Language, Function, Cognition
Week 2: The Systemic Linguistic
Framework
Mick O’Donnell
Modulo 6 bis, 311
[email protected]
3. The SFL Framework
3.1 A Stratal Model of Language
Systemic Model of Language Strata
Context of Culture
Context of Situation
Language:
meanings
Semantics
Grammar
Phonology/
Graphology
wordings
Soundings/
Spellings
3. The SFL Framework
3.1 A Stratal Model of Language
Systemic Model of Language Strata
Context of Culture
Context of Situation
Context of Culture
constrains the set of
contexts of situation
that are usual in a
culture.
Context of Situation
constrains the
appropriateness of
language choices
Language:
meanings
Semantics
Grammar
Phonology/
Graphology
wordings
Soundings/
Spellings
3. The SFL Framework
3.2 Strata within Language
The Language Strata:
• SFL works with three levels of analysis within language:
1.
2.
Semantics: how the text is organised as a system of meanings;
Grammar: how the sentence is structured into units of words and
phrases;
For speech:
3. Phonology: how the text is organised as a system of soundings
(phonemes, tone units, turns, etc.)
Context of Culture
For writing:
3. Graphology: how the text is
Context of Situation
organised as a system of
Language:
written symbols (characters,
Semantics
sentences, paragraphs, etc.)
Grammar
Phonology/
Graphology
3. The SFL Framework
3.3 Language: Phonology
•
•
•
•
Systemicists generally follow a “prosodic phonology” approach.
Based on J.R. Firth’s Prosodic Phonology.
Not a lot of attention paid to this area (SFL focuses on meaning)
However, Halliday did work on Intonation:
Halliday M.A.K. 1967. Intonation and Grammar in British English (Janua
Linguarum Series Practica 48). The Hague: Mouton.
Halliday M.A.K. 1970. A Course in Spoken English: Intonation. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
• Paul Tench is probably the main Systemic Phonologist:
Tench, P. 1990. The Role of Intonation in English Discourse. Frankfurt, Main: Peter
Lang.
Tench, P. (ed.) 1992. Studies in Systemic Phonology. London; New York: Pinter
Publishers.
Tench, P. 1996. The Intonation Systems of English. London; New York: Cassell.
3. The SFL Framework
3.4 Language: Grammar
• Called “Lexico-grammar” to emphasise that it is words and
their combination that makes sentences.
• As stated previously, SFL takes a 3-layer view on grammar:
My mother
gave
a book
to me
Subject
Pred
Complement
Adjunct
Mood
Actor
Process
Goal
Recipient
Theme
Theme
Transitivity
Rheme
• Phrases (called groups) have just one layer of analysis:
the
large
electric
car
Deictic
Epithet
Classifier
Thing
3. The SFL Framework
3.4 Language: Grammar
SFL asks three questions:
• How is language structured to enable interpersonal meanings
to be realised? Here we explore how different Mood structures
allow clauses to realize different interpersonal meanings in
text.
• How is language structured to enable experiential meanings to
be made? Here we describe how different Transitivity
structures allow clauses to realize different experiential
meanings in text.
• How is language structured to enable textual meanings to be
made? Here we examine how different Theme structures allow
clauses to realize different textual meanings in text.
Eggins (1994:143)
7
3. The SFL Framework
3.4 Language: Grammar
Systemic Grammar breaks down into three main areas:
1. Mood: Analysis of the clause using more traditional syntactic
functions:
My mother
gave
a book
to me
Subject
Pred
Complement
Adjunct
2. Transitivity: analysis of the clause in terms of who is doing
what to whom: My mother
gave
a book
to me
Actor
Process
Goal
Recipient
3. Theme: Analysis of the clause in terms of message structure
My mother
Theme
gave
a book
Rheme
to me
3. The SFL Framework
3.4 Language: Grammar: Mood
declarative-clause
yes-no-question
FINITEinterrogative-clause INTERROGATIVECLAUSE-TYPE3
CLAUSE-TYPE
wh-question
imperative-clause
TENSE present-clause
past-clause
nonmodal-clause
NONMODAL- do-insert
MODALITY
CLAUSE-TYPE no-do-insert
FINITENESS
future-clause
modal-future-clause MODALTYPE
modal-clause
infinitive-clause
NONFINITEnonfinite-clause
present-participle-clause
CLAUSE-TYPE
past-participle-clause
PROGRESSIVENESS not-progressive-aspect
progressive-aspect
PERFECTNESS not-perfect-aspect
perfect-aspect
POLARITY positive-clause
finite-clause
clause
negative-clause
3. The SFL Framework
3.4 Language: Grammar: Transitivity
Transitivity: (or process type analysis)
1. Processes: what kind of event is being described)
2. Participants: the entities involved in the process, e.g., Actor,
Sayer, etc.
