Register in Systemic Functional Linguistics*

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian M. I. M. Matthiessen
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Language Evolution ◽  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
Indelible Mark ◽  
Functional Linguistics ◽  
Register Variation ◽  
International Language ◽  
Active Researcher ◽  
Register Studies ◽  
Descriptive Models

Abstract Christian M. I. M. Matthiessen elaborates on the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) approach to register in this contribution to the inaugural issue of Register Studies. He is Chair Professor of the Department of English at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where he pursues a scholarly agenda that includes developing the theory of Systemic Functional Linguistics and applying it to text and discourse analysis, functional grammar, issues related to language evolution and typology, and comprehensive descriptive models of register. Throughout his career, Matthiessen has made major contributions to SFL theories and methods. Among his major works is Lexicogrammatical Cartography: English Systems (1995, International Language Sciences Publishers). More than any other scholar, Matthiessen has expounded on Halliday’s early ideas on register and applied SFL theory to describing models of register variation. He remains an active researcher in the area of register studies which includes his registerial cartography – the comprehensive and systematic description of the registers in a language. Matthiessen’s work has left an indelible mark on the theory and systematic study of patterns of register in language use.

scholarly journals Interpersonal Meaning Analysis in the Tale’s Story of Sabai Nan Aluih

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-65
Author(s):  
Yenita Uswar ◽  
Nova Andriani
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
Functional Linguistics ◽  
Meaning Analysis ◽  
Descriptive Qualitative

Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) is a study of language which views language as two characteristics, systemic and functional. With using SFL, the researchers try to analyze the tale’s story of Sabai Nan Aluih. The research aim is to identify the interpersonal meaning realized in that story and to reveal the speech function of language use in that story. The research design of this analysis is descriptive qualitative research. The object of this research is the interpersonal meaning analysis of clauses as exchange in the tale of Sabai Nan Aluih. The data of this research is the clauses as exchange in the story of Sabai Nan Aluih. The source of data which is used in this research is the documentation of the data research paper. The researchers use document analysis from the story of Sabai Nan Aluih as collecting data. The data is analyzed by using description method. In the interpersonal analysis, declarative mood dominates almost the story, it is about 91 %. And, the data analysis of speech function is found in the story of Sabai Nan Aluih, statement, question and command, in where statement is domination from the story about 94%. Thus, it is important that the using of interpersonal meaning and the speech function of the story of Sabai Nana Aluih is as information

On the interaction between register variation and regional varieties in English

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-144
Author(s):  
Stella Neumann
Keyword(s):  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
Regional Variation ◽  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
Language Theory ◽  
Functional Linguistics ◽  
Language System ◽  
Register Variation ◽  
Exploratory Multivariate Analysis

Abstract This paper examines the extent to which regional varieties of English influence register variation. Register is a key concept in systemic functional linguistics (SFL), whereas regional variation is rarely studied in this framework. However, languages like Chinese, Spanish and English are used in more than one region and such more complex language situations raise the question of whether registers are used consistently throughout. In this study, texts from three varieties represented in the International Corpus of English are analysed for frequencies of 41 lexico-grammatical features and subjected to exploratory multivariate analysis. The analysis shows that, while there are clear indications of register patterns irrespective of varieties, variety appears to override register in some cases. Variety therefore needs to be accounted for in language theory in addition to the language system and registers as subsystems.

The value of a pragma-functional approach to intercultural conflict discourses

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Margo Lecompte-Van Poucke
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
Functional Approach ◽  
Political Decision ◽  
Intercultural Conflict ◽  
Functional Linguistics ◽  
Cultural Boundaries ◽  
Linguistic Patterns ◽  
Context Of Situation ◽  
Political Decision Making

Abstract Systemic functional linguistics focuses on the study of language use within its registerial context of situation. The theory offers a meaning-based approach for the analysis of discourses in generic and culture-specific settings. When it comes to the analysis of conflict discourses across cultural boundaries, SFL may be integrated into a framework that relates language use to the notions of power and ideology and the dimensions of culture and history to provide a broader picture to inform future political decision-making. This paper presents a pragma-functional approach combining systemic functional linguistics, argumentation theory, critical theory and postcolonial insights. The analytical tool is illustrated with reference to the New Caledonian independence debate through the analysis of salient linguistic patterns and discursive moves in two open letters, published in April 1988, by Kanak independence leader Jean-Marie Tjibaou and former French President François Mitterrand.

