Discourse (Semantics)
Analysis
by Drs. I Wayan Suarnajaya, M.A., Ph.D
The topics covered:
1. Discourse as an aspect of linguistics
2. The concept of discourse analysis (DA); the
notions of discourse analysis
3. Language as action and affiliation
4. Politics in language in use
5. Theory and method in discourse analysis
6. Discourse Semantics Analysis (DA based on
Systemic Functional Linguistics perspectives
7. Language and Social Context
8. Register categories, language structures, and
functional categories (meaning potentials)
9. Register categories: Field, Tenor, Mode
10. Transitivity Structure
11. Mood Structure
12. Theme Structure
Final Project: Analyzing two different texts of the
same topic/theme, using systemic functional
linguistics theory as the basis of the analysis
References
Berry, Margaret, at.al, 1996, Meaning and Form: Systemic
Functional Interpretations, Norwood: Alex Publishing
Corporation
Butler, Christopher S., 1985, Systemic Linguistics Theory and
applications, London: Batsford
Eggins, Suzanne, 1994, An Introduction to Systemic Functional
Linguistics, London: Pinter
Halliday, M A K., 1985, An Introduction to Functional Grammar,
London: Edward Arnold
Paul Gee, James, 1999, an introduction to Discourse Analysis
Theory and Method, New York: Routledge
Van Dijk,Teun A., 1997, Discourse as Structure and Process:
Discourse Studies - A Multidisciplinary Introduction,
London, SAGE Publications
Van Dijk,Teun A., 1997, Discourse as Social Interaction - A
Multidisciplinary Introduction, London, SAGE Publications
Discourse as an Aspect of Linguistics
Units of Language
Aspects of Linguistics
Texts
Discourse
Sentences
Clauses
Syntax
Phrases
Words
Morphology
Phonemes
Phonology
The Other Aspects of Linguistics
Semantics
Pragmatics
Language
Psycholinguistics
Psychology
Language
Sociolinguistics
Sociology
A.
The Concepts of Discourse
Analysis
Discourse refers to a general term for
examples of language use language
which has been produced as the result of
an act of communication.
Grammar refers the rules
a language uses to form
grammatical units such as
phrase, clause, and
sentence.
Other notions of Discourse
(Analysis):
Discourse refers to larger units of
language such as
paragraphs,conversations, and
interviews
Discourse Analysis is sometimes
used to refer to the study of both
written and spoken discourse.
To some researchers, Discourse
Analysis is used to refer to the
study of spoken discourse
Continue
To some researchers, Discourse
Analysis is used to refer to the study of
spoken discourse (conversational
analysis)
Text Linguistics refers to the study of
written discourse,
Discourse Analysis: as the study how
sentences in spoken and written
language form larger meaningful units
such as paragraphs, conversations, and
interviews.
Continue .........
The definition indicates that discourse
analysis deals with such things as:
a) How the choice of articles, pronouns,
and tenses affects the structure of
discourse.
b) The relationship between utterances in a
discourse
c) The moves made by the speakers to
introduce a new topic, change the topic,
or assert a high role relationship to other
participants.
continue.....
Discourse Analysis is the analysis of spoken and
written language as it is used to enact social and
cultural perspectives and identities.
The analysis is concerned with both a theory of
language in use as well as a method of
research made up of a set of tools of enquiry and
strategies for using them.
Discourse analysis is then an analysis of language
attempting to understand how language works in
a fully intergrated way as simultaneously a
mental, social, cultural, institutional, and political
phenomenon.
Language as action and
affiliation
People think that the primary purpose
of human language is to
communicate information or to
exchange information. But,
language actually serves a great
many functions, basically classified
into two, namely:
a. To scaffold the performance of
social activities
Continue .......
b. To scaffold human affiliation within
cultures and social groups and
institutions. Cultures, social groups,
and institutions shape social
activities. They also get produced,
reproduced, and transformed
through human activities.
Discourse Analys is therefore
concerned with a theory and a
method for studying how the
Contnue .......
details of language get recruited on
site to pull off specific social activities
and social identities memberships
in various social groups, cultures, and
institution.
Language in use is everywhere and
always political.
Politics in language in use?