3. Circumstances: the adjuncts of the clause, specifying when,
where, why, etc.
3. The SFL Framework
3.4 Language: Grammar: Transitivity
Types of Process
1. Material Processes: physical actions in the real world
- Actor: the one who does the action
- Goal: The one who is affected by the action
- Recipient: the one who receives something
- Beneficiary: the one for whom something is done
John
gave
John
drove
Mary
home
Actor
Process
Goal
Circ: destination
Mary
was driven
home
by John
Goal
Process
Circ: destination
Actor
Mary
Actor Process Recipient
a book
John
built
Mary
a house
Goal
Actor
Process
Beneficiary
Goal
3. The SFL Framework
3.4 Language: Grammar: Transitivity
Types of Process
2. Mental Processes: processes of perception, cognition, affection
- Senser: the one who does the mental action
- Phenomenon: The thing that is perceived, thought, appreciated
Perception:
Cognition:
Emotion:
John
saw
Mary
Senser
Process
Phenomenon
John
thought
that Mary was coming
Senser
Process
Phenomenon
Mary
liked
what he liked
Senser
Process
Phenomenon
That he was tall
pleased
Mary
Phenomenon
Process
Senser
3. The SFL Framework
3.4 Language: Grammar: Transitivity
Types of Process
3. Verbal Processes: processes of communication
- Sayer: the one who communicates
- Addressee: the one recieving the message
- Verbiage: What they say
John
said
that he was tired
Sayer
Process
Verbiage
John
told
Mary
to go
Sayer
Process
Addressee
Verbiage
John
was told
Addressee Process
to go
by Mary
Verbiage
Sayer
3. The SFL Framework
3.4 Language: Grammar: Transitivity
Types of Process
4. Relational Processes: expressing possession, equivalence, attributes...
- Carrier: An entity being described
- Attribute: The description of the entity
John
is
tall
Carrier
Process
Attribute
- Possessor: the one owning or containing something
- Possession: the thing owned or contained.
John
owns
a Mercedes
Possessor
Process
Possession
- Token: an entity being equated with another
- Value: the other description.
John
is
the president
Token
Process
Value
3. The SFL Framework
3.4 Language: Grammar: THEME
THEME: point of departure for the clause
Consider the following sentences
•
•
•
•
Canaries have been used for centuries to test the air in mines.
For centuries, canaries have been used to test the air in mines.
Miners have used canaries to test the air for centuries.
The air has been tested in mines for centuries using canaries.
• They all express the same proposition, but focus a different
entity.
• We call this first occuring entity in the claause, the THEME.
• The rest of the clause is called the RHEME.
Theme, Subject and Participants combine in different ways
The spider
gave the beetle a bite
Subject/Actor/Theme
A bite
was given to the beetle
Subject/Goal/Theme
by the spider
Actor
The beetle
was given a bite
Subject/Theme/Recipient
Actor
A bite
the beetle
Complement/Goal/
Theme
Subject
By the spider
the beetle
Theme/Actor
Subject
by the spider
was given by the spider
Actor
was given a bite
How layers of analysis combine
Did
the spider
give
the beetle
A bite?
Finite
Subject
Predicator
Complement
Complement
Actor
Process
Beneficiary
Range
Theme →
SMB
Rheme →
14812 - C.M. Lingüística Inglesa (2009-2010)
17
3. The SFL Framework
3.5 Language: SEMANTICS
•
In post-Chomskian contexts, “Semantics” concerns just
propositional semantics (representation of experience).
•
Speech acts and means of organising the text are allocated to
“pragmatics”.
3. The SFL Framework
3.5 Language: SEMANTICS
•
In SFL, “semantics” includes also pragmatics.
–
–
Ideational Semantics: the representation of the ideational content (of
clauses, or of whole texts)
Interpersonal Semantics:
•
•
–
Sentence level: speech acts (called ‘speech functions’)
Discourse level: Organisation of sequences of speech-acts into
exchanges, turns, etc.
