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In [[linguistics]], '''Sentence Function''' refers to a speaker's purpose in uttering a specific sentence, whether a listener is present or not. It answers the question: "Why has this been said?" Four of the most basic sentence functions in the majority of the world's languages include the ''declarative'', ''interrogative'', ''exclamatory'', and the ''imperative''. These correspond to a ''statement'', ''question'', ''exclamation'', and ''command'' respectively. The four main categories can be further specified as being either ''communicative'' or ''informative''.

In [[linguistics]], a sentence '''function''' refers to a speaker's purpose in uttering a specific sentence, clause, or phrase. Whether a listener is present or not is sometimes irrelevant. It answers the question: "Why has this been said?" The five basic '''sentence forms (or "structures")''' in English are the ''declarative'', ''interrogative'', ''exclamative'', ''imperative'' and the ''optative''. 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:<ref>https://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/clauses/discours.htm</ref>

==Communicative vs. Informative==

The line between communicative and informative can at times become a little blurred. However they do differ in a few very important ways.

''You need some help''

===Communicative Sentences===

These types of sentences are more intended for the speaker's sake than for any potential listener. These sentences tend to be less intentional, in general more rhetorical, and are usually about the here and now. Because of these features, it is speculated that this is pretty much the basis or limitation of any form of animal communication. (Speculated because scientists will never truly be able to understand non-human forms of communication like we do our own.)

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

====Exclamatory====

An exclamatory sentence is released because of, and expresses strong emotion. They are comparable to interjections. In [[punctuation]], an exclamatory is ended with an exclamation mark. For instance:

''You need some help?''

* ''I'll never finish this paper in time!''

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

====Imperative====

An imperative sentence gives an order or directions. Imperative sentences are a little more intentional than exclamatory sentences, and their aim is to get the person(s) being spoken to to either do or not do something. An imperative can end in either a period or an exclamation point.

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

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

* ''Help me!''

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

===Informative Sentences===

== Communicative vs. Informativeinformative ==

Informative sentences are more for the benefit of the listener than the speaker. They are more intentional, less rhetorical, and they intend to either provide or retrieve information. But perhaps the most differentiating quality that distinguishes informative sentences from the communicative is that the former show [[displacement]]. Displacement is information lost in time and space which allows us to communicate ideas in the past or future (not just the now), and that took or can take place at a separate ___location (from here). This is one of the biggest differences between human communication and most other animals.

While [[communication]] is traditionally defined as the transfer of [[information]], the two terms, under present context, are differentiated as follows below:

=== Communicative Sentencessentences ===

These types of sentences are more intended for the speaker's sake than for any potential listener. They are meant more for the speaker's immediate wants and needs. These sentences tend to be less intentional (out of frustration for example), in general more rhetoricalliteral, more primitive, and are usually about the here and now. Because of these features, it is generally speculated that this is pretty much the basis or limitation of any form of animal communication. (Speculated because scientists will never truly be able to understand non-human forms of communication like we do our own; although studies with "talking" primates have clued us in to a certain degree.)

==== 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:

''What a stupid man he is!''

''How wonderful you look!''

==== Imperative ====

An imperative sentence gives anything from a command or order, to a request, direction, instruction, suggestion, or implication. 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 ''[[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.

* ''HelpLook at me!.''

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

====Exclamatory 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 Sentencessentences ===

Informative sentences are more for the mutual benefit of both the listener than''and'' the speaker, and, in fact, require more of an interaction between both parties involved. They are more intentional or premeditated, less rhetoricalessential, more cooperative, and they intendaim 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 showmore naturally and freely make use of [[Displacement (linguistics)|displacement]]. Displacement isrefers to information lost in time and space which allows us to communicate ideas inrelating to the past or future (not just the now), and that tookhave taken or can take place at a separate ___location (from here). This is one of the biggest differences between human communication and mostthat of other animals.

==== Declarative ====

The declarative sentence is the most common kind of sentence, and can be considered the default form: when a language forms a question or a command, it will be a modification of the declarative. A declarative states an idea (either objectively or subjectively on the part of the speaker; and may be either true or false) for the 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.''

==== Interrogative ====

An interrogative sentence asks a question and hence ends with a question mark. In speech, it almost universally ends in a rising inflection. Its effort is to try to gather information that is presently unknown to the interrogator, or to seek validation for a preconceived notion held. Beyond seeking confirmation or contradiction, sometimes it is approval or permission that is sought as well, among other reasons one could have for posing a question. The one exception in which it isn't information that is needed, is when the question happens to be rhetorical (see [[Sentence function#Allofunctional implicature|allofunctional implicature]] section below). While an imperative is a call for action, an interrogative is a call for information.

* ''What do you want?''

* ''Are you feeling well?''

== 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), agree with or contradict a polar question (affirm or refute), be honest or deceive (speak frankly or lie), and be true or false (inform accurately or misinform). All qualify as declarative sentences. ''Declarative'' refers to a sentence's structure, while ''positive,'' ''affirmative'', and ''true'' deal with a sentence's grammatical [[Comparison (grammar)|degree of comparison]], [[Polarity item|polarity]], and [[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 primary, noncomparative sense 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.

In fact, an exclamatory, imperative, as well as a question can be in the negative form: ''I can't do this!'', ''Don't touch me'', ''Don't you want to?''

== See also ==

* [[Grammatical polarity]]

* [[Implicature]]

* [[Logic]]

* [[Rhetorical question]]

* [[Sentence (linguistics)]]

== Notes ==

{{reflist|group=note}}

== References ==

<references />

== Sources ==

* Laurie E. Rozakis, ''The Complete Idiot's Guide to Grammar and Style''. 2003. {{ISBN|978-1-59257-115-4}}

* George Yule, ''The Study of Language''. 2005. {{ISBN|978-0-521-54320-0}}

* Steven Pinker, ''The Language Instinct''. 1994 {{ISBN|0-06-095833-2}}

* https://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/clauses/discours.htm

[[Category:Semantics]]