FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

Which function of language focuses on exchanging information with others?

1. Interactional Function

2. Informative Function

3. Personal Function

4. Heuristic Function

The correct answer is: Interactional Function

The choice identifying the function of language that focuses on exchanging information with others is the informative function. This function is primarily concerned with conveying facts, data, and knowledge, enabling communication that is aimed at providing clear and specific information to the audience. The informative function emphasizes the clarity and accuracy of the message, allowing for effective transmission of ideas, concepts, or instructions. It is fundamental in contexts where sharing knowledge and understanding is essential, such as in education, news reporting, and scientific communication. In contrast, other functions of language have different primary purposes. The interactional function focuses more on social relationships and maintaining communication with others, but it does not specifically target the exchange of information in the way that the informative function does. The personal function deals with expressing one’s thoughts and feelings, which may not necessarily involve imparting information. The heuristic function relates to learning and exploring, often through questioning and inquiry, which also differs from the direct goal of information exchange.