It refers to anything and any place where
human social interactions and relationships
have implications for how social goods are
or ought to be distributed. Social goods
mean anything that a group of people
believe to be a source of power, status, or
worth academic intelligence, money,
control, possessions, verbal abilities, age,
wisdom, knowledge, technology, literacy,
and morality.
Continue
When speaking, a particular perspective on what the
world is like is always considered. This involves in
taking perspectives on: what is normal, what is
acceptable and not, what is right and not, what is real
and not, what is the way things are and not, What is
the ways things ought to be and not, what is possible
and not, what people like us or people like them do
and dont do. These are all also perspectives on how
we believe, wish, or act as if potential social goods
are or ought to be distributed.
Theory and method in discourse analysis
An approach to discourse analysis
refers to the analysis of language as
it is used to enact activities,
perspectives, and identities. The
analysis, in this case, is partly
concerned with a method of research.
It should be noted that any method
always goes with a theory, in the
sense that they cannot be separated.
A method of reseaech is a way to
investigate some particular domain,
which is in the form of language in-use.
The study of a domain requires a theory
of what the domain is. In discourse
analysis, the theory of domain can be in
the form of a theory about the nature of
language in-use.
Systemic Functional Linguistics
Language and Social Context
Language
Social Context
a. Context of Culture (Genre)
b. Context of Situation (Register)
Field, Tenor, and Mode
The link of the three register categories to
clause structure/the structure of language
N0.
Register
Structure of
Categories Language
Meaning Potentials
(Functional Categories)
1.
Field
Transitivity
Experiential Meaning
2.
Tenor
Mood
Interpersonal Meaning
3.
Mode
Theme
Textual Meaning
Mood Structure: the grammar of
interpersonal meaning
Speech role, speech function, and mood type.
Speech role
Giving:
- John is an English teacher
Demanding: - Can I read your novel?
Commodity being exchanged: the exchange of
information and the exchange of goods and
services.
Speech role
Commodity
Exchanged
Speech Function
Speech role
Giving
Demanding
Commodity
Exchanged
Speech
Function
Information
Statement
Goods and Services
Offer
Information
Question
Goods and Services
Command
Speech function (SF) pairs
Initiating SF
Offer
Command
Statement
Question
Responding SF
of supporting type
Responding SF
of confronting type
Acceptance
Compliance
Acknowledgement
Answer
Rejection
Refusal
Contradiction
Disclaimer
Speech function and
grammatical structure
a. Speech function is closely related to
grammatical system statement is realized
through declarative mood and question through
interrogative mood, command through
imperative as well as declarative.
b. There are two types of clause structures to
realize the mood structure of a clause:
propositions and proposals.
c. The devices used to realize interpersonal
meaning: positive/negative polarities;
interpersonal metaphor modalities and
projected modalization.
The grammatical structure of
propositions
Mood structure includes Mood and Residue
Mood element: - the part of the clause which
cannot disappear when responding speaker takes
up his/her position; - the ones included in tag
question (Subject + Finite).
Residue element: predicator, complement, and
adjunct. (Further examples see Eggins p. 160).
This is the part of the clause which is less
essential to the arguability of the clause than is
the Mood component.
Examples:
I
Subject
learnt
Finite
Predicator
MOOD
Simon
Subject
the English language
from this guy
RESIDUE
mightnt
have read The
Bostonians
Finite: modal:neg
MOOD
RESIDUE
Predicator as the constituent of
Residue:
I
reading
Subject
Finite
Predicator
MOOD
The Bostonians
RESIDUE
Simon
might
have been going to read
Subject
Finite
Predicator
MOOD
He
Subject
RESIDUE
knew
Finite
MOOD
The Bostonians
nothing about physics
Predicator
RESIDUE
Simon
was
trying to read
Subject
Finite
Predicator
MOOD
The Bostonians
RESIDUE
The Bostinians was
written
Subject
Predicator
Finite
MOOD
RESIDUE
He
is/was
Subject
Finite
a physicist
MOOD
Simon
has/had
Subject
Finite
MOOD
by Henry James
RESIDUE
a copy of The Bostinians
RESIDUE
He
was
being
Subject
Finite
Predicator
MOOD
RESIDUE
Does
Simon
have
Finite
Subject
Predicator
MOOD
a physicist
a copy of The Bostanians
RESIDUE
Complement as the constituent
of residue:
Henry James
TheBostanians
wrote
Subject
Finite
Predicator
MOOD
Complement
RESIDUE
TheBostanians was
written
by Henry James
Subject
Predicator
Adjunct (see below)
Finite
MOOD
Simon
Subject
RESIDUE
gave
Finite
MOOD
Predicator
George
a book
Complement
Complement
RESIDUE
George
was
given
a book
Subject
Finite
Predicator
Complement Adjunct (see
below)
MOOD
by Simon
RESIDUE
A book
was
given
to George
by Simon
Subject
Finite
Predicator
Adjunct
Adjunct
MOOD
RESIDUE
Henry James
is
a guy that can write
Subject
Finite
Complement
MOOD
RESIDUE
He
isnt
contemporary
Subject
Finite
Complement:attributive
MOOD
RESIDUE
Adjuncts
- Adjuncts can be defined as clause elements
contributing some additional (but not essential)
information to the clause
- They can be identified as elements which do
not have the potential to become subject they
are not nominal elements, but are adverbial or
prepositional.
