Topic 28: Linguistic macro-functions to express the most common communicative intentions: establish and maintain social relationships; give and ask for information about objects, people and actions; express intellectual and emotional attitudes.

(Introduction) The aim of this unit is to examine the main linguistic macrofunctions to express the most usual communicative intentions, that is,

• firstly, initiating and maintaining social relationship

• secondly, giving and asking for information about objects, people and actions

• and finally, expressing emotional and intellectual attitudes.

(Introduction) In order to do so, this paper will begin with

an overview of functional grammar, including a discussion of language functions.

(Introduction) This will be followed by a section on the content of oral communication, focusing on

key areas of pragmatics such as:

• speech act theory

• and Grice’s Cooperative Principle (1975).

(Introduction) The final section will address pragmatic competence,

analysing the main language macrofunctions.

(Functional grammar, SFL) Halliday’s theory of functional grammar (2003), also known as Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), is

a powerful way to analyse language as a tool for meaning-making, not just as a set of grammatical rules.

(Functional grammar, SFL) SFL sees language as dynamic, social and purposeful,

offering speakers a range of options to express themselves depending on what they want to do and who they are talking to.

(Functional grammar, SFL) Halliday’s theory of functional grammar (2003), also known as

Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL)

(Functional grammar, SFL)

(Functional grammar, SFL)

(Functional grammar, SFL)

(Functional grammar, SFL)