Part i the clause 1. The architecture of language 1. 1 Text and grammar 1.2 Phonology and grammar 3 Basic concepts for the study of language 1.4 Context, language and other semiotic systems 1.5 The location of grammar in language; the role of corpus 1.6 Theory, description and analysis 1. 1 Text and grammar Systemic functional grammar is designed for analyzing and interpreting texts Text refers to any instance of language, in any medium, that make someone who knows the language To a grammarian text is a rich, many-faceted phenomenon that means" in many different ways Focusing on the text as an object, the grammarian will be asking questions such (1)Why does the text mean what it does(to me, or to someone else)?(2)Why is it alued as it is? Focusing on the text as an institution, the grammarian will be asking what the text reveals about the system of the language in which it is spoken or written I.1.1 Constituency:(1)Phonological Rank scale: Line- foot syllable(rhyme onset)- phoneme (consonants vowels) (1)Little miss muffet sat on a tuffet Eating her curds and whey There came a big spider Which sat down beside her And frightened Miss Muffet away Rank scale: a hierarchy of units related by constituency Rank: each step in the hierarchy 1.1.2 Constituency:(2) Graphological Rank scale: Sentence-sub-sentence-word-letter [spelling punctuation ( 1) Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet There came a big spide, eL Eating her curds and whe Which sat down beside her And frightened Miss Muffet away 1.1.3 Constituency: (3)lexicogrammatical Rank scale: clause complex -clause-group/phrase-word-morpheme ( 1) Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet Eating her curds and whey There came a big spider Which sat down beside her And frightened Miss Muffet away
1 Part I The clause 1. The architecture of language 1.1 Text and grammar 1.2 Phonology and grammar 1.3 Basic concepts for the study of language 1.4 Context, language and other semiotic systems 1.5 The location of grammar in language; the role of corpus 1.6 Theory, description and analysis 1.1 Text and grammar Systemic functional grammar is designed for analyzing and interpreting texts. Text refers to any instance of language, in any medium, that makes sense to someone who knows the language. To a grammarian, text is a rich, many-faceted phenomenon that “means” in many different ways. Focusing on the text as an object, the grammarian will be asking questions such as: (1) Why does the text mean what it does (to me, or to someone else)? (2) Why is it valued as it is? Focusing on the text as an institution, the grammarian will be asking what the text reveals about the system of the language in which it is spoken or written. 1.1.1 Constituency: (1) Phonological Rank scale: Line – foot – syllable (rhyme & onset)– phoneme (consonants & vowels) (1) Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet Eating her curds and whey There came a big spider Which sat down beside her And frightened Miss Muffet away Rank scale: a hierarchy of units related by constituency. Rank: each step in the hierarchy. 1.1.2 Constituency: (2) Graphological Rank scale: Sentence – sub-sentence – word – letter [spelling & punctuation] (1) Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, Eating her curds and whey. There came a big spider, Which sat down beside her And frightened Miss Muffet away. 1.1.3 Constituency: (3) lexicogrammatical Rank scale: clause complex – clause – group / phrase – word – morpheme (1) Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet Eating her curds and whey There came a big spider Which sat down beside her And frightened Miss Muffet away
1. 2 Phonology and grammar Phonology can be divided into two regions: articulation(phonetics)and prosody (phonolog Articulatory features are associated with smaller segments, typically phonemes (vowels and consonants) Prosodic features (i.e. supraseg mental features )are assoc iated with larger features they are features of intonation and rhythm The gateway between the two regions is the syllable 1. 2.1 Rhythm: the foot The rhythm is carried by a succession of beats, occurring at more or less regular (2)If all the world was apple pie And all the sea was ink And all the trees were bread and cheese What should we have to drink? The foot is the structural unit formed by a strong, or salient, syllable together with any weak syllable(s) following on from it. It is one of the constituents of the English sound system; it is the unit of rhythm 1. 2.2 Intonation: the tone group Intonation contour/tone contour /tone group (3)Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And lease hath all too short a dat Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd And every fair from fair sometime declines By chance, or nature's changing course untrimm'd But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee (William Shakespeare, Sonnet 18) 1. 2.3 Syllables and phonemes System network for prosodic systems in English phonology(Fig. 1.5 on p. 18) 1.3 Basic concepts for the study of language 1.3. 1 Structure(syntagmatic order) E. g. Mary kicked the dog with her left foot
