名词解释题

Phatic function of language

【正确答案】

Language is used to establish an atmosphere or maintain social contact between the speaker and the hearer. Greetings, farewells, and comments on the weather serve this function. For example, the expressions such as “How do you do?” and “Ah, here you are” do not convey any meaning, but are used to establish a common sentiment between the speaker and the hearer.

【答案解析】