- Based on their contribution to any of the three
meaning potentials, adjuncts are differentiated
into three broad classes: experiential,
interpersonal, or textual.
Adding experiential meaning: Circumstantial
adjuncts of time (when), place (where), cause (why),
matter (about what), accompaniment (with whom),
beneficiary (to whom), agent (by whom).
They
cant
do
that
Subject
Fin:mod:neg
Predicator
Complement Adjunct:circ.
MOOD
RESIDUE
You
read
Subject
Finite
books
Predicator
MOOD
for fun
Complement Adjunct:circ.
RESIDUE
Henry James
Subject
these days
writes
Finite
about women
Predicator
MOOD
Adjunct:circ.
RESIDUE
George
was
read
The Bostonians
by Simon
Subject
Finite
Predicator
Complement
Adjunct:circ.
MOOD
RESIDUE
Adding interpersonal meaning: Modal Adjuncts
Mood Adjuncts, Polarity Adjuncts, Comment
Adjuncts, and Vocative Adjuncts.
a. Mood Adjuncts.
- Expression of probability: perhaps, maybe,
probably.
- Expression of usuality: sometimes, usually.
- Expression of intensification or minimisation:
really, absolutely, just, somewhat.
- Expression of presumption: evidently,
presumably, obviously.
- Expression of inclination: happily, willingly.
Camels
Probably/maybe
/usually/always/
sometimes
Subject
Adjunct: mood
MOOD
walk
Finite
Predicator
Residue
like that
Adjunct:circum.
b. Polarity Adjuncts: Yes and No
There are two functions of yes and No (yea, yep,
na, nope, etc):
1. As Polarity Adjunct when YES or NO standing in
for an ellipsed clause.
Henry James was a guy that could write.
- Yes (he was).
Adjunct: Polarity
MOOD
2. As Textual Adjuncts: when used in unstressed
initial position, introducing clause and treated as
continuity items.
Yea, I know.
Comment Adjuncts, functioning to express
an assessment about the clause as a whole.
a. Comment adjuncts typically occur in clause initial
position, or directly after the subject, and are
realized by adverbs. They include:
- admission: frankly
- assertion: honestly, really
- how desirable: luckily, hopefully
- how constant: tentatively, provisionally
- how valid: broadly speaking, generally
- how sensible: understandably, wisely
- how expected: as expected,amazingly
b. Comment adjuncts are considered interpersonal
elements in the clause, since they add an expression
of attitude and evaluation. However, the scope of a
comment adjunct is the entire clause, not just the
Finite element. Therefore, they should be seen to
operate outside the MOOD/RESIDUE structure
altogether.
Frankly,
cant
stand
Henry James
Adjunct:comment
Subject
Finite
Predicator
Complement
MOOD
RESIDUE
Unfortunately I
ve
never
read
Adjunct:com
ment
Finite
Adj:
mood
Predica Complement
tor
Subject
MOOD
The
Bostanians
RESIDUE
Vocative Adjuncts; to control the discourse
by designating a likely next speaker.
a. They are identified as names, not functioning
as subjects or complements, but are used
directly to address the person being named.
b. They, like comment adjuncts, do not directly
impact on the MOOD constituent of the clause,
but effect the clause as a whole. So, they do
not belong to the MOOD or RESIDUE box.
