A systemic typology of existential and possessive constructions

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Wang ◽  
Jie Xu
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Semantic Features ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
Relational Processes ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Possessive Constructions ◽  
Systemic Network ◽  
Definiteness Effect

In this article, we examine locational constructions (including existentials, locatives, and possessives) in a number of languages. Morpho-syntactically, locationals resemble or are related to one another in word order, in case marking, and in the choice of verbs. In semantics, the relatedness lies in the definiteness effect, in the locative feature, and in the mutually defining relationship between the semantic elements within each construction. As is recognized by Heine (1997), Stassen (2001) and others, the existential is one of the major sources from which possessives are derived. Basically, possessive constructions are existentials whose locative elements are prototypically human. We argue that locational constructions are relational processes and that they can be integrated into a systemic network with respect to two semantic features, i.e., the definiteness of the existent element and the humanness of the locative element. This systemic relationship between locationals has implications for the description and comparison of languages within the Systemic Functional Grammar framework, particularly where locationals are concerned.

scholarly journals Linguistic Choices in Hamid’s Moth Smoke: A Transitivity Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 303
Author(s):  
Hafiz Muhammad Qasim ◽  
Mubina Talaat ◽  
Qamar Khushi ◽  
Musarrat Azher
Keyword(s):  
Literary Text ◽  
Analytical Tool ◽  
Frequency Of Occurrence ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Prose Fiction ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
Relational Processes ◽  
Male Characters ◽  
Verbal Processes

The present study is aimed at an investigation of how meanings are construed in a literary text. The main theoretical framework employed for the data analysis was transitivity, which finds its roots in Halliday’s (1994) Systemic Functional Grammar. 21 texts from Hamid’s novel, Moth Smoke (MS) were selected as data. A sample size of 1100 complex clause sentences containing different processes, participants and circumstances was drawn for analysis. The focus of the study was the identification of transitivity patterns associated with the main characters of the novel following Simpson (2004) who viewed it “useful indicator of character in prose fiction” (p. 119). The findings of transitivity constructions showed that all types of processes were found in MS. Based on the rank of frequency, material processes were computed the most frequent processes. They did have frequency of occurrence as (1076=51.45%). The projection of mental processes was (13.91%) in the second position. The verbal processes were (11.23%), relational processes (19.75%) while the lowest projection was found in behavioural (2.63%) and existential (0.86%) processes. Male characters were ascribed with more material and verbal processes while females were drawn as having mental and attributive process clauses. The current study concluded that transitivity options can function as a useful analytical tool in the analysis of a literary text.

scholarly journals Comparing Oral and Written Cooking Recipes Using Systemic Functional Grammar

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-33
Author(s):  
Esti Sugiharti
Keyword(s):  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
Written Text ◽  
Relational Processes ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Spoken Text ◽  
Verbal Process ◽  
Cooking Process ◽  
Material Process ◽  
Similarities And Differences

This article compares oral and written cooking recipes of the same food created by the same person, by using systemic functional grammar. The aim of the article is to find out the similarities and differences of the language used in both recipes. The data are obtained from Jamie Oliver’s cooking show aired in a YouTube channel on how to make scones and the written recipe of the same food published in his website. The focus of the analysis is on the lexico-grammar of the clauses used in the texts. The result shows that there are more differences than similarities between the two texts. There are more clauses in the spoken text than those in the written text in terms of quantity and variety. In the ideational function, both texts have a similar variety of processes with the majority of material process showing imperatives of procedural texts and additional information using mental, existential, and relational processes, but in the written text there are two clauses using verbal process that are not found in the spoken text. In the interpersonal function, the two texts show demands of good and services and the use of modalities in expressing the expected results of the cooking process. In the spoken text, the relation between the cook and the audience is friendlier and closer than that in the written text.  It is demonstrated in the use of vocatives and interrogatives that are not used in the written text. The textual functions show similar results in the use of conjunctions but the spoken text displays closer interpersonal textual functions found in the use of vocatives. The analyses of the three metafunctions of the two recipes may contribute to the study of food texts in linguistics that are relatively low compared to those in other disciplines.

scholarly journals An elegant lady or a flower girl? A critical discourse analysis of pygmalion through a systemic functional perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Ali Rahimi ◽  
Hamideh Nami Anarjan
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
Relational Processes ◽  
Functional Perspective ◽  
Participant Role ◽  
Bernard Shaw ◽  
Power Hierarchy

