A Functionalist is someone who adheres to the principles of Functionalism, a theoretical approach that emphasizes the practical functions of social institutions and structures. Functionalist theory posits that social systems exist to fulfill specific functions, and that these functions contribute to the overall stability and well-being of society. According to this perspective, social institutions such as the family, education, and government exist to serve specific purposes, and when they function properly, they contribute to the smooth operation of society as a whole. Functionalist theory is often associated with the work of sociologist Emile Durkheim, who argued that social institutions are necessary to maintain social order and prevent anomie, or a state of normlessness and confusion. Durkheim believed that social institutions serve to regulate behavior and ensure that individuals conform to societal norms and values. In addition to its application in sociology, Functionalism has also been influential in the fields of psychology and linguistics. In psychology, Functionalism emphasizes the adaptive functions of mental processes and behavior, and seeks to understand how these processes contribute to an individual's ability to adapt to their environment. In linguistics, Functionalism emphasizes the communicative functions of language, and seeks to understand how language is used to convey meaning and achieve specific goals.
sociology, social institutions, stability, well-being, Emile Durkheim, psychology, mental processes, behavior, linguistics, communicative functions, meaning
Functionalism is a linguistic school of thought which emphasizes the functions of language in society. It views language as a tool to ensure survival and social cohesion, and is concerned with the study of how language is employed to serve human needs. In other words, functionalism seeks to understand how language is used to shape and influence the experiences and actions of its users. As such, functionalist language scholars often study interdependent linguistic systems, investigating the ways in which languages interact with one another in order to understand the sociological implications of language and its function in society. Equivalent terms in other languages include: Aktionalismus (German), fonksiyonalizm (Russian), fonksiyonalizasyon (Cebuano), fonksiyonalismo (Spanish), fonksiyonalisme (Indonesian), कार्यक्षम्यवाद (Hindi), 功能主義 (Chinese), カテゴリー翻訳アプローチ (Japanese), функціоналізм (Ukrainian), funkcionalizmus (Slovak), fonksiyonalizm (Turkish).
Functionalism, Aktionalismus, fonksiyonalizm, fonksiyonalizasyon, fonksiyonalismo, fonksiyonalisme, कार्यक्षम्यवाद, 功能主義, カテゴリー翻訳アプローチ, функціоналізм, funkcionalizmus, fonksiyonalizm, language, linguistics, sociology, interdependent systems, influence, ex
Functionalist is a term used primarily to define a certain school of linguistics, contrary to its counterpart, the structuralist school. Initially, the functionalist school was founded by Mikhail Bakhtin and adopted by Russian Formalism, which developed lexicology and stylistics in the early 1900s. The role of the functionalists was to emphasize the role of context in the meaning of linguistics and grammatical structure. This school has since been further refined and expanded by American Functionalists such as Kenneth L. Pike, Charles Fillmore, and Susan Ervin-Tripp among others. At the core of the functionalist school is the idea that the functions of language can be derived from its structures. The morphological and etymological developments of functionalism have made it an important tool in both linguistic analysis and the study of cognitive linguistics. It also allows linguists to understand how language works in the real world.
Morphology, Etymology, Pragmatics, Contextual Meaning, Lexicology
The word Functionalist is a noun that describes a person who believes in the principles advocated by the philosophical movement of Functionalism. Functionalists believe that the purpose of mental states is to perform functions. Synonyms for Functionalist include progressive, optimist, and believer. Antonyms include traditionalist, pessimist, and doubter. Cognates of the word include French “fonctionnaliste” and German “Funktionalismus”. Variants of the word Functionalist include “functionariate” and “functionalism”.
Morphology, Etymology, Definition, Synonyms, Antonyms, Cognates, Root, Suffixes, Prefixes, Variants.
Functionalism is an architectural style that focuses on utility above all else. It seeks to design structures that are efficient, cost-effective and in harmony with the environment. Functionalist buildings have a distinct style, consisting of plain surfaces that are broken up with geometric shapes. These shapes are placed to create the most efficient use of available space. Important works in this style include the Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier and The Unite d'Habitation by Auguste Perret.
Functionalism, Architecture, Utility, Efficiency, Cost-Effectiveness, Geometric Shapes, Villa Savoye, Le Corbusier, Unite d'Habitation, Auguste Perret
CITATION : "Minh Nguyen. 'Functionalist.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=201869 (Accessed on July 16, 2025)"
We have 216.545 Topics and 472.615 Entries and Functionalist has 5 entries on Design+Encyclopedia. Design+Encyclopedia is a free encyclopedia, written collaboratively by designers, creators, artists, innovators and architects. Become a contributor and expand our knowledge on Functionalist today.