Systemic Functional Linguistics as a Model for Text Analysis: A Study of Two Abstracts, Monografías, Ensayos de Inglés

¡Descarga Systemic Functional Linguistics as a Model for Text Analysis: A Study of Two Abstracts y más Monografías, Ensayos en PDF de Inglés solo en Docsity! 2Sp ue du GERAS 35-36 | 2002 Varia Systemic Functional Linguistics as a model for text analysis David Banks OpenEdition Py Journals Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/asp/1584 DOI: 10.4000/asp.1584 ISBN: 978-2-8218-0388-6 ISSN: 2108-6354 Publisher Groupe d'étude et de recherche en anglais de spécialité Printed version Date of publication: 1 December 2002 Number of pages: 23-34 ISSN: 1246-8185 Electronic reference David Banks, « Systemic Functional Linguistics as a model for text analysis », ASp [Online], 35-36 | 2002, Online since 05 August 2010, connection on 21 December 2020. URL : http:// journals.openedition.org/asp/1584 ; DOI : https:/doi.org/10.4000/asp.1584 This text was automatically generated on 21 December 2020. Tous droits réservés Systemic Functional Linguistics as a model for text analysis Systemic Functional Linguistics as a model for text analysis David Banks Objective In this article 1 hope to show that Systemic Functional Linguistics (henceforth SFL)' is a useful and indeed powerful tool for the analysis of text. 1 would like to state at the outset that this is notintended to be to the exclusion of other types of approach, which may well be useful and powerful in their own right, and in perhaps different ways. However the scope of this article will be limited to discussion of SFL, and hence will not take comparative considerations into account. In view of this, the article will be more in the nature of a demonstration than a research article proper. I shall present a mini-corpus which will be analysed for the needs of the demonstration, and I will outline the register? and semantics strata of the SFL model. 1 will comment on a partial analysis of the two texts, and discuss differences between the two texts which are brought out by the analyses. Mini-corpus For the needs of my demonstration, I will consider a mini-corpus of two short texts. These are reproduced in Appendix 1. The object of having short texts is that this enables us to deal with the texts as a whole within the scope of the article, rather than simply extracts, or selected aspects. Both texts are abstracts to research articles and both were published in 1996. The first concerns particle physics and consists of eight finite clauses totalling 106 words, an average of 13.25 words per clause. The second is from the area of ESP, and consists of nine finite clauses totalling 134 words, an average of 14.89 words per clause. Particle physics is a domain with which 1 have no familiarity, and 1 suspect this is the case for the majority of readers of ASp; on the other hand, ESP is an area which 1, and 1 ASp, 35-36 | 2002 Systemic Functional Linguistics as a model for text analysis Clause 1 Physics abstract (P1) Slow ... ions | are scattered from ... surfaces | under ... incidence Affected Pro: mat Circ: place Circ: instr Mood Residue Th: top Rheme Slow N*, N? * and N?0* ¡ons are scattered from partially caesiated W(110) surfaces under grazing incidence. The transitivity analysis of P1 shows that in this clause we have a verbal group encoding a process, are scattered, which takes place in a physical environment, and hence is a Material Process. This verbal group is in the passive voice and so it is fairly natural to find the Affected, Slow N', N? * and No, in subject position. This is accompanied by two circumstantial adjuncts, one of place, from partially caesiated W(110) surfaces, and one expressing instrumental involvement, under grazing incidence. The Mood element is made up of the subject group and the Finite, are, the remainder of the clause being the Residue. In thematic structure, major components of the clause (Subject, Predicator, Complement or circumstantial Adjunct) constitute topical themes when in thematic position. In this case the Subject is the topical Theme, the rest of the clause is the Rheme. Clause 2 Physics abstract (P2) The collisi ) 5 e collision ... processes) P studied Pro: Phenomenon ment Mood Residue Th: top Rheme The collision-induced emission of electrons (due to inter- and intra-atomic Auger processes) is studied. In P2, the verbal group indicates an event which takes place essentially in the cerebral domain and is hence a Mental Process. The verbal group is again in the passive voice and hence it is usual to find, as here, the content of the mental process, the Phenomenon, The collision-induced emission of electrons (due to inter- and intra-atomic Auger processes), in subject position. The Mood is the Subject plus the Finite, is, with studied as the Residue. The Subject is the topical Theme, and the rest of the clause, is studied, functions as Rheme. Clause 3 Physics abstract (P3) We provide evidence that ... process ASp, 35-36 | 2002 Systemic Functional Linguistics as a model for text analysis Sayer |Pro: verb Verbiage Mood Residue Th: top | Rheme We provide evidence that the metastable negative nitrogen ion state N“('D) is formed in a two-step capture process. In P3, the verbal group is provide, but this provision is not a physical matter, but a question of communication, and hence is analysed as Verbal Process. The instigator of this verbal process, We, is the Sayer; and the content of the communication, evidence that the metastable negative nitrogen ¡on state N*('D) is formed in a two-step capture process, is the Verbiage (as a technical term this word has no derogatory overtones). The verbal group of this clause has no auxiliaries, and in this case SFL posits that the Finite is fused with the lexical verb. Hence the Mood is made up of the Subject and the fused Finite which is in the verb. The remainder of the clause constitutes the Residue. Once again it is the Subject which constitutes the topical Theme, the rest of the clause being the Rheme.