• I admire Albert Einstein so much...
• I hate you so much that I can't express it in words.
• What have I done to deserve this?
• Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!