Analysing English Grammar Workshop. outline n Where to begin the analysis n Relationship between FUNCTION and FORM n Experiential Meaning n Interpersonal.

Analysing English Grammar

Workshop

outline

Where to begin the analysis Relationship between FUNCTION and

FORM Experiential Meaning Interpersonal Meaning

(multi)functional elements of the clause

Each clause expresses simultaneously 3 main strands of meaning

Each of these strands expresses meaning through different functions – Elements of the clause

Simultaneous analysis is impossible for the analyst– We have to impose an order

Where do we start? IFG (Halliday, 2004):

1. Textual (clause as message)

2. Interpersonal (clause as exchange)

3. Experiential (clause as representation)

Bloor & Bloor (2004):1. Interpersonal

2. Textual

3. Experiential

Thompson (2004):1. Interpersonal

2. Experiential

3. Textual

Me?1. Experiential

2. Interpersonal

3. Textual

Function and form

Structural units

Verbal group

Nominal group

Adverbial group

Functional Elements

Process

Participants

Circumstances

This is only the most common correlation, other groups can be found for these functions

See handout for tables of Participants and Circumstances

Process Participants ExampleMaterial Actor, Goal,

Beneficiary, Scope, Initiator, Attribute

John[Actor] hit the ball[Goal]

John[Actor] gave the ball[Goal] to Jane[Beneficiary]

John[Initiator] made her[Actor] eatJohn[Actor] swept the room[Goal] clean[Attribute]

Mental Senser, Phenomenon John[Senser] likes Jane[¨Phenomenon]

RelationalAttrib. Carrier, Attribute John[Carrier] is nice[Attribute]

Ident. Identifier, Identified John[Identified] is the lawyer[Identifier]

Verbal Sayer, Receiver, Verbiage

John[Sayer] told me[Recipient] a story[Verbiage]

Existential Existent There was a lake[Existent]

Behavioural Behaver John[Behaver] is laughing

Circumstantial elements

optional elements of the clause peripheral not directly involved in the process occur 'freely' in all types of processes (in theory) for Halliday, they do not have the potential of

becoming Subjects

participants are "inherent" in the process

Type question answered example

Extent how far?how long?How frequently?

He ran three miles[Circ.:Extent:distance].He ran for three days[Circ.:Extent:duration]

He ran every day[Circ.:Extent:frequency]

Location where?when?

He ran in [Circ.: location: place]

He ran last year[Circ.: location: time]

Manner by what means? how?like what? How much?

He saved her with a rope[Circ.: manner: means]

She saved him quickly[Circ.: manner: quality]

She ran like the wind[Circ.: manner: comparison]

Cause why?for what purpose?on whose behalf?

She ran because she loved to[Circ.: cause:reason]

She ran to raise money[Circ.: cause:purpose]

She ran for her sister[Circ.: cause:behalf]

Conting. under what conditions? In the event of fire[Circ.: contingency] leave the building

Accomp. who/what with?Who/what else?

John ran with Jane [Circ.: accompaniment]

John wears mittens in addition to his gloves[Circ.: accompaniment]

Role what as?what into?

She spoke as his mentor[Circ.: role:guise]

He was transformed into a prince[Circ.: role]

Matter what about? He warned me about the film[Circ.: matter]

Angle according to whom?from whose viewpoint/perspective?

According to the lecturer[Circ.: angle:source], the class is cancelled To me[Circ.: angle:viewpoint], he’s an idiot.

identification(labelling)

via patternsinterpretation

(discourse analysis)

of process types

of participants

of circumstances

what are the dominant process types? why these? how do the types match with other aspects (e.g.

location in the text, appearing in commands vs. statements, etc.)?

what (groupings of) participants are there? how do these compare with 'real world' entities and events? what kinds of participants (e.g. concrete vs. abstract)?

what transitivity role(s) do they have? what types of circumstances are included, where in the text? what gets expressed as circumstances rather than in the 'nucleus' (process + participant)?

Source: Thompson, 2004, p. 127Patterns in Transitivity

Analysing experiential meaning

– See handout

Function and form

Structural units

Nominal Group

Temporal Verbal Operator

Modal Verbal Operator

Functional Elements

Subject

Finite

The Mood SystemSource: Thompson p. 58

mood

indicative

imperative

wh-

yes/no

interrogative

declarative

exclamative

non-exclamative

wh-subj

wh-non-subj

suggestive

regular imperative

marked

unmarked

Labelling Interpersonal Meaning Identify the Subject

Identify the Finite element

Find any Polarity markers and Modal Adjuncts

Determine the mood based on the relationship between Subject and Finite

Label what is left: Complement (will match onto a Participant, Adjunct (will match onto a Circumstance)

Determine the role of the clause in the exchange

Analysing interpersonal meaning

– See handout