Examples:
Did
You
do
physics
George?
Does
everyone
know
that,
Simon?
Finite
Subject
Predicator Complement
MOOD
RESIDUE
Adj:voca.
Adding textual meaning: Textual Adjuncts.
Textual meanings are the ones to do with
the organization of the message itself.
The two main types of Textual Adjuncts are:
Conjunctive Adjuncts and Continuity Adjuncts.
So
poor old
Henry
Adjunct:c Subject
onjunctive
out the shoot
too
Finite
Complement
Adjunct:c
onjunctive
MOOD
RESIDUE
Because
he
didnt
Adjunct:con
junctive
Subject
Finite: Predicator Complement
neg
MOOD
know
anything
about
physics
RESIDUE
Well
what
Adjunct:continuity Subject
was
that book you gave me
Finite
Complement
MOOD
RESIDUE
Oh
now
he
talking
about Henry
James
Adj:contin
uity
Adj:contin
uity
Subject
Finite
Predicator
Adjunct:circum
stance
MOOD
Yea
Adjunct:textual
Subject
RESIDUE
know
Finite
Predicator
MOOD
RESIDUE
Polar Interrogative (Yes/No Questions
Simon
is
reading
Henry James
Subject
Finite
Predicator
Complement
MOOD
RESIDUE
Is
Simon
reading
Henry James?
Finite
Subject
Predicator
Complement
MOOD
Simon
Subject
RESIDUE
learnt
Finite
Predicator
MOOD
the English
language
from Henry
James
Complement
Adjunct:circum.
RESIDUE
Did
Simon
learn
the English
language
from Henry
James
Finite
Subject
Predicator
Complement
Adjunct:circum.
MOOD
RESIDUE
WH-Interrogatives
Who
The Bostonians?
wrote
Wh/Subject
Finite
Predicator
MOOD
Complement
RESIDUE
What
does
quantum leap
mean?
Wh/complement
Finite
Subject
Predicator
RESIDUE .
.. RESIDUE
MOOD
When
did
Henry James write
The Bostanians?
Wh/Adj:circ.
Finite
Subject
Complement
RESIDUE ...
MOOD
Predicator
. RESIDUE
Exclamatives
What a great writer
Henry James
was!
WH/Complement
Subject
Finite
RESIDUE
MOOD
How amazing
he
was!
WH/attribute
Subject
Finite
RESIDUE
MOOD
What great books Henry James was writing last century!
He
sure
was!
Subject
Adjunct:mood
Finite
MOOD
Modality: Modalization
probability/usuality and grammatical
metaphors/metaphors of modality
The Bostanians
might
have been written
by Henry James
Subject
Finite:mo
dal
Predicator
Adjunct:circumsta
nce
MOOD
RESIDUE
The Bostanians was
possibly
Subject
Adj:mood Predicator
Finite
written
by Henry James
Adjunct:circum.
The Bostanians might
possibly
have been
written
by Henry
James
Subject
Adj:mood
Predicator
Adjunct:circ
umstance
Finite:mo
dal
MOOD
RESIDUE
I reckon
HenryJames
Adj:mood
Subject
The Bostanians
wrote
Finite
Predicator Complement
MOOD
I think
HenryJames
Adj:mood
Subject
RESIDUE
The Bostanians
wrote
Finite
Predicator Complement
MOOD
I am sure
HenryJames
Adj:mood
Subject
RESIDUE
The Bostanians
wrote
Finite
Predicator Complement
MOOD
I
Subject
RESIDUE
think
Finite
MOOD
Predicator
RESIDUE
Transitivity Structure
It includes: Process types, Participants,
and Circumstances
Subject
Predicator
Object
He
drove
a car
He
saw
a car
Transitivity structure analysis
Transitivity analysis ---- the types of process,
participants as well as circumstances.