* Clause 4 Physics abstract (P4) that the ...N (1D) | is formed ina... process Result Pro: mat Circ: manner Mood Residue Th: text | Th: top Rheme that the metastable negative nitrogen ion state N"*('D) is formed in a two-step capture process. P3 includes a rankshifted clause P4, that the metastable negative nitrogen ion state N*('D) is formed in a two-step capture process, which functions as the qualifier of evidence in P3. P4 has a verbal group, is formed, which is a Material Process. Here, the Subject of this material process is a Result rather than an Affected, since it is created by the process. It is also accompanied by a circumstantial Adjunct of manner, in a two-step capture process. The Mood is once again the Subject plus Finite, with the remainder of the clause constituting the Residue. The totality of this clause forms part of the Rheme of P3. Nevertheless it is possible to consider the internal thematic structure of this rankshifted clause. In that case the conjunction, that, since it precedes the topical Theme forms part of the thematic material, and is a textual Theme; this is followed by the topical Theme, constituted by the Subject, the rest of the clause functioning as Rheme. Clause 1 ESP abstract (L1) This paper | analyses lexical verb use ... and experimental) Instrument | Pro: verb Verbiage ASp, 35-36 | 2002 Systemic Functional Linguistics as a model for text analysis Mood Residue Th: top Rheme This paper analyses lexical verb use in two types of medical research articles (clinical and experimental). In 11, the first clause of the ESP extract, the verb is analyses. The process here is however not about the process of analysing itself, but about the presentation of the analyses in the article; hence it is a question of communication and an example of Verbal Process. A Sayer is the initiator of an act of communication, and as such must be an animate entity, hence in this case, the Subject, This paper, cannot be a Sayer, except in some metaphorical sense; it is rather the means through which the unmentioned sayer, the researcher, carries out his act of communication. This paper is therefore analysed as Instrument. The segment lexical verb use in two types of medical research articles (clinical and experimental) expresses the content of the message and thus is the Verbiage. The Mood is constituted by the Subject and a fused Finite, the rest of the Clause being the Residue. The Subject is also the topical Theme, with the rest of the clause as Rheme. Clause 2 ESP abstract (L2) The corpus | consists of two groups of four articles Carrier Pro: rel Attribute Mood Residue Th: top Rheme The corpus consists of two groups of four articles. The verbal group of L2, consists of, is a Relational Process of the attributive type, with The corpus as Carrier and two groups of four articles as Attribute. Once again the Mood element is the Subject and a fused Finite, with the rest of the clause as Residue; and the Subject also functions as topical Theme with the rest of the clause as Rheme. Clause 3 ESP abstract (L3) were Finite ... words included Possessed Pro: rel Mood Residue Th: top Rheme Finite and non-finite forms of verbs recurring at a frequency of over 4 per 10,000 words were included. ASp, 35-36 | 2002 31 32 Systemic Functional Linguistics as a model for text analysis indicate that there is a greater tendency to make the circumstances explicit in the physics abstract. It will be noted that this is despite the fact that the average length of clauses is greater in the ESP abstract than in the physics abstract. An increased number of circumstantial adjuncts is frequently a cause of greater length, but that is not the case here. The longer length of the ESP clauses is to be found elsewhere, for example, in extensive qualifiers. Concluding remarks The analyses presented here bring out a number of differences between these two short texts. However, it must be stressed that it is not intended that these results be taken as typical of these sub-genres. The size of the corpus obviates that, and in any case that was not the object of the exercise. What has been said applies only to the two texts in question. At most, the results might be taken as providing provisional initial working hypotheses. What 1 hope has been shown is that SFL provides an analytical framework which is interesting, useful and powerful for the analysis and comparison of texts. However, as 1 said at the outset, this is not to be understood as being to the exclusion of other possible theoretical approaches, which may well come to similar conclusions. But 1 would like to stress, particularly for readers who are less familiar with SFL, that this approach is not simply a technique of textual analysis, it is rather a total theory of language (cf. e.g. Halliday €: Matthiessen 1999), of which certain aspects lend themselves to the analysis of text. It may even be that some come to similar conclusions on an ad hoc or intuitive basis, but I always feel that intuitive findings need to be anchored in a theoretical framework in order to be of academic interest. Otherwise they remain at a fairly subjective level. As 1 hope has been shown here, the distinction in SFL of three levels (metafunctions) within the semantic component of the model helps highlight the features of the text in a particularly clear, powerful, and objective fashion. BIBLIOGRAPHY Berry, Margaret. 