Zachy Transcript

Halliday's Functions of Speech closely relate to the Zachy transcript I have been analysing.

Michael Halliday created 7 functions which are present in child's language acquisition: Instrumental, Regulatory, Interactional, Personal, Representational, Heuristic, Imaginative.

In reference to the Zachy transcript, here are some quotes which can be explained by Halliday's theories.

Instrumental - A child uses language to express their needs
'It doesn't go frough' is an utterance made by Zachy when explaining that the pen will not fit in the binding of his notepad. This is a declarative, because he stating that the pen will not go through. However, it's also a cloaked imperative - Zachy is implying that he would like help from his mother with this task. He is using this phrase to express his need to carry out a particular action.

Regulatory - A child uses language to influence the behaviour of others
'Look, blown away dose papers' is an utterance spoken by Zachy to explain what is happening in the book he is reading. The imperative 'Look' commands his mother to see what he is seeing, persuading her to do so.

Interactional - A child uses language to develop social relationships
'Mummy' and 'Daddy' are address terms used frequently by Zachy towards his parents. This signifies the personal relation he has with them - one that is unique to these particular people. It also implies he has a close relation to his parents, because not all children will use this lexis to address their parents.

Personal - A child uses language to express personal preferences and individual identity
'I don't like bolognay' is an utterance which implies a personal preference of Zachys. The declarative shows that he has an opinion in which presents his individual identity.

Representational - A child uses language to exchange information
'I can't get it up dere' is a declarative uttered by Zachy expressing the fact he can't move an interactive part of the book he is reading. As well as this, it's a cloaked imperative of the fact he wants help with this action, most likely from his mother.

Heuristic - A child uses language to learn of and explore the environment and to learn
'What's this lasagne?' is an interrogative spoken by Zachy to ask what his mother is eating. This is an example of an overextension of the term 'bolognaise' because Zachy has recognised that they are similar things. This utterance also shows that Zachy is curious about the objects that are around him, and he wants to find out more

Imaginative - A child uses language to tell stories and jokes, creating an imaginary environment
'Oh, we're in the railway station' is an utterance spoken by Zachy to explain what is happening in the book he is reading. He is using a declarative to describe to his mother what the setting is, therefore setting the environment in his book.