Analysing English Grammar: A Systemic Functional Introduction

296 Pages·2012·1.56 MB·English

by  Lise Fontaine

Analysing English Grammar
Apracticalstep-by-stepintroductiontotheanalysisofEnglishgrammar,thisbook
leavesthe readerconfidenttotacklethechallengesanalysinggrammarmaypose.
The first textbook to take an integrated approach to function and structure in
grammatical analysis, it allows students to build experience, skill and confidence
inworkingwithgrammar.Theinnovative,hybridapproachcombinesanintroduc-
tiontosystemicfunctionaltheorywithasolidgroundingingrammaticalstructure.
Thebookapproachesgrammarinanincrementalway,enablingstudentstodevelop
grammaticalskillinstages.Itisofparticularvaluetothosestartingtoworkwith
functional grammar but it is also relevant for experienced readers who are inter-
estedindevelopingamoresystematicapproachtogrammaticalanalysis.
lise fontaine is a lecturer in the Centre for Language and Communication
ResearchatCardiffUniversity.

Analysing
English
Grammar
A systemic functional introduction
LISE FONTAINE
CardiffUniversity
cambridgeuniversitypress
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#LiseFontaine2013
Thispublicationisincopyright.Subjecttostatutoryexception
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thewrittenpermissionofCambridgeUniversityPress.
Firstpublished2013
PrintedandboundintheUnitedKingdombytheMPGBooksGroup
AcataloguerecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-Publicationdata
Fontaine,Lise,author.
AnalysingEnglishgrammar:asystemic-functionalintroduction/LiseFontaine,CardiffUniversity.
pages cm
ISBN978-0-521-19066-4–ISBN978-0-521-15193-1(Paperback)
1. Englishlanguage–Grammar. I. Title.
PE1112.F6162012
425–dc23
2012015818
ISBN978-0-521-19066-4Hardback
ISBN978-0-521-15193-1Paperback
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Contents
Preface page ix
1 Introduction to functional grammatical analysis 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Analysinggrammarwithinafunctionalframework 3
1.3 Anoverviewofsystemicfunctionallinguistics 4
1.4 Thegoalofgrammaticalanalysis 12
1.5 Exercises 13
1.6 Furtherreading 14
2 The unitsof language analysis 16
2.1 Introduction 16
2.2 Theclause:elementsandunits 19
2.3 Wordandgroupclasses 26
2.4 Aninitialviewoftheclause:representingfunctionsandstructures 37
2.5 Summary 42
2.6 Exercises 42
2.7 Furtherreading 43
3 The grammar of things: the nominal group 44
3.1 Introductiontoreferringexpressions 44
3.2 Thenominalgroup 46
3.3 Testsforrecognizingnominalgroupboundaries 63
3.4 Workedexampleofthenominalgroupanalysis 67
3.5 Exercises 70
3.6 Furtherreading 70
4 Representingexperience 71
4.1 Introduction 71
4.2 Analysingexperientialmeaning 71
4.3 Testsforanalysingprocesses,participantsandcircumstances 81
4.4 Functional–structuralviewoftheexperientialstrandofmeaning 93
4.5 Summary 107
4.6 Exercises 107
4.7 Furtherreading 108
5 Orienting language 109
5.1 Introduction 109
5.2 Goalsandlimitationsofthechapter 110
5.3 Theroleofsubjectanditsplaceintheclause 110
5.4 TheFiniteelement 115
v
Contents
5.5 Modality 120
5.6 Polarity 121
5.7 Aninterpersonalviewoftheclause 122
5.8 Mood 134
5.9 Summary 137
5.10 Exercises 137
5.11 Furtherreading 138
6 Organizing language 139
6.1 Introduction 139
6.2 Atextualviewoftheclause 139
6.3 ThemeandMood 142
6.4 TypesofTheme 147
6.5 Thematicconstructions 153
6.6 AnalysingTheme 155
6.7 Texture 166
6.8 Summary 171
6.9 Exercises 172
6.10 Furtherreading 172
7 From text to clause 174
7.1 Introduction 174
7.2 TextualThemesandclauseboundaries 175
7.3 Combiningclauses 175
7.4 Identifyingclauseboundaries 180
7.5 Summary 188
7.6 Exercises 188
7.7 Furtherreading 189
8 Guidelinesfor grammatical analysis 190
8.1 Afocusonwrittentexts 190
8.2 Summaryofgrammaticaltests 191
8.3 Thethree-strandanalysis 192
8.4 Summary 216
8.5 Exercises 217
8.6 Furtherreading 218
9 There andbackagain: interpretingthe analysis 219
9.1 Introduction 219
9.2 Patternsofmeaningintext 221
9.3 Finalremarks 237
9.4 Exercises 238
9.5 Furtherreading 239
10 Answers toexercises 240
10.1 Chapter1 240
10.2 Chapter2 241
10.3 Chapter3 242
vi
Contents
10.4 Chapter4 243
10.5 Chapter5 250
10.6 Chapter6 251
10.7 Chapter7 254
10.8 Chapter8 255
10.9 Chapter9 267
Notes 278
References 279
Index 282
vii