2 1.2 Phonology and grammar Phonology can be divided into two regions: articulation (phonetics) and prosody (phonology in the narrow sense). Articulatory features are associated with smaller segments, typically phonemes (vowels and consonants). Prosodic features (i.e. suprasegmental features)are associated with larger features; they are features of intonation and rhythm. The gateway between the two regions is the syllable. 1.2.1 Rhythm: the foot The rhythm is carried by a succession of beats, occurring at more or less regular intervals. (2) If all the world was apple pie, And all the sea was ink, And all the trees were bread and cheese, What should we have to drink? The foot is the structural unit formed by a strong, or salient, syllable together with any weak syllable(s) following on from it. It is one of the constituents of the English sound system; it is the unit of rhythm. 1.2.2 Intonation: the tone group Intonation contour / tone contour / tone group (3) Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st: So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. (William Shakespeare, Sonnet 18) 1.2.3 Syllables and phonemes System network for prosodic systems in English phonology (Fig. 1.5 on p.18). 1.3 Basic concepts for the study of language 1.3.1 Structure (syntagmatic order) E.g. Mary kicked the dog with her left foot
Paradigmatic relation(selection /choice) Syntagmatic relation(combination /chain) A. Compositional hierarchies in English 1)in sound: tone group-foot(rhythm group)-syllable (-hemisy llable 2)in writing: sentence -sub-sentence-word(written)-letter 3)in verse(spoken): stanza-line -foot(metric)-syllable 4)in grammar: clause - phrase or group- word-morpheme B. The dir mensions in language(see Fig. 1.6 on p.21) 1.3.2 System(paradigmatic order) A. The system of POLARITY POLAITY declarative indicativeINDICATIVE TYPE yes/ne major MOOD Mood(+ Finite A Finite A Subject INTERROGATIVE Subject) TYPE clause STATUS Predicator WH- minor A Finite 1.3.3 Stratification context content: semantics content: lexicogrammar expression phonetics
3 Paradigmatic relation (selection / choice) Syntagmatic relation (combination / chain) A. Compositional hierarchies in English 1) in sound: tone group – foot (rhythm group) – syllable (~hemisyllable) – phoneme 2) in writing: sentence – sub-sentence – word (written) – letter 3) in verse (spoken): stanza – line – foot (metric) – syllable 4) in grammar: clause – phrase or group – word – morpheme B. The dimensions in language (see Fig. 1.6 on p.21) 1.3.2 System (paradigmatic order) A. The system of POLARITY POLAITY positive clause ---------------- negative 1.3.3 Stratification
1.3. 4 Instantiation Context of situation Institution- situation type Text Context of culture Sub-potential- instance type epertoire of registers- text type Potential System(of language) 1.3.5 Metafunction Experiential: language as construal of experiences Ideational: language as reflection nterpersonal: language as action Textual: build ing up sequences of discourse, organizing the discursive flow 1.4 Context, language and other semiotic systems &e creating cohesion and continuity as it moves along 1. 4.1 The global and local semiotic dimensions of language in context A. Global 1) Stratification: context language [content: semantics-lexicogrammar expression [phonology-phonetics 2)instantiation: potential -sub-potential / instance type-instance 3)metafunction: ideational [experiential -logical]-interpersonal -textual B. Local 1)axis: paradigmatic - syntagmatic 3)delicacy: for lexicogrammar) the continuum from grammar to lex o 2)rank: (for lexicogrammar) clause-group /phrase-word- morpher 1.4.2 Context; language in relation to context 1. 4.2.1 Context and instantiation
4 1.3.4 Instantiation Context of situation Instance Institution – situation type Text Context of culture Sub-potential – instance type Repertoire of registers – text type Potential System (of language) 1.3.5 Metafunction Experiential: language as construal of experiences Ideational: language as reflection Logical Interpersonal: language as action Textual: building up sequences of discourse, organizing the discursive flow & creating cohesion and continuity as it moves along 1.4 Context, language and other semiotic systems 1.4.1 The global and local semiotic dimensions of language in context A. Global 1) Stratification: context – language [content: semantics – lexicogrammar] – expression [phonology – phonetics] 2) instantiation: potential – sub-potential / instance type – instance 3) metafunction: ideational [experiential – logical] – interpersonal – textual B. Local: 1) axis: paradigmatic – syntagmatic 2) rank: (for lexicogrammar) clause – group / phrase – word – morpheme 3) delicacy: (for lexicogrammar) the continuum from grammar to lexis 1.4.2 Context; language in relation to context 1.4.2.1 Context and instantiation