The purpose of this study was to investigate the language of the main female character called Eliza in the play ‘Pygmalion’ by Bernard Shaw. This analysis is done by applying the transitivity system, which is part of English linguist Halliday’s (1985; 1994) systemic-functional grammar. According to the transitivity system, verbs can be classified into six processes: material, mental, relational, verbal, behavioural and existential. The most important ones, which are analysed in the play Pygmalion for the analysis of power status, are the material, mental and relational processes. When considering the pattern of participant representation in a text from the perspective of critical discourse analysis, it is useful to have some general sense of the types of participants, which tend to be construed grammatically as powerful and of those which are construed as less powerful or even powerless. The investigation is based on the ideas suggested by Goatly (2000) who made the interesting suggestion that we may construct a hierarchy of participant power relations in a text based on their roles in different types of clauses and processes. The results show that Eliza's change of power status has an effect on her role as a participant in clauses and processes in the play that is in accordance with Goatly's (2000) theory about participants' power hierarchy in process types. Keywords: CDA, systemic functional grammar, transitivity, power, participant role.

scholarly journals Beyond the playground: the representation of reality in fashion dolls' advertisements

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Barbosa Lins de Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Middle Class ◽  
Traditional View ◽  
Domestic Sphere ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Leisure Studies ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
Relational Processes ◽  
Women’S Representation ◽  
Nominal Groups ◽  
Upper Middle Class

This article analyses the meanings conveyed by the discourse of web advertisements of the Brazilian fashion doll Susi, extracted from www.estrela.com.br. Drawing on Halliday's (1994) Systemic Functional Grammar for the analysis of the transitivity features and nominal groups, it focuses on the topics that Susi's ads reflect, the roles they convey and the type of relationship established among its participants. The analyses of the transitivity features of Susi's virtual advertisements have pointed to the construction of a world textually characterized by activities typical of the upper-middle class, which revolve around material and relational processes. The analysis of the nominal groups further specify the nature of such activities by relating them to affairs such as fashion, beauty, diet, sports, leisure, studies and career, altering, therefore, a traditional view on women's representation centered on the domestic sphere.

scholarly journals HETEROGLOSSIA: ANOTHER SFG-BASED APPROACH TO TREATMENT OF WORD ORDER AS A MEANS FOR EXPRESSING MODALITY IN VIETNAMESE

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Van Hiep
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
Functional Linguistics

The paper first introduces heteroglossia – a development of Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) in Hallidayan Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) school before suggesting possible uses of heteroglossia in present-day studies of language, with particular focus on the role of word order in sentences of Vietnamese, a typical isolating language. The change of word order is considered a means for expressing modality, as shown in several interesting examples in Vietnamese, which proves that SFG and heteroglossia as its variant is an effective approach for exploring the role of word order in Vietnamese.

scholarly journals Ideological Differences between America and China from Perspectives of Transitivity System —Illustrated by Trump’s and Xi Jinping’s Presidential Inaugural Addresses

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 800
Author(s):  
Guohai Liao ◽  
Gelin Han
Keyword(s):  
American People ◽  
Spiritual Guidance ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Public Speech ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
Relational Processes ◽  
Inaugural Addresses ◽  
The People ◽  
Ideological Differences ◽  
Material Process

Taking Systemic Functional Grammar proposed by M.A.K. Halliday as theoretical framework, this paper is set to quantitatively analyze Donald Trump’s inaugural address and Xi Jinping’s first public speech as president of China in the distribution and functions of six processes from perspectives of transitivity system. Having done this, ideological differences between America and China beneath the textual discourse of their speeches will be qualitatively illustrated. It finds that material, mental and relational processes predominate both speeches and Xi’s speech mainly takes the overall lead in spiritual guidance and inclines to generally control the economic and social development in China. For Trump, he needs to employ all his skill to induce and gain the supports from American people, objectively depicting American mediocre situations by material process, trying to narrow down the psychological distance between his governance and the people by mental process and increasing the belonging of American people by relational process.

scholarly journals Transitivity Processes in President Buhari’s ‘My Covenant With Nigerians’

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Isaiah I. Agbo ◽  
Festus U. Ngwoke ◽  
Blessing U. Ijem
Keyword(s):  
Presidential Election ◽  
Frequency Function ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
Relational Processes ◽  
Verbal Process ◽  
The People ◽  
Verbal Processes ◽  
The Masses

Politics and politicking in Nigeria has assumed a considerably new dimension. Actors articulate their ideology and programmes, and construct their subjects and experiences in diverse linguistic processes with a view to achieving political victory. This paper examines clause structures of President Buhari’s My Covenant with Nigerians to reveal the transitivity processes employed by the President in this famous campaign speech in 2015 presidential election. This study utilized Transitivity Processes, which is rooted in Halliday’s (1985) Systemic Functional Grammar, in order to uncover different process types and main participants in the speech, and to explain the functions which these processes perform in the speech in helping the speaker to convey his ideology to Nigerians and convince them to rally support for him. Specifically, objective of this study is the uncover transitivity process types in the speech, their frequency, function and ideological underpinnings. The study reveals that President Muhammadu Buhari utilized mental and verbal processes perception, affection, cognition and volition, and verbal process of saying to appeal to the masses, and to commit himself to serve Nigerians. He equally used material and relational processes to encode his ideology, persuade the people and achieve political victory.

