Linguistics

The sixteenth week

Chapter 4 Syntax
4.7

Systemic functional grammar

Key points:
Systemic

functional grammar the metafunctions of language

Difficult points:
Ideational

function of language

Systemic functional grammar

Systemic

Functional Grammar (SFG) was first proposed in the work of the British linguist J. R. Firth. Australian linguist M. A. K. Halliday made great contribution to the theory.

three metafunctions of language by Halliday:

Ideational

function Textual function Interpersonal function The three functions are also called macro functions. Language has 7 micro functions.

(i) Ideational function

Language

can be used to conceptualize the world. The linguistic forms can represent our experience. This is the ideational function of language. This shows the design feature of displacement and specialization.

(1) The boy kicked the post.

The

process kicked is described as a material one------doing verbs---run, dress, climb Actor---the boy Goal---the post Even though the sentence is transformed into passive voiced one, it remains true.

(2) The man liked the new house.

The

predicator has to do with feeling and thinking, any action is internal rather external---hate, love, know, think, understand Sensor--- the man Phenomenon---the new house

Mental verbs are different from material ones semantically

The

verbs of this kind do not form the present continuous, such as the man is liking the house; the verbs of this kind are sometimes referred to as stative verbs in that they describe a state or condition as opposed to material verbs which are dynamic.

(3) child is homeless.

The process is relational in that its main purpose is to relate the two participants together---be, become, appear Attribute--- homeless Carrier--- child--- the person who is in that condition The relational process does not allow its verbs to form the passive: Homeless was being the child.

(4) The girl laughed.

The predicator is behavioral--- cough, yawn, smile. Behavioral verbs have some similarity to material verbs in that they describe physical actions but they are different in that the action is not performed on anything---* A girl laughed boy is meaningless. Behaver--- the girl Behavioral verb--- laughed

(5) The visitor said Hello.

The

process belongs to a large category called verbal ()--- say, report, claim, question, explain. Sayer--- the visitor Target--- hello--- the object of the saying

(6) There is a girl over there.

It

consists of clauses in which there acts as grammatical subject. Holliday terms this process existential. Existent--- a girl

Interpersonal function:
Language

serves to set up and maintain social and personal relations, including communication roles such as questioner and respondent, and to express the language users own attitudes and comments on the content of an utterance. This is the interpersonal function of language.

Textual function:
Language

makes links with itself and with features of the situation in which it is used. This is what enables the speaker or writer to construct a text, and enables the listener or reader to distinguish a text from a set of sentences. This is the textual function of language.

Assignment
What

is Hallidays ideational function of languge? Explain it with the sentence of The man liked the new house.