Paradigmatic vs. Syntagmatic Ferdinand de Saussure (1916)
[b t] “bat”... c h a i n ......
c h
o i
c e
...
[ p at ][ k at ]
b
[ b E t ][ b It ]
a[ b a p ]
[ b a d ]
t
/b t/
pk p
dEI
... c h a i n ...... c
h o
i c
e ...
b a t
Phonemes / Phonology: contrastive units
• phonemes are the minimal units of phonology
• changing a phoneme means that you change the word!
A clause analysis
The lion chased the tourist lazily through the bush
process
participants circumstances• how• where
‘Box’ representation of clause in terms of Process, Participants and
Circumstances
The lion
chased
the tourist
lazily
through the bush
Participant: Actor
Process
Participant: Goal
Cir-cum-stance
Circum-stance
‘Box’ representation of clause in terms of Process, Participants and Circumstances
The lion
chased
the tourist
lazily
through the bush
Participant: Actor
Process
Participant: Goal
Cir-cum-stance
Circum-stance
... c h a i n ...
“syntagmatic”
‘Box’ representation of clause in terms of Process, Participants and
Circumstances
The tourist
thought
this was very unfair
Participant: Senser
Process
Participant: Phenomenon
‘Box’ representation of clause in terms of Process, Participants and Circumstances
The tourist
thought
this was very unfair
Participant: Sensor
Process
Participant: Phenomenon
... c h a i n ...
“syntagmatic”
Paradigmatic: clauses
material
mental
... c
h o
i c
e ...
Participant:Phenomenon
ProcessParticipant:Sensor
Circum-stance
Circum-stance
Participant:Goal
ProcessParticipant:Actor
Paradigmatic: clauses
material
mentalParticipant:Phenomenon
Participant:Sensor
Participant:Goal
Participant:Actor
relational
verbal
Participant:Attribute
Participant:Carrier
Participant:Verbiage
Participant:Sayer
Paradigmatic: clauses
material
mentalParticipant:Phenomenon
Participant:Sensor
relational
verbal
attributive
identifyingParticipant:Value
Participant:Token
Participant:Attribute
Participant:Carrier
What about effective/middle?
The lion
chased
the tourist
lazily
through the bush
Participant: Actor
Participant: Goal
Agent
Process Medium
Cir-cum-stance
Circum-stance
... c h a i n ...
Three kinds of meaning: three metafunctions
• Textual meaning:– Theme
• Interpersonal meaning:– Subject– Finite– Polarity / Probability
• Ideational/Experiential meaning:– Process– Participants– Circumstances
what’s going on
how is message is organised
relationship between speakers