International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature (ijsell) Volume 2, Issue 8, August 2014, pp 116-130

Structural Linguistics and its Implication to Language Teaching 
 
International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature (IJSELL) Page | 122
2.
 
The Function of Language 
It is a fact that human beings use language as a vital means of communication in their life. 
Language is had by human beings. Language is one of the main distinguishing features of human 
beings than the other living beings in this world. Every member of the community involved in 
linguistic communication; on the one hand, he acted as a speaker and on the other hand as an 
observer/a listener. In smooth communication, the process of changing from speaker to 
observer/listener, from observer/listener to speaker becomes observer speaker is so fast, feels like 
a normal and natural event, which for the average person it is no need to be disputed, analyzed, 
and studied. 
Another case for the experts in the field of linguistics and language teaching. If “a language 
event” between the” speaker” and the “observer/listener” is analyzed, the transition can be seen 
like in the following figure (figure 2 below). 
TRANSITION
 
Figure 2.
A Language Event (Brooks, 1964: 4) 
Language has an important function for human beings, the most important is the function of 
communication. Talking about the function of language, the name of Halliday should be 
discussed. From his book entitled “
Exploration in the Development of Language
” (1975) there are 
seven functions of language as his finding. They are: 
a.
The Instrumental Function 
This fungtion serves the process of environment, caused specific events happen. 
b.
The Regulatory Function 
This function acts to supervise and control every event that is happened. The regulation 
function or this management acts to conduct and control other people. 
c.
The Representational Function 
It is the use of language to make statements, to tell the facts and knowledge, to explain or to 
report, to represent the reality fact, as an example is the following statement: “the sun is hot”. 
d.
The Interactional Function 
The task is to stabilize and to strengthen the status of the social communication happen. The 
success of interactional communication is caused by enough knowledge of “slang”, “jargon”, 
“funny story”, “folklore”, “common etique”, and “culture”. “the way to perform”, etc. 
e.
The Personal Function 
It gives the opportunity to speakers in expressing their feeling of own emotion, egoism, and 
deep reaction. Ones personality usually signed by its personal of language function in 
communication. In the nature of personal language, it is clear that the awareness, feeling, and 
culture play the interaction together with the deepest way that do not researched yet. 
SPEAKER 
LISTENER 
Purpose 
Encoding 
Phonation
Understanding 
Decoding 
Auditions

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