ABSTRACT
One of the traits of human language that distinguishes it from other kinds of communication is the ability to perform different functions through the use of particular linguistic expressions. Language can be used simply to convey information, as in the sentence, My dog loves to eat falafel. It can also negate part of the information in a sentence, as in, My dog does not like to eat falafel or My dog has never eaten falafel. Through language, we can also request information: What kind of food does your dog like? Does your dog like to eat falafel? The way we use language can cause people to do things with sentences like, Please close the window, or Can you pass the jam? Languages have different structures for conveying information, negating a message or part of it, requesting information, and causing others to act. The structures we use for these particular functions are called declaratives, both affirmative and negative, questions (interrogatives), and imperatives.
