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TRansactional Vs Interactional

This document discusses the transactional and interactional functions of discourse. It explains that transactional language aims to communicate a specific message, while interactional language aims to maintain social relationships. Most discourse contains elements of both. It provides examples of typical contexts, content, and characteristics for each function.

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591 views8 pages

TRansactional Vs Interactional

This document discusses the transactional and interactional functions of discourse. It explains that transactional language aims to communicate a specific message, while interactional language aims to maintain social relationships. Most discourse contains elements of both. It provides examples of typical contexts, content, and characteristics for each function.

Uploaded by

jeniva rose
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MODULE 2

Meaning and discourse in English

DISCOURSE FUNCTIONS -
TRANSACTION AND INTERACTION

Lecture 12

1
Functions of discourse

There are two important functions of any


Form of discourse. These are:

 Transactional

 Interactional

2
Transactional and interactional
The aim of transactional language is to
communicate a specific message
“I’d like a cup of tea, please” - ‘Here you are”
“Howard’s being eaten”
The aim of interactional language is to maintain a
social relationship
“good morning… good morning”

 Most discourse contains a mixture of


transactional and interactional language
3
Transctional v Interactional (1)
Aims and consequences
TRANSACTIONAL INTERACTIONAL

 Aim is for hearer to  Aim is for hearer to


understand feel that speaker is
message correctly friendly

 It has an effect on  It does not have an


the world effect on the world

4
Transactional v Interactional (2)
Typical contexts
TRANSACTIONAL INTERACTIONAL
 Doctor-patient  Phoning mum
 Customer-bank  Visiting a friend in
clerk hospital
 Teacher-pupil  Chatting at a bus
stop
 Internet chat
 Talking to the dog

5
Transactional v Interactional (3)
Typical content
TRANSACTIONAL INTERACTIONAL
 how to take the  greetings
medicine
 how to open an account
 coldness of the
weather
 how to do fractions
 recipe details
 lateness of the bus
 prettiness of the
baby

6
Cafè - Elizabeth/Jenny

 Typical ch’stics of speech - repetition, filler, expressions of


attitude, simple lexis
 Transactional (Is that ..?; I’ll have .. Can I have …? We’ll
come back ..)
 Interactional (tag questions - haven’t I?, shall we? inclusive
“we”; laughs; search for agreement; lots of speaker support and
cooperation from all speakers
 Adjacency pairs (question-answer)
 Insertion sequence (with milk?)
 Preferred responses
 Politeness markers

7
Conversations have both transactional
and interactional elements

The conversation in the cafè is an


example of both transaction and
interaction:
 The exchange between Elizabeth and

the assistant is basically transaction


 The exchange between Elizabeth and

her friends in mainly interactional

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