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