VOCATIVES: definition and examples

Language is a malleable and manipulable tool that can be decorated and adorned in infinite ways depending on the use that we are going to give it. That is something that we all already know very well. And it is that we use that linguistic characteristic every day, even unconsciously. Therefore, depending on the intention of the speaker, certain words will or will not be used to achieve a specific purpose.

Among these factors we find the vocative words, which have a specific utility in speech and that, although we do not believe it, they have an important relevance in our language. Therefore, in a Teacher we are going to see the definition of vocatives with examples. Go for it?

Vocatives are nothing more than words that are used in order to call or name a person. It is through this word that we know as vocatives with which we call the attention of a person (or several people).

As we said, this discursive factor focuses our message on a specific receiver, and this is known as appellate function of language

. This appellative function we are talking about is defined as the function that is responsible for calling, invoking or naming a person and directing the discursive moment to that specific receiver (which can also be collective).

Vocative types and examples

There are different ways to perform this appealing function using various types of vocative words. For example, the use of the recipients' proper names, surnames or nicknames as a method of calling attention would, in general, be the most common vocatives.

However, they are not the only vocatives that we usually find. And it is that, as we said above, this appellative function that we find in the vocatives It can also be aimed at groups. That is why we can find vocatives born from the use of the title, job, situation social, institutions or any other characteristic or adjective that can unite several people in a collective.

Let's see some examples:

• Dear students, this week we will not have class, since it is a holiday.
• Stop saying that, Juan.
• It's so cold out there child, take a jacket.

In relation to what was developed above, we must say that these vocatives do not have to be a single word either, since we can find them made up of two or more words. For instance:

• My love, I miss you so much.
• Dear Mrs. Eloísa Jiménez, I hope you are enjoying a relaxing stay at our hotel.

We have already seen, roughly, all that vocatives could be, however, for these words to be considered as such, they must fulfill a specific function. For a proper, common name, or any other word that we include within the locatives to act as such, it must be expressly directed towards that receiver (or receivers) to which it refers. Therefore, if those same words appeared in a different context, without the intention of attracting the attention of those named, or invoking them or anything like that, they would not be considered vocative.

It is very common to find these vocatives that we are talking about between commas, either at the beginning, at the end or in the middle of the sentence. Moreover, and rather, the fact that they are between commas is a fundamental characteristic in vocatives.

In fact, the use of this comma in the vocative is very important, since if we eliminate it we totally get rid of the vocative sense of the sentence. The difference in the same sentence with a comma and vocative value or without a comma is abysmal (semantically speaking). Let's see, then, an example about it:

• Vicente, stop playing board games. (The sender asks Vicente to stop playing board games using the receiver's own name as a vocative appellative. That is why we find the name between commas, highlighting Vicente's name, as well as the appealing nature of calling attention to it and separating this from the sentence principal).
• Vicente stops playing board games. (Removing the comma, Vicente is the one who stops playing board games. The vocative value has completely disappeared, since his proper name is not being used as a call for attention and the prayer is not even directed towards Vincent himself).

To finish this lesson, we are going to leave you some eExamples of vocatives in Spanish. They are as follows:

• Thanks or for all your help, partner.
• Girls, Are we going from a rural house on vacation?
• Affection, I'm already home.
• Stop screaming like that Pablo.
• Let's see, heavy, I have already told you three times that I will go with you without problems.
• Programmers, you can start with your part now.
• I've been telling you for several days, Irene, things are never that easy.
• It is understood, my captain.
• ¡But Elena! Long time no see!