Language is a vehicle for establishing interpersonal relations and performing social transactions between individuals. This view is most closely associated with which theory?

• A. Transformationalist
• B. Structuralist
• C. Pragmatics
• D. Interactionist

Answer: (D)

Language as a tool for building relationships and carrying out social exchanges points to an interactionist view. This perspective treats language as something people use in social contexts to connect with others, negotiate meaning, and perform actions within conversations. It emphasizes how relationships, politeness, roles, and shared norms shape how language is used and learned, highlighting the social purposes of communication.

In contrast, theories focused on internal structure or grammatical rules describe how language is organized rather than how it functions in social life. That’s why this statement best fits the interactionist approach.