The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language

Zahraa Adnan Fadhil

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13

| Peer-Reviewed

The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language

Zahraa Adnan Fadhil

Published in English Language, Literature & Culture (Volume 7, Issue 2)

Received: 25 October 2021 Accepted: 15 November 2021 Published: 27 June 2022

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

This paper considers the social function of phatic communication in English. Phatic communication does not inform; it strengthens social bonds and ensures that the channel of communication is open. In other words, phatic communication is concerned with the process of communication not the content of communication. The following question is explored: What are the communicative situations that the phenomenon of phatic communication can function properly in? Thus, the paper aims at identifying the function of phatic communication along with some contextual elements influencing it. To achieve the above aim, it is hypothesized that phatic communication is intended to establish ties of union among interlocutors rather than seeking information. In order to achieve the aim of the study and examine its hypothesis, the following procedures are adopted: 1) Conducting a theoretical account of phatic communication in English along with its function from different perspectives, and 2) Investigating the relationship between phatic communication and politeness according to the literature written. Then, it is inferred that phatic communication is a type of communication that has a social function rather than informative function. It is generally used to serve social functions like establishing and maintaining a friendly and harmonious atmosphere between interlocutors. Phatic communication is a social lubricant that does not convey information, but it only keeps communication lines open.

Published in	English Language, Literature & Culture (Volume 7, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13
Page(s)	62-65
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Phatic Communication, Function, Politeness

References

[1]	Abercrombie, D. 1998. “Phatic Communion,” in Concise Encyclopaedia of Pragmatics. Ed. J. L. MEY. Oxford: Elsevier.
[2]	Bayraktaroglu, Arin and Sifianou, Maria. 2001. Linguistic Politeness Across Boundaries. Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
[3]	Boxer, Diana. 2002. Applying Sociolinguistics. Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
[4]	Butler, Christopher S.; Downing, Raquel Hidalgo; Lavid Julia (eds.). (2007). Functional Perspectives on Grammar and Discourse: In Honour of Angela Downing. Pheladelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Co.
[5]	Carl, James. 1980. Contrastive Analysis. London: Routledge.
[6]	Cavusgil, Tamer; Ghuari, Pervez N.; and Liu, Leigh Anne. 2021. Doing Business in Emerging Markets. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
[7]	Clark, Billy. 2013. Relevance Theory. New York: CUP.
[8]	Cummings, L (ed.). 2010. The Routledge Pragmatics Encyclopedia. New York: Routledge.
[9]	Garcia, Ofelia and Otheguy, Ricardo. 1989. English Across Cultures, Cultures Across English: A Reader in Cross- Cultural Communication. New York: de Gruyter.
[10]	González, Ana Marta (ed.). 2016. The Emotions and Cultural Analysis. New York: Routledge.
[11]	Gramley, Stephan and Patzold, Kurt- Michael. 2004. A Survey of Modern English. New York: Routledge.
[12]	Jørgensen, J. Normann (ed.). 2010. Love Ya Hate Ya: The Sociolinguistic Study of Youth Language and Youth Identities. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
[13]	Laver. 1975. Communicative Functions of Phatic Communion. In A. Kendon, R. M. Harris and M. R. Key (eds.) Organisation of Behaviour in Face-to-face Interaction. The Hague: Mouton, 215-238.
[14]	Markopoulos, Panos; Ruyter, de Boris; and Mackay, Wendy. 2009. Awareness Systems. New York: Springer.
[15]	Morrissey, J. and Callaghan, P. 2011. Communication Skills for Mental Health Nurses. New York: Open University Press.
[16]	Musolf, Gil Richard. 2003. Structure and Agency in Everyday Life. New York: RLPI.
[17]	Odebunmi, Akin and Mathangwane, Joice T. (eds). 2015. Essays on Language, Communication and Literature in Africa. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
[18]	Parret, Herman. 1993. Pretending to Communicate. New York: de Gruyter.
[19]	Senft, Gunter; Ostman, Jan- Ola; and Verschueren, Jef. 2009. Culture and Language Use. Philadelphia: John Benjamin.
[20]	Stenström, Anna-Brita and Jörgensen, Annette Myre. "A Matter of Politeness? A Contrastive Study of Phatic Talk in Teenage Conversation," International Pragmatics Association (2008). https://benjamins.com/online/prag/pdf/2772e0d3-c81e-4b66-b2e0-d3c81e5b666b/prag.18.4/prag.18.4.04ste.pdf (accessed April 30, 2022).
[21]	West, Richard and Turner, Lynn. 2011. Understanding Interpersonal Communication: Making Choices in Changing Times. Boston: Wadsworth.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Zahraa Adnan Fadhil. (2022). The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language. English Language, Literature & Culture, 7(2), 62-65. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Zahraa Adnan Fadhil. The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language. Engl. Lang. Lit. Cult. 2022, 7(2), 62-65. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Zahraa Adnan Fadhil. The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language. Engl Lang Lit Cult. 2022;7(2):62-65. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13,
  author = {Zahraa Adnan Fadhil},
  title = {The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language},
  journal = {English Language, Literature & Culture},
  volume = {7},
  number = {2},
  pages = {62-65},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ellc.20220702.13},
  abstract = {This paper considers the social function of phatic communication in English. Phatic communication does not inform; it strengthens social bonds and ensures that the channel of communication is open. In other words, phatic communication is concerned with the process of communication not the content of communication. The following question is explored: What are the communicative situations that the phenomenon of phatic communication can function properly in? Thus, the paper aims at identifying the function of phatic communication along with some contextual elements influencing it. To achieve the above aim, it is hypothesized that phatic communication is intended to establish ties of union among interlocutors rather than seeking information. In order to achieve the aim of the study and examine its hypothesis, the following procedures are adopted: 1) Conducting a theoretical account of phatic communication in English along with its function from different perspectives, and 2) Investigating the relationship between phatic communication and politeness according to the literature written. Then, it is inferred that phatic communication is a type of communication that has a social function rather than informative function. It is generally used to serve social functions like establishing and maintaining a friendly and harmonious atmosphere between interlocutors. Phatic communication is a social lubricant that does not convey information, but it only keeps communication lines open.},
 year = {2022}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language
AU  - Zahraa Adnan Fadhil
Y1  - 2022/06/27
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13
T2  - English Language, Literature & Culture
JF  - English Language, Literature & Culture
JO  - English Language, Literature & Culture
SP  - 62
EP  - 65
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-2413
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13
AB  - This paper considers the social function of phatic communication in English. Phatic communication does not inform; it strengthens social bonds and ensures that the channel of communication is open. In other words, phatic communication is concerned with the process of communication not the content of communication. The following question is explored: What are the communicative situations that the phenomenon of phatic communication can function properly in? Thus, the paper aims at identifying the function of phatic communication along with some contextual elements influencing it. To achieve the above aim, it is hypothesized that phatic communication is intended to establish ties of union among interlocutors rather than seeking information. In order to achieve the aim of the study and examine its hypothesis, the following procedures are adopted: 1) Conducting a theoretical account of phatic communication in English along with its function from different perspectives, and 2) Investigating the relationship between phatic communication and politeness according to the literature written. Then, it is inferred that phatic communication is a type of communication that has a social function rather than informative function. It is generally used to serve social functions like establishing and maintaining a friendly and harmonious atmosphere between interlocutors. Phatic communication is a social lubricant that does not convey information, but it only keeps communication lines open.
VL  - 7
IS  - 2
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Zahraa Adnan Fadhil