1975. Introduction to Systemic Linguistics, Vol 1, Structures and Systems. London: Batsford. Bloor, Thomas é: Meriel Bloor. 1995. The Functional Analysis of English, a Hallidayan Approach. London: Arnold. Eggins, Suzanne. 1994. An Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistic. London: Pinter. Halliday, M.A.K. 1978. Language as Social Semiotic, the social interpretation of language and meaning. London: Edward Arnold, Halliday, M.A.K. 1994. An Introduction to Functional Grammar, 2nd. ed. London: Edward Arnold. ASp, 35-36 | 2002 Systemic Functional Linguistics as a model for text analysis 10 Halliday, M.A.K. € Christian Matthiessen. 1999. Construing Experience through Meaning, a language- based approach to cognition. London: Cassel. Kourilová, Magda. 1996. “Interactive functions of language in peer reviews of medical papers written by non-native users of English”. Unesco ALSED-LSP Newsletter 19/1, 4-21. Lock, Graham. 1996. Functional English Grammar, An introduction for second language teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Matthiessen, Christian. 1995. Lexicogrammatical Cartography: English Systems. Tokyo: International Language Sciences Publishers. Sionis, Claude. 1995. “Communication strategies in the writing of scientific research articles by non-native users of English”. English for Specific Purposes 14/2, 99-113. Sionis, Claude. 1997. “Stratégies et styles rédactionnels de l'article de recherché : les ressources de P'utilisateur nonnatif devant publier en anglais”. ASp 15-18, 207-222. Swales, John M. 1990. Genre Analysis. English in academic and research settings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Thompson, Geoff. 1996. Introducing Functional Grammar. London: Arnold. APPENDIXES Appendix 1: Corpus texts Slow.N*, N, *, NO* and N,O* jons are scattered from partially caesiated W(110) surfaces under grazing incidence. The collision-induced emission of electrons (due to inter- and intra-atomic Auger processes) is studied. We provide evidence that the metastable negative nitrogen ion state N"*('D) is formed in a two-step capture process: in the first step neutral nitrogen atoms are formed in excited multiplet states of the N,P, configuration. In the second step an additional surface electron is attached to the excited parent neutral atoms. The excitation energy of N”*('D) with respect to the nitrogen ground state would be 1.4eV; its lifetime must be shorter than 200 ms. Miller, H., D. Gador, F. Wieherhaus €: Kempter (1996): “Evidence for the formation of N*( 1D) ions in ion-surface collisions”, Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, 29, 715-723. This paper analyses lexical verb use in two types of medical research articles (clinical and experimental). The corpus consists of two groups of four articles. Finite and non-finite forms of verbs occurring at a frequency of over 4 per 10,000 words were included. Lists were drawn up of verbs meeting this criterion in both groups and in one group only. For the contextual study, verbs were classified into seven categories, reporting, observation, relations, defining, cause and effect (C£:E), change and growth (Cé:G) and methods. Differences in the overall distribution by rhetorical section and in individual verb functions between the groups were assessed statistically. Analysis of the reporting function showed clinical reports to be more assertive while experimental studies were more tentative. Certain reporting verbs coincided with moves in the Discussion cycle in both series, Williams, lan A. (1996): “A Contextual Study of Lexical Verbs in Two Types of Medical Research Report: Clinical and Experimental”, English for Specific Purposes, 15:3, 175-197. ASp, 35-36 | 2002 Systemic Functional Linguistics as a model for text analysis Appendix 2: Analysis of physics abstract pr [Slow...ions are scattered from... surfaces Affected Pro: mat Circ: place Mood [ Residue Th: top. [ Rheme. Pz The collision ... processes) is studied Phenomenon Pro: ment Th: top [ Rheme: Pp [we provide evidence that ... process Sayer Pro: verb Verbiage Mood ] Residue Th: Top |Rheme Pa [tñac the ...N*('D) is formed [ina... process Result Pro: mat Circ: manner Mood Residue [mm:texe | Tm: top [ fheme Ps [intheñirststep — [neutral nitrogen atoms — [are formed | in excited ... configuration Circ: time Result Pro; mat ire: manner. Res- Mood -idue Th: top [ Rheme P6 — [imthe second step an... electron is attached [to the ... atoms Circ: time Affected Pro: mat Circ: place Res- Mood -idue Th: top. [ Rheme P7 [Te excitation ... state would be 1.4eV Carrier Pro: rel Actribute Mood. [ Residue Th: top | rheme ps [itstifetime must be shorter than 200 ms Carrier Pro: rel Attribute. Mood [ Residue Th: top. [ rheme Appendix 3: Analysis of ESP abstract ASP, 35-36 | 2002