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
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“Speech and prose are not the same thing. They have different wave-lengths, for speech moves at the speed of light, where prose moves at the speed of the alphabet, and must be consecutive and grammatical and word-perfect. Prose cannot gesticulate. Speech can sometimes do nothing more.”
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