Analysing texts FUNCTION R. JAKOBSON

Six elements, or FACTORS OF COMMUNICATION, necessary for communication to occur: (1) context (extra-linguistic reality) (2) addresser (sender) (3) addressee (receiver) (4) contact (channel) (5) code (language itself) (6) message (aesthetic effect) EACH FACTOR = focal point of a relation (FUNCTION) that operates between text and factor

JAKOBSON’S MODEL Context (REFERENTIAL) Contact (PHATIC) Addresser (EMOTIVE) Addressee (CONATIVE) Code (METALINGUISTIC) Message (POETIC) For analysis: With what intention was this message transmitted? DOMINANT function + SECONDARY function(s) to support it Dominant overt function MAY NOT correspond with intention (hidden intention)

OVERVIEW OF FUNCTIONS EXPRESSIVE Sender’s attitudes: (interjections, emphatic speech) – praise, condemnation, apology, forgiveness, approval, reproach CONATIVE To influence the addressee (vocative/imperative/you/why don’t…?) – persuade, recommend, permit, order, warn REFERENTIAL Context or meaning: (conveying / asking for information) – reporting, describing, asserting, requesting, confirming, refuting Creates, prolongs, terminates contact: checking to see if the channel is working, attempts to maintain addressee’s attention, chat on peripheral topics to keep communication going (e.g. weather) PHATIC METALINGUISTIC The language’s ability to speak about itself and the code(s) it employs – questions of grammar + terminology (“what do you mean?” “I don’t follow what you are saying”) POETIC Relates to the value of words or language used in a special way to transmit message – rhymes, metaphors, puns…

EXAMPLES (1) referential (mainly denotative or cognitive;. referent- EXAMPLES (1) referential (mainly denotative or cognitive; referent- oriented; statements, often 3° person "The Earth is round") (2) emotive (expressing emotion or attitude, often exclamative: "Yuck!“ “Ouch!”) (3) conative (exhortatory; vocative; often imperative; persuade receiver: "Come here") (4) phatic (establish, maintain or prolong communication; attract attention "Hello?") (5) metalingual (self-explanatory “A sonnet has 14 lines”. "What do you mean by 'krill'?") (6) poetic (“I like Ike")

A MODEL FOR ANALYSIS Text type: Function(s): Register: Field... Tenor... Mode… Main semantic field(s):... Lexical relations: … Main type(s) of meaning conveyed by most words (propositional, expressive, evoked): ... False friends, collocational restrictions, loanwords, culture-specific terms or concepts (if any): … Discourse organization: Cohesion (realized through...) Thematic patterning (marked themes... IF RELEVANT Coherence Any noticeable features, esp. if likely to create problems in translation

From: Public service translation in cross-border healthcare (EU report) 3.b. Language Services 
 Across the participating Member States of this study language support for cross-border healthcare patients is not provided in an even and consistent manner. In most cases professional language support is not provided at all. This calls into question the right to access safe and high-quality healthcare. Cross-border patients in most cases are responsible for the translation of documents and medical records. Language provision is perceived as costly and not always essential. Findings highlight the following: 
 With alarming frequency, healthcare institutions do not provide any formal language services and ad-hoc language brokers are called upon to perform translation, interpreting and language/cultural mediation without compensation. 
 Family members or friends of the patient, as well as bilingual staff or volunteers translate and interpret since professional services are not offered. 
 When provided, professional interpreting services are offered across a range of modalities. Face-to-face, telephone and videoconference interpreting have all been documented. 


In both Germany and Greece professional language services are limited and were only observed in relation to consent forms and videoconference interpreting in private clinics, respectively. 
 In Italy institutions frequently call upon intercultural mediators to provide language services. 
 In Spain bilingual medical service is offered in regional languages. This includes the provision of bilingual forms and documents as well as the employment of bilingual staff and providers. Thus, no translation or interpreting is needed between the national and regional language 
 In the United Kingdom public healthcare institutions routinely offer professional language services to patients who do not understand written or spoken English. These institutions have Equality and Diversity departments in charge of guaranteeing equal access. 3.c. Cost 
 In the participating Member States language provision in healthcare is not included as a line item in any national budget. When professional services are available individual healthcare institutions, regional healthcare trusts or the patients themselves pay these costs. In many cases the alleged cost of service was cited to be a deterrent for the provision of professional language services. In other cases healthcare administrators reported that the cost for providing professional language services is recouped in the medium to long-term and that not providing such services prohibits social integration and actually costs healthcare institutions more in the long-term.