Jakobson's "Two Aspects of Linguistic Theory"

Jakobson’s "Two Aspects of Linguistic Theory" explains that language functions serve two main purposes: the expressive, which conveys the speaker’s feelings and identity, and the communicative, which focuses on sharing information and understanding between people. He highlights that language is flexible, balancing these aspects depending on context. For example, poetry emphasizes expression, while a news report emphasizes clear communication. This concept helps us understand how language adapts to different situations and why we may emphasize different functions in speech and writing.