Context of situation Institution- situation type Text Context of culture Sub-potential-instance type Repertoire of registers -text type Potential System(of language 1.4.2.2 Situation type A. Field: what's going on in the situation: (i) the nature of the social and semiotic activity; (ii) the domain of experience this activity relates to(the"subject matter""or B. Tenor: who is taking part in the situation: (i the roles played by those taking part in the socio-semiotic activity -(1)institutional roles, (2) status roles(power, either equal or unequal),(3) contact roles (familiarity, ranging from strangers to intimates, and(4)socio-semiotic roles(affect, either neutral or charged, positively or negatively and (i) the values that the interactants imbue the domain with(eithe neutral or loaded, positively or negatively) C Mode: what role is being played by language and other semiotic systems the situation: (i) the division of labor between semiotic activities and social ones (ranging from semiotic activities as constitutive of the situation to semiotic activities as facilitating);(ii) the division of labor between linguistic activities and other semiotic activ ities; (iii) rhetorical mode: the orientation of the text towards field(e. g informative, didactic, explanatory, explicatory)or tenor(e.g. persuasive, exhortatory, hortatory, polemic ); (iv)turn: dialogic or monologic;(v) medium: written or spoken (vi)channel: phonic or graphic 1. 4.2.3 Language in relation to context Field values resonate with ideational meaning; Tenor values resonate with interpersonal meaning Mode values resonate with textual meaning 1.4.2.4 Field socio-semiotic process(activities of doing""meaning') A. "doing". the situation is constituted in some form of social behavior. involving one or more persons. Language or other semiotic systems such as gesture, gaze and facial expressions may be engaged to facilitate the performance of the activity, as when language is used to coord inate a team B. meaning " the situation is constituted in some process of meaning. There are seven primary types
5 Context of situation Instance Institution – situation type Text Context of culture Sub-potential – instance type Repertoire of registers – text type Potential System (of language) 1.4.2.2 Situation type A. Field: what’s going on in the situation: (i) the nature of the social and semiotic activity; (ii) the domain of experience this activity relates to (the “subject matter” or “topic”) B. Tenor: who is taking part in the situation: (i) the roles played by those taking part in the socio-semiotic activity – (1) institutional roles, (2) status roles (power, either equal or unequal), (3) contact roles (familiarity, ranging from strangers to intimates), and (4) socio-semiotic roles (affect, either neutral or charged, positively or negatively); and (ii) the values that the interactants imbue the domain with (either neutral or loaded, positively or negatively) C. Mode: what role is being played by language and other semiotic systems in the situation: (i) the division of labor between semiotic activities and social ones (ranging from semiotic activities as constitutive of the situation to semiotic activities as facilitating); (ii) the division of labor between linguistic activities and other semiotic activities; (iii) rhetorical mode: the orientation of the text towards field (e.g. informative, didactic, explanatory, explicatory) or tenor (e.g. persuasive, exhortatory, hortatory, polemic); (iv) turn: dialogic or monologic; (v) medium: written or spoken; (vi) channel: phonic or graphic. 1.4.2.3 Language in relation to context Field values resonate with ideational meaning; Tenor values resonate with interpersonal meaning; Mode values resonate with textual meaning 1.4.2.4 Field- socio-semiotic process (activities of “doing” and “meaning”) A. “doing”: the situation is constituted in some form of social behavior, involving one or more persons. Language or other semiotic systems such as gesture, gaze and facial expressions may be engaged to facilitate the performance of the activity, as when language is used to coordinate a team B. “meaning”: the situation is constituted in some process of meaning. There are seven primary types:
(i)expound ing": expounding knowledge about the world -about general classes phenomena, categorizing them or explaining them (ii)reporting": reporting particular phenomena, chronicling the flow of events, urveying places or inventorying entities (iii)"recreating": recreating any aspect of prototypically human life imaginatively by dramatizing or narrating events (iv)"sharing": sharing personal experiences and values, prototypically in private (v)"enabling": enabl ing some course of activity, either enabling the activity of nstructing people in how to undertake it or regulating the activity by controlling people's actions (vi)recommending": recommend ing some course of activity, either for the sake of the speaker through promotion of some commod ity or for the sake of addressee hrough ad (vii)"exploring": exploring societal values and positions, prototypically in the public arena 1.4.2.5 Tenor-socio-semiotie process Tenor considerations include the range of"voices"taking part in the different socio-semiotic activities, includ ing degrees of expertise and of professionalism 1. 4.2.6 Mode- socio-semiotic process n terms of mode, we can intersect the socio-semiotic activ ity types with different combinations of (a) turn: dialogic or monolog ic,(b medium: written or poken,( c) channel, (d )division of labor, and(e)rhetorical mode 1. 4.3 Semantics as inter-level between context and lexicogrammar content: semantics content: lexicogrammar expression: phonology 1.4.4 Language and other semiotic systems in context: multimodal text atic semiotic syst B. exo-somatic semiotic system Gesturing accompany ing linguistic meaning and wording in context
