FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

Which function of language is associated with maintaining contact with others?

1. Personal Function

2. Interactional Function

3. Imaginary Function

4. Heuristic Function

The correct answer is: Interactional Function

The interactional function of language is primarily focused on maintaining social relationships and facilitating communication between individuals. This function emphasizes how language is used not just to convey information but also to create connections, establish rapport, and engage in social exchanges. This aspect of language is crucial in everyday conversations, where individuals use greetings, small talk, and verbal cues to maintain interactions and express social bonds. The other functions of language serve different purposes. The personal function relates to self-expression and sharing one's thoughts or feelings, the imaginary function involves creativity and storytelling, and the heuristic function refers to the use of language to acquire knowledge and understand the world. While each of these functions plays a unique role in communication, the interactional function is specifically geared toward fostering ongoing contact and interaction with others.