Reader Perception of Language Functionality

A Pragmatic Study of Billboards of Private Schools in Sargodha

Abstract

This research study analyzed the billboards of private schools in Sargodha pragmatically and the function of the language as well. This research did a fabulous job because it educate its reader about the emotive content used in billboard preparation and how it has a serious impact on the reader’s mind. This research deals with the pragmatic functions of the language everything used in the billboard’s preparation as well. This study grabbedur attention with the convincing words and sentences used on the billboards that hit our emotions and psyches and shed light on the attention-seeking designs of the billboards. The researcher used the Likert Scale built up a questionnaire applied it during an academic survey in the city, and collected the required data for the research. Opinions of citizens of Sargodha give the required results of that research as well. The research used Roman Jacobson’s model of functions of language. These six functions are the referential function, Emotive function, Poetic function, Conative function, phatic function and multilingual function. From the six functions of Jacobson’s model, the researcher used only the “Emotive functions” to achieve the aims of the study. The researcher also used different literary devices like Imperatives, Adjectives, Strong Verbs, Pronouns, Exaggeration, and involving the readers. This research sheds light on every aspect that can be used by any educational institution to try to improve the reputation of its school in the eyes of the people. The research fully proves that the school succeeds in persuading its billboards to a great extent by various methods. The language and arrangement of the billboards are such that the reader or viewer is immediately convinced and the original purpose of the private school is fulfilled.