Construction of the transitivity system of Myanmar

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lai Yee Win
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Systemic Functional Grammar ◽  
New Model ◽  
Functional Linguistics ◽  
International Language ◽  
Analysis Methods ◽  
The World ◽  
Clear Description

Abstract A number of studies on transitivity systems of languages have been conducted in the field of Systemic Functional Linguistics. Different linguists have described the transitivity systems of English, French, German, Japanese, Tagalog, Chinese, Vietnamese, Telugu, and Pitjantjatjara, adopting an upward approach which is not effective enough for discourse analysis. So far, there has been no description of the transitivity system of Myanmar in literature. The purpose of this paper is to put forward a clear description of the transitivity system of Myanmar that functions as one of the clause analysis methods from the experiential perspective. To construct a workable transitivity system of Myanmar, the present study follows He’s (forthcoming) (He, Wei. forthcoming. Categorization of experience of the world and construction of transitivity system of Chinese) new description of the Chinese transitivity system containing 32 types of processes that represent our experience of the world. Unlike previous studies, He (forthcoming) proposes autonomous and influential processes of action, mental and relational clauses with no description of ergativity hypothesized by Halliday (1985) (Halliday, Michael Alexander Kirkwood. 1985. An introduction to functional grammar. London: Arnold) and Matthiessen (1995) (Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. 1995. Lexicogrammatical cartography: English systems. Tokyo: International Language Sciences Publishers). This new model is more comprehensive and effective than previous ones because it adopts a downward approach which can smoothly be applied to discourse analysis. In this paper, the transitivity analysis of Myanmar clauses is performed in accordance with the theories put forward by He (forthcoming) and the semantic configurations of 32 processes in Myanmar transitivity system are illustrated with authentic examples. Findings show that the proposed transitivity system of Myanmar can analyze clauses effectively, and it is compatible with the discourse analysis of Myanmar. These findings will make an important contribution to further study of the systemic functional grammar of Myanmar.

scholarly journals Quantitative Research in Systemic Functional Linguistics

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingshun He
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Language Evolution ◽  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Intelligent Computing ◽  
Functional Linguistics ◽  
Quantitative And Qualitative Research ◽  
Ideological Background ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Qualitative Analyses

The research of Systemic Functional Linguistics has been quite in-depth in both theory and practice. However, many linguists hold that Systemic Functional Linguistics has no hypothesis testing or experiments and its research is only qualitative. Analyses of the corpus, intelligent computing and language evolution on the ideological background of Systemic Functional Linguistics show that this theory focuses its research on language-in-use and is significantly quantitative in nature. It carries out both top-down and bottom-up approaches in specific studies and emphasizes on the combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, the complementation of competence and performance data and the integration of manual and automatic operations.

scholarly journals Age-related differences in language use within the mathematical register

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 115-128
Author(s):  
Rod E Case ◽  
Pete Cobin ◽  
Gwedolyn Williams
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Test Of Independence ◽  
Functional Linguistics ◽  
Mathematical Explanations ◽  
Cognitive Linguistic ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
Mathematical Register

The struggles that learners face as they attempt to produce mathematical explanations have been widely documented from researchers working in the systemic functional linguistics tradition. The approach has been to isolate specific grammatical patterns which differ across the natural and mathematical register and then argue that these represent a source of trouble for learners. This manuscript explores the extent to which age accounts for differences in the production of explanations within the mathematical register, but does so from a cognitive linguistic tradition.Data was collected over three weeks from 50 students, 30 boys and 20 girls in five different classrooms. A Chi-Square test of independence demonstrated age-related differences in the use of six different grammatical patterns within the mathematical register. The larger argument is made that producing explanations within the mathematical register relies more on the strategic use of multiple grammatical patterns and semantic forms than the mastery of a single grammatical pattern. 

Interpersonal grammar of Korean

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-53
Author(s):  
Gi-Hyun Shin
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
The Other ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Functional Linguistics

Abstract This paper provides an account of interpersonal resources in Korean from the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics. The focus is upon the paradigmatic interdependency of addressee deference, mood, stance and politeness, and the syntagmatic interaction of their realisations with polarity, modality, vocation and the participant deference in this language. Specifically, this paper puts two arguments forward. One is that the system of formality is fundamental in Korean. The system has two choices: formal and informal. mood and addressee deference belong to formal resources, and involve power-oriented language use. stance and politeness are informal resources, and involve solidarity-oriented language use. The other argument is that realisations of interpersonal resources are scattered across ranks in Korean. The paper advocates SFL’s top-down paradigmatic perspective, which enables us to pull resources together in an account that formalises their interdependency while respecting their divergent realisations.

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