Sentence function: Difference between revisions

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In [[linguistics]], a sentence '''function''' refers to a speaker's purpose in uttering a specific sentence, phraseclause, or clausephrase. Whether a listener is present or not is sometimes irrelevant. It answers the question: "Why has this been said?" The fourfive basic '''sentence forms (or "structures")''' in English are the ''declarative'', ''interrogative'', ''exclamative'', ''imperative'' and the ''imperativeoptative''. These correspond to the '''discourse functions''' ''statement'', ''question'', ''exclamation'', and ''command'' respectively. The different forms involve different combinations in word order, the addition of certain auxiliaries or particles, or other times by providing a special form. There is no clear one-to-one correspondence between the forms/structures and their discourse functions. For example, a declarative form can be used to ask a question, and interrogative form can be used to make a statement.

For instance, the following sentence has declarative form: from <ref>https://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/clauses/discours.htm)</ref>

''You need some help''

But when this is spoken with a rising intonation, it becomes a question:

''You need some help?''

Conversely, rhetorical questions have the form of an interrogative, but they are really statements:

''Who cares? ( = I don't care)''

The four main categories can be further specified as being either ''communicative'' or ''informative'', although this is somewhat simplistic.

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==== Exclamative ====

An exclamative is a sentence type in English that typically spontaneously expresses a feeling or emotion, but does not use one of the other structures. It often has the form as in the examples below of [WH + Complement + Subject + Verb], but can be minor sentences (i.e. without a verb) such as [WH + Complement] ''How wonderful!''. In other words, exclamative sentences are used to make exclamations:

In other words, exclamative sentences are used to make exclamations:

''What a stupid man he is!''

''How wonderful you look!''

(from https://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/clauses/discours.htm)

==== Imperative ====

An imperative sentence gives anything from a command or order, to a request, direction, instruction, suggestion, or instructionimplication. Imperative sentences are more intentional than exclamatory sentences and ''do'' require an audience;,{{Efn|Although the audience could be the speaker (someone talking to themself), e.g., “Let me see, where did I put my glasses/keys/face mask?”|group=note}} as their aim is to get the person(s) being addressed either to do or to not do something. And although this function usually deals with the immediate temporal vicinity, its scope can be extended, i.e. you can order somebody to ''move out as soon as you find yourself a job''. The negative imperative can also be called the ''prohibitive'' and the inclusive plural imperative, the ''hortative[[cohortative]]''. It is debatable whether the imperative is only truly possible in the second person. The vocative case of nouns can be said to indicate the imperative as well since it does not seek information, but rather a reaction from the one being addressed. An imperative can end in either a period or an exclamation point depending on delivery.

* ''Look at me.''

* ''After separating them from the yolks, beat the whites until they are light and fluffy.''

==== Optative ====

An optative sentence describes wishes, desires, blessings, curses, prayers or hope regarding a given action. It is related to the subjunctive mood, a grammatical feature that indicates the speaker’s attitude toward something, such as a wish, emotions, judgment, possibility, opinion, obligation, or action that has yet to occur. Optative sentences may end with an exclamation mark or a full stop.

''Long live the king!''

''God bless you.''

=== Informative sentences ===

Informative sentences are more for the mutual benefit of both the listener ''and'' the speaker, and, in fact, require more of an interaction between both parties involved. They are more intentional or premeditated, less essential, more cooperative, and they aim to either provide or retrieve information, making them quintessential abstractions. But perhaps the most differentiating quality that distinguishes informative sentences from the communicative ones is that the former more naturally and freely make use of [[Displacement (linguistics)|displacement]]. Displacement refers to information lost in time and space which allows us to communicate ideas relating to the past or future (not just the now), and that have taken or can take place at a separate ___location (from here). To an extent, thisThis is one of the biggest differences between human communication and that of other animals.

==== Declarative ====

The declarative sentence is the most common kind of sentence in language, in most situations, and in a way can be considered the default function of a sentence. What this means essentially is thatform: when a language modifies a sentence in order to formforms a question or give a command, theit basewill formbe willa alwaysmodification beof the declarative. In its most basic sense, aA declarative states an idea (either objectively or subjectively on the part of the speaker; and may be either true or false) for the sheer purpose of transferring information. In writing, a statement will end with a period.

* ''The internet connection is working again.''

* ''She must be out of her mind.''

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== Declarative vs. affirmative vs. positive ==

A declarative statement is not synonymous with an [[affirmative (linguistics)|affirmative]] one, nor need it be [[true]]. Declaratives may be phrased positively or negatively (assert or negate), affirmagree with or refutecontradict a propositionpolar question (supportaffirm or underminerefute), be honest or dishonestdeceive (speak frankly or deceivelie), or mayand be true or false (inform accurately or misinform). All qualify as declarative sentences. ''Declarative'' refers to a sentence's function or purposestructure, while ''affirmativepositive,'', ''positiveaffirmative'', and ''true'' deal with a sentence's topicalitygrammatical [[Comparison (grammar)|degree of comparison]], grammatical[[Polarity item|polarity]], and veracity[[veridicality]], which is why the different terms can overlap simultaneously.

Though not as erroneous as the above misnomer, there is a clouding that can occur between the slight distinction of the affirmative, and the [[positive (linguistics)|positive]]. Although it semantically speaking comes natural that ''positive'' is the opposite of ''negative'', and therefore should be completely synonymous with ''affirmative'', grammatically speaking, once again they tend to be separate entities; depending on specificity. ''Positive'' in linguistic terms refers to the degreeprimary, ofnoncomparative the qualitysense of an adjective or adverb, while ''affirmative'' refers to the perceived validity of the ''entire'' sentence.

Thus, all three terms being separate entities, an adjective or adverb can be in the positive degree but expressed in the negative, so that the sentence, ''This hummer does not seem to be eco-friendly'', has all negative, positive, and declarative properties.