6 (i) “expounding”: expounding knowledge about the world – about general classes of phenomena, categorizing them or explaining them (ii) “reporting”: reporting particular phenomena, chronicling the flow of events, surveying places or inventorying entities (iii) “recreating”: recreating any aspect of prototypically human life imaginatively by dramatizing or narrating events (iv) “sharing”: sharing personal experiences and values, prototypically in private (v) “enabling”: enabling some course of activity, either enabling the activity of instructing people in how to undertake it or regulating the activity by controlling people’s actions (vi) “recommending”: recommending some course of activity, either for the sake of the speaker through promotion of some commodity or for the sake of addressee through advice (vii) “exploring”: exploring societal values and positions, prototypically in the public arena 1.4.2.5 Tenor - socio-semiotic process Tenor considerations include the range of “voices” taking part in the different socio-semiotic activities, including degrees of expertise and of professionalism. 1.4.2.6 Mode - socio-semiotic process In terms of mode, we can intersect the socio-semiotic activity types with different combinations of (a) turn: dialogic or monologic, (b) medium: written or spoken, (c) channel, (d) division of labor, and (e) rhetorical mode. 1.4.3 Semantics as inter-level between context and lexicogrammar 1.4.4 Language and other semiotic systems in context: multimodal text A. somatic semiotic system B. exo-somatic semiotic system Gesturing accompanying linguistic meaning and wording in context
Context of situation(instances of cultural system Gesturing(instances of gestural system) Text as meaning(instances of semantic system) Text as wording (instances of lexicogrammatical system) 1.5 The location of grammar in language, the role of the corpus 1.5.1 Recapitulation: locating the present work on the map of language Matrices defined by the semiotic dimension the lexicogrammatical function rank matrix in relation to the stratification- instantiation matrix(see Fig. 1-13 on p.32 1.4.2 Text and corpus The corpus is fundamental to the enterprise of theorizing language The criteria of a good corpus (1) The data are authentic (2)The data include spoken language, ranging from fairly formal or at least self-monitored speech(as in interviews)to casual, spontaneous chatter (3)The corpus makes it possible to study grammar in quantitative terms 1. 6 Theory, description and analysis differ in their relation to data- they differ in degree of abstraction from data but they In empirical approaches to language, all three are grounded in data, but they A. Distinction between analysis and description When we observe a language, we observe it as text- as a flow of speech or as (typically) discrete We undertake the analysis of texts by means of description of the systems that B Distinction between description and th While a description is an account of the system of a particular language, a the ccount of lang
7 Context of situation (instances of cultural system) Gesturing (instances of gestural system) Text as meaning (instances of semantic system) Text as wording (instances of lexicogrammatical system) 1.5 The location of grammar in language, the role of the corpus 1.5.1 Recapitulation: locating the present work on the map of language Matrices defined by the semiotic dimension: the lexicogrammatical function – rank matrix in relation to the stratification – instantiation matrix (see Fig. 1-13 on p.32) 1.4.2 Text and corpus The corpus is fundamental to the enterprise of theorizing language. The criteria of a good corpus: (1) The data are authentic. (2) The data include spoken language, ranging from fairly formal or at least self-monitored speech (as in interviews) to casual, spontaneous chatter. (3) The corpus makes it possible to study grammar in quantitative terms. 1.6 Theory, description and analysis In empirical approaches to language, all three are grounded in data, but they differ in their relation to data – they differ in degree of abstraction from data. A. Distinction between analysis and description When we observe a language, we observe it as text – as a flow of speech or as (typically) discrete pieces of writing. We undertake the analysis of texts by means of description of the systems that lies behind instances. B. Distinction between description and theory While a description is an account of the system of a particular language, a theory is an account of language in general
