Phatic function

The phatic function is associated with the channel between speaker and listener. It is designed to create and sustain communication between them. That is: creating the physical as well as the psychological channel. Consequently, it is a function which relates back to both parties in the communication-process. What is even more particular about this function is that it can have various guises depending on whether it is used in the external or the internal communication systems.

If we examine the use of the phatic function in the external communication system, one could think of such obvious things as advertising, or the use of titles that arouse interest. Maintaining the audience's attention can be done by increasing the audience's involvement in the play. This goal can be achieved by the build-up of suspense, the use of epic communication structures leading to the possibility of the audience's identifying with one or more of the dramatic figures. In fact, the entire Ballad of Sweeney Todd (at the beginning of the show) may be said to be an example of this, with its haunting harmonies, punctuated by Dies Iræ.

In many case the phatic function in the internal communication system overlaps with the use of appellative function. The phatic function is used to create dialogical contact^5.9 between the various figures. One of the dialogue partners is addressed in order to ensure that communicative contact will occur or when he reacts to the former's player utterances, thus confirming the communicative contact. Phatic function becomes especially important in the wake of disrupted communication, as contact first has to be established, or when `maintaining' contact becomes the predominant or even the sole concern of such communication.

For an example of a speech with a high phatical content is Pirelli's Miracle Elixir. I shall discuss it in greater depth in the next chapter.