Social purposes

Question 1

Informal

Answer 1

• encouraging intimacy, solidarity and equality
• maintaining and challenging positive and negative face needs
• promoting linguistic innovation
• supporting in-group membership

Question 2

Formal

Answer 2

• maintaining and challenging positive and negative face needs
• reinforcing social distance and authority
• establishing expertise
• promoting social harmony, negotiating social taboos and building rapport
• clarifying, manipulating or obfuscating