Discourse relations across genres and contexts

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-231
Author(s):  
Anita Fetzer ◽  
Augustin Speyer
Keyword(s):  
Representation Theory ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Personal Narrative ◽  
Methodological Framework ◽  
Discourse Representation ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Discourse Representation Theory ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
Discourse Relations ◽  
Discourse Units

Abstract This paper presents an analysis of the linguistic realization of discourse relations across and within English and German discourse, comparing the genres of newspaper editorial and personal narrative. It concentrates on Continuation, Narration and Contrast, and Elaboration, Explanation and Comment. Particular attention is given to (1) their overt realization with textual themes and pragmatic word order, and (2) the (non)adjacent positioning of discourse units realizing the relations. The methodological framework is an integrated one, supplementing Systemic Functional Grammar with Segmented Discourse Representation Theory. In the English and German narratives, there is a strong tendency to realize discourse relations overtly. The overall overt realization is significantly higher for narratives in both languages with editorials being significantly less overt. There are also significant differences in the overt realization of non-adjacently positioned units realizing discourse relations with significant distributions in all cases, although the distribution in the narratives is less significant.

scholarly journals Realization of Authorial Ideations & Purposes through Transitivity Analysis of Media Texts Written by Native and Non-native Writers of English: A SFG Perspective

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Looloo Mohammed Alraimi ◽  
Abdalla Yassin Abdalla
Keyword(s):  
Physiological Responses ◽  
Physical Nature ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Other ◽  
Washington Post ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
Online Newspapers ◽  
Relational Processes ◽  
Media Texts

This study explores how ideational meaning is realized in media texts written by native and non-native writers of English. Particularly, the paper attempts to analyze transitivity or process types from a semantic-grammatical point of view based on Halliday's (1985) framework of Systemic Functional Grammar. The study aims to describe and compare the process types used by the authors to transmit their experiences/ideations and fulfill the intended purposes. To this end, eight articles from Washington Post (WP) & Arab News (AN) online newspapers were analyzed. The selected texts were divided into clauses and the process types (material, mental, relational, verbal, existential & behavior) were identified and compared. The analysis reveals that the authors of both newspapers give prominence to the use of material and relational processes seeming to focus exclusively on the actions of physical nature and make links between actions and actors with some qualities associated with them. The subsequently used processes in WP articles are verbal, mental and existential; whereas in AN articles they are mental, existential and verbal. Behavior process is the last and least frequently used process type in both newspapers articles showing that the physiological responses of the actors are not a major involvement. However, the rates of process types in all articles of both newspapers differ considerably. This variation is ascribed to the authors' choice to include a process type more than the other or exclude another to transmit their own experiences and bring about the intended purpose.

scholarly journals Life and Death in Andersen's "Grandmother": A Systemic Functional Grammar Analysis

Jurnal KATA ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 144
Author(s):  
Benedictus Bherman Dwijatmoko
Keyword(s):  
Short Story ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
Life And Death ◽  
Relational Processes ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Grammar Analysis

<em>Hans Christian </em><em>Andersen's "Grandmother" is a well-written short story about life and death. The analysis of the story using Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) reveals the meaning and ideology which the writer expresses through the work. In the ideational metafunction, the story uses the material and relational processes the most. The use of the two processes presents the grandmother and her character vividly and clearly. In the interpersonal metafunction, the sentences mostly use </em>grandmother, she, <em>and other objects related to her as the subject. The use shows how meaningful the grandmother to her granddaugher, the narrator, is. Furthermore, the change of the tense also indicates the significant transformation of the grandmother. Finally, in the textual metafunction, though low, the use of marked themes emphasizes the life phases of the grandmother. The analysis of the text using SFG reveals the centrality of life and death in the story. The analysis of the ideational, interpersonal, and textual metafunctions of the text reveals well the meaning and ideology which the story conveys. Death is only a transform of a life to another life.</em>

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