Process Types (Butler 1985: 164, Eggins 1994: 228):
a. Material process: Actor - Process: material Goal/Range/Beneficiary
b. Mental process: Senser- Process: mental - Phenomenon
c. Behavioural process: Behaver Process: Behavioural
Behaviour/Phenomenon
d. Verbal process: Sayer Process: verbal Verbiage
(Report, Quote)
e. Existential process: Process: existential - Existent
f. Relational process:
- Attributive: Carrier Process: relational Attribute
- Identifying: Token Process: relational Value
Material Process
I stayed up all night
He invited his friends
The postman delivered the letter
They tested the instrument
stayed up
all night
Actor
Proc: material
Circumstances
He
invited
his friends
Actor
Proc: material
Goal
The postman
delivered
the letter
Actor
Proc: material
Goal
They
tested
the instrument
Actor
Proc: material
Goal
He made a chair
He made a mistake
They give you a cognac
He handed her the bags
Mary cooked dinner for them all
She has given birth three times
The lady put the food on the table
He is cutting the apples with a knife
He made the girl carry the bomb
They got him arrested by the police
He
made
a chair
Actor
Proc:
material
Goal
He
made
a mistake
Actor
Proc:
material
Range
They
give
you
a cognac
Actor
Proc: mat
Recipient
Goal
He
handed
her
the bags
Actor
Proc: mat
Recipient
Goal
Mary
cooked
dinner
for them all
Actor
Proc: mat
Goal
Client
She
has
Actor
given
birth
three times
Process: material
Range
Circ: extent
The lady
put
the food
on the table
Actor
Process: material
Goal
Circ: location
He
is
Actor
cutting
the apples
with a knife
Proc: material
Goal
Circ: manner
He
made
the girl
carry
the bomb
Agent
Proc:
causative
Actor
Proc:
material
Goal
They
got
him
arrested
by the police
Agent
Proc: causative
Goal
Proc: material
Actor
Mental Processes --- the meanings
of thinking or feeling, covering:
A. Cognition the verbs of thinking,
knowing, and understanding
B. Affection associated with the verbs of
liking, fearing
C. Perception having to do with the
verbs of hearing and seeing
Material Processes vs. Mental Processes
What did X do to Y vs. What do you
think/feel/know about X?
Participants in mental processes:
a. Senser a concious human
participant.
b. Phenomenon the participant being
thought, felt or perceived by the
conscious senser.
Examples:
- She likes the dance
- I heard her leaving
- I saw him taking a rest
- He did not realize that it was his fault
She
likes
the dance
Senser
Process: mental
Phenomenon: simple
heard
her leaving
Senser
Process: mental
Phenomenon: act
saw
him taking a rest
Senser
Process: mental
Phenomenon: act
He
Senser
did not
realize
that it was his fault
Process:
mental
Phenomenon: fact
Projection
All mental processes can do projection,
which can be both quoting and reporting.
Projection of Quoting:
I thought, Ill go and give blood.
Projection of Reporting:
I thought Id go and give blood.
Behavioural Processes - are the ones
with the semantic features existing between material
and mental process. These are the processes
dealing with the processes of physiological and
psychological behaviour which is concerned with an
action that should be experienced by a conscious
being.
There are some behavioural processes having the
semantic feature of mental processes, but they are
actually different from their mental process
synonyms.
Behaviourals
Mentals
look at
see
listen to
hear
One obligatory participant in behavioural
process is a conscious being, behaver.
- He sighed patiently
- She laughed loudly
- She smiled a broad smile at him
- Mary sniffed the soup
- She tasted the food
He
sighed
patiently
Behaver
Process: Behavioural
Circumstance: manner
She
laughed
loudly
Behaver
Process: Behavioural
Circumstance: manner
She
smiled
a broad smile
at him
Behaver
Process:
Behavioural
Behaviour
Circumstance: location
Mary
sniffed
the soup
Behaver
Process: Behavioural
Phenomenon
She
tasted
the food
Behaver
Process: Behavioural
Phenomenon
Verbal Processes
Verbal processes are the processes of
verbal action, covering the action of saying
and all other verbal actions that convey
similar meanings with saying, such as
telling, asking, and talking, etc.
The types of participants in verbal
processes are: a. Sayer, expressing the
verbal process; b. Receiver, the beneficiary
of a verbal message; c. Verbiage, a noun
referring to some kind of verbal behaviour
and derived from the verbal process
story associated with telling.
