A socio-pragmatic comparative study of

2.6. Form, Meaning, And Function 
People usually use language to perform certain functions in the course of 
communication. These functions include requesting, arguing, ordering, inviting, .... 
These communicative functions are almost always carried out within a context. The 
speaker, on the basis of his intent, level of emotions, and relationship with the 
addressee, chooses a way to express his argument. He may be more direct in arguing 
with a friend than with a stranger. 
Furthermore, the mere knowledge of meanings, forms, and functions of a particular 
language is insufficient for the speakers because communication is a complicated 
process. This knowledge should also be applicable to the negotiation of meaning. The 
interaction between hearers and speakers, or readers and writers makes meaning clear. 
In reaction to the utterances of the speaker, the hearer does provide him with feedback 
as to whether or not he understands what the speaker has said. This guarantees the 
speaker's ability to, whenever necessary, revise what he has said. It will also give the 
speaker some hints as to whether he should repeat himself or not.
2.7. Context 
It has been repeatedly emphasized by linguists that the functions of language should be 
performed within a context. As such, it seems crucially important to define the term 
context here (cf. 2.5.) 
Context is both social and interpersonal. It is social in the sense that context 
encompasses the internal organization of a society, its intentions, internal differences, 
sub-groupings, and so on. Therefore, the study of language in a social context consists 

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CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE 
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of the study of the linguistic material produced within the structure of the society. It 
focuses on the way in which particular characteristics of the society affect the structure 
of change and variation of the language spoken, and, conversely, to the way in which 
different attitudes about its variation affect the internal dimensions and forces of the 
recipient community. 
The interpersonal context usually takes priority over the social context in such sub-
disciplines as pragmatics, discourse analysis, conversation(al) analysis, etc. These 
disciplines are not devoted to understanding the interaction of the linguistic structure of 
the society. The focus is rather on the individuals involved in the interaction. These 
individuals are the speaker and the hearer, or the reader and the writer. The 
interpersonal context, here, is essential to the understanding of the exchanged utterances 
or texts. Such a context usually includes statements rooted in psychology, such as 
intentions, beliefs, and rationality.