Grammatical Functions
Functions exist on all levels of grammar, and even in phonology, where the function of the phoneme is to distinguish between lexical material.
- Semantic function: (Agent, Patient, Recipient, etc.), describing the role of participants in states of affairs or actions expressed.
- Syntactic functions: (e.g. subject and Object), defining different perspectives in the presentation of a linguistic expression
- Pragmatic functions: (Theme and Rheme, Topic and Focus) Predicate), defining the informational status of constituents, determined by the pragmatic context of the verbal interaction.
Read more about this topic: Functional Theories Of Grammar
Famous quotes containing the words grammatical and/or functions:
“Evil is simply
a grammatical error:
a failure to leap
the precipice
between “he”
and “I.””
—Linda Pastan (b. 1932)
“In today’s world parents find themselves at the mercy of a society which imposes pressures and priorities that allow neither time nor place for meaningful activities and relations between children and adults, which downgrade the role of parents and the functions of parenthood, and which prevent the parent from doing things he wants to do as a guide, friend, and companion to his children.”
—Urie Bronfenbrenner (b. 1917)