He
asked
the lady
some questions
Sayer
Process: verbal
Receiver
Verbiage
The boy
is
Sayer
talking
about the accident
Process: verbal
Circumstance: manner
Projection in mental and verbal
processes
Projection in mental processes is
concerned with reporting or quoting ideas
Projection in verbal processes deals with
reporting or quoting speech referred to as
locutions in Hallidays terms.
Processes of being
These are the processes that are not
concerned with action meaning. They
convey the states of being, covering
existential and relational processes
Existential Processes
An existential process is concerned with
the statement that something exists.
The statement starts with the introductory
there, which does not convey any
meaning, but which is required to start
certain clauses in English
Example:
There is a man in front of the school
- The use of the word be or its synonyms like
exist, arise, and occur characterizes
existential processes.
- The word there, in this case, is not
analyzed for transitivity since it does not
convey any representational meaning.
- There are two constituents in an
existential process, namely the process
itself and an obligatory participant called
existent There was a wallet on the floor.
There
was
a wallet
on the floor
Proc: existential
Existent
Circumstance: location
Relational processes: processes
of being
Types of relational processes:
a. Attributive relational processes
b. Identifying relational processes
Each can be classified into sub-categories
like intensive, circumstantial, and
possessive.
The constituents of:
a. Attributive relational processes: Carrier
Process: attributive - Attribute
Intensive relational process
An intensive relational process deals with the
establishment of the relationship between the
participants of each process type, where the
word be or its synonym is the main means
of establishing this relationship.
The differences between intensive attributive
relational process and intensive identifying
relational process:
a. The meaning of an intensive attributive
process is descriptive, while intensive
identifying process is defining in nature.
Examples:
He
is
a student
He
is
very clever
Carrier
Proc: Att: Intensive
Attribute
You
are
the cleverest student
Token
Proc: Identifying
value
b. Reversibility occurs with intensive identifying
relational process, not with intensive atributive
relational process
You are the cleverest student
The cleverest student is you.
Circumstantial relational processes
Attributive circumstantial relational processes
a. The circumstance is often expressed in the
Attribute, the verb remains intensive, the Attribute
will be a prepositional phrase or an adverb of
location, manner, cause, etc.
b. The circumstantial element is conflated in the
Attribute.
The bomb
was
in her luggage
Carrier
Proc: intensive
Attribute/Circ:location
c. The circumstantial meaning may also be encoded
in the process itself with the verb is + circumstance
Examples:
The operation
lasted
one hour
Carrier
Proc: circumstantial
Attribute
(where lasted = be + for one hour)
Jans narrative concerns
her daughters operation
Carrier
Attribute
Proc:circumstantial
(where concerns = be + about)
Identifying circumstantial
relational process
a. The circumstantial meaning is encoded either in
the participants or the process. When encoded in
the participants, both the token and the value will
be the circumstantial elements of time, place, etc.,
while the verb remains intensive.
Yesterday
was
the last time he gave blood
Token/circ:time
Proc:Intensive
Value/circ:time
b. The circumstance may also be expressed through the
process, using the verbs: take, follow, resemble, accompany,
hold, etc.
The operation
took
one hour
Token
Proc:circumstance
Value
The terrorist
accompanied
the woman
Token
Proc:circumstance
Value
The milk bottle
holds
one liter of liquid
Token
Proc:circumstance
Value
Possessive relational processes
Possessive processes encode meanings of
ownership and possession between clausal
participants.
Possessive relational processes can be attributive
and identifying.
In Attributive Possessive Relational Processes,
possession may be encoded through the
participants (with the Attribute as possessor, and
the process remaining intensive.
This
is
yours
Carrier
Proc:intensive
Attribute/Possessor
Possession may also be encoded through the
process. The commonest Attributive possessive
verbs being to have and to belong to.
The Carrier will be Possessor
I
had
a daughter
You
have
8 points of blood
You
ve got
less blood than me
Carrier/possessor Proc:possession
Attribute:possessed
The carrier as what is possessed
The bomb
belonged to
the boyfriend
Carrier/possessed
Pr:possession
Att:possessor
In Identifying possessives, possession may be expressed either
through the participants, or through the process. When
possession is expressed through the participants, the intensive
verb to be is used, with the Token and Value encoding the
possessor and the possessed. The commonest Identifying
possessive process is to own.
