Grammar- exploring interpersonal meaning further

8/3/2019 Grammar- exploring interpersonal meaning further

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Ririn Rohmani

08420348


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TAKING A DEFINITE STAND

Sometimes speakers take a definite stand inwhat they say. They take a position or

assert a proposition, and are prepared todefend it in argument.


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METALANGUAGE FOR DISCUSSING THE

SPEAKERS POSITION IN A TEXT

In any discussion, argument, or quarrel, it isthe contents of the Mood block with are at

stake.ExampleMice can fly in the sky ( Speaker 1 )


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If we want to disagree about their proposition, we simplyadd a negative such as not or nt into the Mood block afterthe Finite. This gives the clause NEGATIVE

POLARITY ( yes / no question ).

Example

Mice can fly ( Speaker 1 )

Mice cant fly ( speaker disagreeing)


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Analysis

In most cases, the speaker would also

substitute an appropriate pronoun for thenominal group filling the subject slot as in :


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Meanings that are not available for

argument or discussionIf a clause does not have a Mood block, there is nothing on which to base anargument.

In the following clauses the verbal groups which include a finite are underlinedand those which are non finite are in bold:

1. Going upstairs, I discovered my two cats, who had been missing for some timedesembowelling my lace cushion.

2. the city having been well and truly sacked, theVisigoths retired to their ownterritory.

3. To err is human, to forgive divine.


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Finding ground between positive and

negative

B y expressing the time, polarity andmodality from the speakers vantage point,the finite indicates how to place an event inthe speakers time and how the speaker judges the definiteness or certainty of thepreposition expressed by the clause. we usethe term MODALITY to refer to all signsof the speakers opinion in a text, so a finiteexpressing modality becomes a ModalFinite.


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Metalanguage for discussing opinion

Modality is the general term for all signs of speakersopinion. Where the opinion is about probability orusuality it is known as MODALISATION. Wherethe opinion expresses obligation it is known as

MODULATION.The metalanguage of opinion :modalitymodal finitemood adjunct

comment adjunctmodalisationmodulationmodal grammatical metaphor


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The Modal Finite is not the only resourcemodality available to speakers of English. Wemay also use adverbial groups or prepositionalphrases to express degrees of certainty orusuality.

They encode speakers opinions about the

probability, obligation, usuality, presumption,inclination, degrre, and intensity, or even time ofthe activiity in the clause.


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Modal Grammatical Methapor

We are using the grammar metaphorcally when we say, forexample, I think, when we mean - probably ; or, I believe,when we mean almost certainly; -- or, dont you think, when

we mean definitely.There is modal grammatical metaphor in the last line ofcheries text earlier in this chapter where she says:


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We can suggest two differet analyses byslightly rewording this statement as either:

This is [[what(I think) a good teacher should belike]]probablyWhere the modality stays in the embeddedclause, or

I think probably (that) this is what a goodteacher should be likeWhere the modality applies to the whole clause.


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Metalanguage for discussing attitude

Comment adjuncts allow speakers to showtheir attitude to the experiences encoded in

a clause.Example:


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Many other lexical choices in a clause also showa speakers attitudes and values. Most of theproperly fit into our experiential analysis, but

there are some Epithet, like silly, awful,wonderful, appalling, or fantastic which do not.

Poor harry has lost his keys.

This is a terrific offer!My mum went to Perth and all I got was thislousy T-shirt.


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MAPPING EXPERIENTIAL AND

INTERPERSONALMEANING ON THE SAME

CLAUSE

The metalanguage for the description of the experientialfunction focuses on the various possible combinations ofProcesses, Participants and Circumstances, while the

metalanguage for the description of interpersonal meaningsfocuses on the subject Finite relationship and MoodAdjuncts in the Mood block, and the Predicator,Complement and ordinary Adjunct that make up theResidue.


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Not every word in a clause will be relevant tothe description of each function.


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Grammar- exploring interpersonal meaning further

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