Also, analysis of evaluations in text (Appraisal theory)
Textual Semantics: how the text is organised as a message:
•
•
•
Generic Structure: the staging of a text, e.g., as Introduction, Body,
Conclusions
Rhetorical Structure: organising of sentences as facilitating others (e.g.,
Evidence, Example, Result, etc.)
Thematic Progression: How the selections of themes throughout a text
are organised to help the reader understand what the text is about.
3. The SFL Framework
3.5 Language: Semantics
• Halliday’s semantic strata is largely is mostly concerned with the
semantics of the clause:
Context
Language:
Semantics
Ideational
Experiential
Logical
Interpersonal
Speech function
Textual
Cohesion, Reference,
Theme, Given/New
Grammar
Phonology
• Ref: Halliday and Hasan (1989) Language, Context, and Text: Aspects of
language in a social-semiotic perspective. Oxford, OUP.
3. The SFL Framework
2.8 Language: Semantics
• In Jim Martin’s approach, the “semantics” is about the organisation
of the text “above” the clause (discourse-level structures):
Context
Language:
Discourse Semantics
Ideational
Ideation,
Conjunction
Interpersonal
Negotiation
(exchange),
Appraisal (Attitudes)
Textual
Identification (reference,
cohesion),
Periodicity (theme, new)
Grammar
Phonology
• Ref: Martin J.R. and David Rose (2003) Working with Discourse: Meaning
Beyond the Clause (Open Linguistics Series). London: Continuum.
3. The SFL Framework
3.5 Language: SEMANTICS: Ideational
•
Ideational Semantics of a sentence
Actor
Affected
human
•
design
brooch
Ideational Semantics of a text
style
ADJewels
material
Art-Deco
style
Scottish
Instantiatation
enamel
material
J-999
designer
Generalisation
silver
brooch
King
class
J-998
designer
workplace
employer
material
place-of-wearing
breast
nationality
class
designer
London
Liberty
class
company
3. The SFL Framework
3.5 Language: SEMANTICS: Speech Function
question
INITIATE- +PB
initiate
TYPE
statement
+PC
move MOVETYPE
answer
+PC
agree
RESPOND- +PS
respond
TYPE
deny-knowledge
+PD
disagree
+PR
3. The SFL Framework
3.5 Language: SEMANTICS: Speech Function
Move Turn
No.
Text
Exchang Initiative Speech Comme Type
Function odity
1
2
3
4
o: good AFternoon ~
inforMAtion SERvice
c: YES ~
I'd LIKE information on some PAnel
beaters
Salut.
Neg.
Neg.
Neg.
initiate greet
initiate propose info
respond support
initiate propose info
5
6
7
8
9
10
o: Ø on some PAnel BEAters?
c: HMM
Øwhere you live LOcally
c: HMM ~
CHIPpendale ~
YEH
Neg. initiate elicit
Neg. respond propose
Neg. initiate elicit
Neg. respond propose
Neg. initiate propose
Neg. respond support
info
info
info
info
info
3. The SFL Framework
3.5 Language: SEMANTICS: Texual Semantics
• Textual Semantics involves the resources language offers for
the organisation of a text as a message.
• This includes:
Within the clause (grammar)
Over a Discourse
Cohesive devices (pronouns, ellipsis,
substitution)
Cohesive chains, identity chains
Theme choices
Thematic Progression
Reference choice
Information Structure (Given/New)
-
Generic Structure
Conjunctions.
Rhetorical Structure
References:
•
•
M.A.K. Halliday and Ruqaiya Hasan 1976 Cohesion in English. London: Longman.
Martin J.R. and D. Rose 2003 Working with Discourse. London: Continuum.
3. The SFL Framework
3.5 Language: SEMANTICS: Texual Semantics
Example of Thematic Progression Analysis
Conj
Adjuncts
and
Theme
Rheme
Hard by a
dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and
great forest
his two children
The boy
 was called Hansel
the girl
 Gretel
He
he
and once, when great dearth
fell on the land
Now when he thought over he
this by night in his bed…
and
early tomorrow morning
 had little to bite and to break
 could no longer procure even daily bread
 groaned
(he)
 said to his wife “”
I
 'll tell you what, husband," answered the
woman
will take the children out into the forest to
where it is the thickest
We