The bomb
was
her boyfriends
Token/Possessed
Pr:intensive
Value/Possessor
Her boyfriends
was
the bomb
Value/Possessor
Pr:intensive
Token/Possessed
Her boyfriend
owned
the bomb
Token/Possessor
Pr:possessive
Value/Possessed
The bomb
was owned
by her boyfriend
Value/Possessed
Pr:possessive
Token/Possessor
Causative relationals
Causative relational processes may occur with
either Attributive or Identifying structures, with
causation expressed either through a make + be
(process:intensive) structure, or, with Identifying
relationals through a caustive Process. An Agent
also called an Attributor, in Attributive relationals,
causes the Carrier to have an Attribute ascribed.
The introduction of the causative process make as
the finite in these structures means that causative
passives can be formed, but the clause is still
Attributive. Note that the intensive process is often
ellipsed from the clause. With the Identifying type,
the Agent (Assigner) makes The token take a
Value.
The experience in
Geneva
made
Diana
(become)
Agent/Attributor
Pr:causative
Carrier
Pr:intensive Attribute
Diana
was made
a blood
donor
to become
a blood donor
by the
experience
Carrier Pr:causative
Pr:intensive
Attribute
Agent/Attributor
Giving blood
makes
you
weak
Agent/Attributor
Pr:causative Carrier
Attribute
They
made
Simon
the barman
for the night
Agent/Assigner
Pr:causative
Token
Value
Circ:extent
Simon
was made
the barman
Token
Pr: causative Value
for the night
(by them)
Circ:extent
Agent/Assigner
With Identifying clauses, the causative relationship
between participants can be expressed directly
through a causative circumstantial verb, such as:
results in, causes, produces, etc. The verb here is a
fusion of be or equals and the expression of
cause:
Donating blood results in/causes
weakness
Token
Pr:causative, circumstantial
Value
Weakness
is resulted in/caused by
donating
blood
Value
Pr:causative, circumstantial
Token
Textual Structure
Language resources making the unity of a text:
A. Coherence
B. Cohesion
1. Reference
2. Lexical Relation
3. Conjunctive relations
The resources constituting significantly to creating
a text:
a. A standard grammatical structure of language A text must be coherent in terms of grammar.
b. Actual communicative context (Situational
coherence)
c. The unity of clauses in a text, determined by:
1) The contextual properties of a text (coherence)
2) The internal properties of a text (Cohesion)
COHERENCE The way a group of clauses relate
to the context, where in Systemic Functional
Linguistics model, it includes:
Context of culture and Context of situation
Therefore coherence in this case is referred to as
Generic Coherence or situational/Registirial
Coherence.
Cohesion
Cohesion refers to the way the parts of a discourse
are related together. Cohesion indicates certain
features of a text, such as:
- The semantic tie of a text
- The consistency of participants
- The connection in terms of lexical selection.
The system of the various text-forming resources.
Types of cohesion:
- Reference
- Lexical relations
- Conjunction
- Coversetional structure
Reference
It deals with the way of introducing and keeping
track of the participants in a text. Participants can
be people, places, and things being dealt with in a
text.
Participants
Presenting
Presuming
Participants
Participants
newly presented
The identity is
traced somewhere in the text
Presuming reference
This includes the uses of: the, this-these, that-those,
pronouns (he, she, it, they).
The contexts from which the identity of a presuming
reference item can be retrieved include:
a. The general context of culture (Homophoric
reference): The earth is round.
b. The immediate context of situation (Exophoric
reference): Put it next to her.
c. The elsewhere context within the text itself
(Endophoric reference): Anaphoric, Cataphoric,
and Esphoric.
Other types of reference:
- Comparative reference
- Bridging reference
- Whole text reference
- Locational reference
Lexical relations
Relations:
A. Taxonomic Relations:
a. Classification:
- co-hyponomy
- contrast
- class/sub-class - similarity: meronymy,
co-meronyny
B. Expectancy Relations
Conjunctive Relations
Cohesive patterns of conjunction.
Types of conjunction:
a. Elaboration: in other words, that is (to say), for
example, for in stance.
b. Extention: also, moreover, in addition,
alternatively, etc.
c. Enhancement.
Conjunctive Reticulum.