Department of English, College of Education, Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Zahraa Adnan Fadhil. (2022). The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language. English Language, Literature & Culture, 7(2), 62-65. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Zahraa Adnan Fadhil. The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language. Engl. Lang. Lit. Cult. 2022, 7(2), 62-65. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Zahraa Adnan Fadhil. The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language. Engl Lang Lit Cult. 2022;7(2):62-65. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13,
  author = {Zahraa Adnan Fadhil},
  title = {The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language},
  journal = {English Language, Literature & Culture},
  volume = {7},
  number = {2},
  pages = {62-65},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ellc.20220702.13},
  abstract = {This paper considers the social function of phatic communication in English. Phatic communication does not inform; it strengthens social bonds and ensures that the channel of communication is open. In other words, phatic communication is concerned with the process of communication not the content of communication. The following question is explored: What are the communicative situations that the phenomenon of phatic communication can function properly in? Thus, the paper aims at identifying the function of phatic communication along with some contextual elements influencing it. To achieve the above aim, it is hypothesized that phatic communication is intended to establish ties of union among interlocutors rather than seeking information. In order to achieve the aim of the study and examine its hypothesis, the following procedures are adopted: 1) Conducting a theoretical account of phatic communication in English along with its function from different perspectives, and 2) Investigating the relationship between phatic communication and politeness according to the literature written. Then, it is inferred that phatic communication is a type of communication that has a social function rather than informative function. It is generally used to serve social functions like establishing and maintaining a friendly and harmonious atmosphere between interlocutors. Phatic communication is a social lubricant that does not convey information, but it only keeps communication lines open.},
 year = {2022}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Function of Phatic Communication in the English Language
AU  - Zahraa Adnan Fadhil
Y1  - 2022/06/27
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13
T2  - English Language, Literature & Culture
JF  - English Language, Literature & Culture
JO  - English Language, Literature & Culture
SP  - 62
EP  - 65
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-2413
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20220702.13
AB  - This paper considers the social function of phatic communication in English. Phatic communication does not inform; it strengthens social bonds and ensures that the channel of communication is open. In other words, phatic communication is concerned with the process of communication not the content of communication. The following question is explored: What are the communicative situations that the phenomenon of phatic communication can function properly in? Thus, the paper aims at identifying the function of phatic communication along with some contextual elements influencing it. To achieve the above aim, it is hypothesized that phatic communication is intended to establish ties of union among interlocutors rather than seeking information. In order to achieve the aim of the study and examine its hypothesis, the following procedures are adopted: 1) Conducting a theoretical account of phatic communication in English along with its function from different perspectives, and 2) Investigating the relationship between phatic communication and politeness according to the literature written. Then, it is inferred that phatic communication is a type of communication that has a social function rather than informative function. It is generally used to serve social functions like establishing and maintaining a friendly and harmonious atmosphere between interlocutors. Phatic communication is a social lubricant that does not convey information, but it only keeps communication lines open.
VL  - 7
IS  - 2
ER  -

Copy | Download