Language," says Saussure, "is not a function of the speaker."

根据索绪尔，语言不是个人的“

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选

Language of this source is a device, and in relation to other devices it's called a "function."

语言是一种工具，和其他工具一样有功能“

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选

So, in the language of calculus, x is a function of time and this is a particular function.

所以,从微积分的角度来看,x是一个关于时间的函数,而且是个很特殊的函数

耶鲁公开课 - 基础物理课程节选

Content is a function -or let me say practical language, the purpose, in other words, of communicating facts or of communicating at all, which we associate with practical language -is a function of poetic language.

他们认为，内容即是功能,实用语言的目的，就是交流，我们总是把交流和实用语言联系,但其实它也是诗歌语言的功能。

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选