TEXTUAL MEANING
The organization of clauses to express:
a. Experiential meaning is Transitivity Structure.
b. Interpersonal Meaning is Mood Structure.
c. Textual Meaning is Theme Structure.
The system of Theme covers: Theme and Rheme.
The nature of Theme:
a. This is the point of departure for the message.
b. It is the element serving as the starting point for
the message.
c. It is what the clause is going to be about.
d. It contains familiar/given information, which is
mentioned somewhere in the text, or familiar from
the context.
e. It is the element coming first in the clause.
The nature of Rheme:
a. This is new information for the point of departure.
b. It is the part of the clause in which the theme is
developed.
c. It contains unfamiliar or new information.
d. This is everything which is not the Theme.
The boundary of Theme/Types of
Theme:
a. Topical Theme.
- This is the element of a Transitivity function of
the clause occuring in first position in a clause.
- Every clause must contain one and only one
topical Theme. Once a topical theme is identified,
the rest must be Rheme.
b. Interpersonal Theme.
- This is the theme in which a Mood label occurs at
the beginning position of a clause. It can be
unfused finite, modal adjuncts: mood, polarity.
c. Textual Theme.
This is the one in which the textual elements have
their thematic positions. These are the elements
which do not express any interpersonal or
experiential meaning. They, however, have
important cohesive work in relating the clause to its
context. There are two main types of textual
elements which can get to be Theme:
a. Continuity Adjuncts: Oh, well, Yea, no, yap.
b. Conjunctive Adjuncts.
Topical Theme
In most
infants
Circ: location
there
are
Frequent episodes of crying
witoput no apparent cause
Pr:Existential
Existant
Topical
THEME
RHEME
ve given
blood
36 times
Actor
Proc:material
Range
Cirm:extent
topical
THEME
RHEME
This
was
in Geneva
Carrier
Pr:intensive
Attribute/Circumstance
topical
THEME
RHEME
Every clause must contain one and only one topical
Theme. Once it is identified in a clause, the rest must
be Rheme.
In Grece
they
give
you
nothing
Circ:loc
Actor
Pr:material
Beneficiary
Goal
Topical
THEME
RHEME
However,
cries
are
discomforting
Carrier
Proc:intensive
Attribute
topical
THEME
RHEME
Interpersonal Theme: Finite (unfused) as
Interpersonal Theme
Do
you
give
blood
Finite
Subject
Predicator
Complement
MOOD
Actor
interpersonal
RESIDUE
Pr:material
Range
topical
THEME
RHEME
Do
you
want
Finite
Subject Predicator Complement
MOOD
Senser
interperso
nal
some more soup,
RESIDUE
Pr:mental
Phenomenon
topical
THEME
RHEME
Diana?
Adjunt:voca
tive
Can
you
take
my bag
for me
Finite
Subject
Predicator
Complement
Adjunct:circ
MOOD
interperson
al
RESIDUE
topical
THEME
RHEME
Mood adjuncts as Interpersonal Theme
I think
they
Adjunct:mo
od
Subject
MOOD
interperson
al
take
Finite
a pint on
whatever it is
Predicator
RESIDUE
topical
THEME
RHEME
Complement
Maybe
Stephen
could
help
Adjunct:mood
Subject
Finite
Prdica
MOOD
interpersonal
RESIDUE
topical
THEME
RHEME
Just
give
me
a whistle
Adjunct:mood
Predicator
Complement
Complement
MOOD
RESIDUE
interpersonal
topical
THEME
RHEME
Vocative Adjuncts as Interpersonal Theme
Simon,
Isnt
that
Where they put
the needle in?
Adjunct:vocative
Finite
subject
complement
MOOD
interpersonal
RESIDUE
interpersonal topical
THEME
RHEME
Stephen,
do
you
want
more soup
Adj:vocative
Finite
subject
Predicator
Complement
MOOD
interpersonal interperso
nal
THEME
RESIDUE
topical
RHEME
When occurring after topical Theme,
vocative adjunct is not part of the Theme,
but Rheme
Do
you
want
Some soup,
Finite
Subject
Predicator
Complement Adj:vocative
MOOD
RESIDUE
interpersonal topical
THEME
RHEME
Diana?
Ok. Thats all...
