Perspective Of Functional Linguistics Research Articles

Pragmatic Study of Person Dexis in the Speeches of Chinese and American Leaders

Language not only conveys information, but also reveals information about the speaker’s identity, social status and behavioral motives. This paper focuses on how person dexis in the speeches of Chinese and U.S. leaders convey interpersonal connotations and realize pragmatic purposes. The selected texts are analyzed from the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics according to the first, second and third person dexis. The paper is based on a corpus of 11 speeches delivered by President Xi and former U.S. President Donald Trump, in which the frequency of person dexis and the characteristics of the use are recorded. The study is conducive to have a clearer understanding of the interpersonal meanings and pragmatic purposes of different person dexis and the underlying conceptual and cultural factors influencing the usage.

Grammatical Metaphor in the C-E Translation of Jing Ye Si

In translation, translators are often confronted with the choice between congruent form and metaphorical form, which is closely correlated with grammatical metaphor theory in systemic functional linguistics. This paper attempts to apply grammatical metaphor theory to Jing Ye Si and its seven translations to assess poetry translation quality and provide guidance for translators from the perspective of systemic functional linguistics. It strives to elucidate the grammatical metaphor in the C-E translation of Jing Ye Si and the way to evaluate its seven translations via grammatical metaphor. In this context, six steps brought forward by Huang Guowen (2004) are taken in the functional discourse analysis of Jing Ye Si and its seven translations. After elaborating the characteristics of the seven translations, the study evaluates their overall translation quality. According to functional equivalence to the source text, the translations of Xu Yuanchong and Amy Lowell outperform other translations. In translation practice, translators are advised to choose between the congruent form and metaphorical form based on the context, original author, target readers, aesthetic value, translation purpose, and so on. Essentially, it is necessary to manipulate the transitivity system, mood system, modality system, and Theme system to realize the equivalence of the translations to the source text in terms of ideational, interpersonal, and textual metafunctions.

An Interpretation of Mending Wall from the Perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics

This article provides an in-depth interpretation of Robert Frost’s Mending Wall through the lens of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), highlighting how the poem’s use of ideational, interpersonal, and textual functions enhances its thematic depth and engagement. The ideational function explores the wall's representation of both physical and metaphorical divides, touching upon its implications for human connections and social conventions. The interpersonal function probes the dialogue among characters, highlighting their divergent perspectives on customs and isolation. The textual function scrutinizes the poem’s composition and tempo, underlining its dialogue-like quality and unified theme. By analyzing the poem's structure, dialogue, and symbolic elements, the study demonstrates SFL’s efficacy in revealing the intricate relationship between language choices and literary interpretation, offering profound insights into Frost’s contemplation of social barriers and interpersonal connections.

Combining enactivism and systemic functional linguistics: a methodology for examining (mathematics teacher educator) language

AbstractAs mathematics teacher educators (MTEs), we are motivated by the lack of research concerning the language that MTEs use in initial teacher education settings. In this paper, we turn our attention towards developing a methodological approach to studying the language-in-use during teacher education situations, with a specific focus on the language of the MTE in the form of a monologue. The methodological approach that we present draws upon two theoretical perspectives, specifically, the situated cognition theory of enactivism and the social semiotic perspective of systemic functional linguistics (SFL). To develop this methodology, we explore both of these theoretical perspectives, focussing on their respective conceptualisations of language, from which we derive a set of methodological principles and practices. A significant feature of the methodology presented in this paper, is that it takes into account the researchers’ relationships with the subject of research. Thus we propose this methodology as being of particular significance to practitioner–researchers studying the language of other practitioners within the same field (e.g. MTEs studying the language of other MTEs), as well as to the study of one’s own use of language in mathematics education settings. From our methodological perspective we explore the meaning of quality research, proposing relevant criteria. We exemplify the methodological principles and practices by analysing a transcript of a mathematics teacher education lecture for prospective primary teachers in Sweden.

Causation from the Perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics

Causation from the Perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics

An Appraisal Analysis of the Performance of Malaysian Fresh Graduates in a Job Interview

The current study was undertaken to investigate how fresh graduates perform in English and why they were successful, reserved, or unsuccessful in job interviews from the perspective of the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) Appraisal Theory namely from the Attitude subsystem. The theory focuses on the English language proficiency of the candidates in terms of their ability to express their stances in English. A qualitative method was employed in the present study. The data of the study comprised of walk-in interview transcripts of 10 fresh graduates for the post of Administrative Officer (s). An Appraisal analysis was conducted to reveal stances for the answers to the general interview question, “How do you face challenges?” and it was used as a theme to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the Appreciation subsystem of Attitude was used predominantly by candidates who were successful. The current study is expected to advance knowledge on the performance of graduates in job interviews and contribute to the field of SFL and Educational Linguistics.

Analysis of Language Variants and Social Differences from the Perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics— A Case Study of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Analysis of Language Variants and Social Differences from the Perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics— A Case Study of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

An analysis of the image-text relationship in English advertising from the perspective of systemic functional linguistics

An analysis of the image-text relationship in English advertising from the perspective of systemic functional linguistics

Discourse Structure Analysis of Making Request in Japanese Conversation

Making requests (irai) is a genre of spoken interaction that is taught from the basic level of learning Japanese as a foreign language. A request is one of the speech acts that may raise face-threatening potentials. Understanding the stages of request appropriate to Japanese culture is thus essential for Japanese learners to achieve successful conversation. Therefore, conversation pedagogy by using a discourse approach is essential. This study investigates a potential structure gap in Japanese making-requests conversations realized in actual settings and textbook conversational models. By employing genre theory and interpersonal discourse of “Negotiation” as a qualitative discourse analytic method from the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) perspective, this paper describes the gaps and some factors that potentially influence the structure of Japanese making-request conversation. Data were obtained from conversational texts in the Japanese language corpus named Japanese Natural Conversation Corpus and Japanese textbooks for elementary and middle adult learners. Regarding the structure, the results show no difference between conversations in textbooks and authentic ones at the stage level, but both differ at the phase level. There is no introduction to the problem, additional explanation, and confirmation phases in textbook conversational models. In addition, the absence of the phases, the differences in pre-condition content between textbook and authentic conversations, also the length of the reasoning phase, are assumed to be influenced by relational status between participants (tenor) as well as the imposition degree of the requested object.

한국어 인용절의 논리-의미 관계 연구

Objectives The purpose of this paper is to identify the types of logico-semantic relations that Korean quotation clauses have with their main clauses.
 Methods The clause complexing system of systemic functional linguistics separates the logico-semantic relations of quotation clauses and the Taxis into a optional system. This method can solves the previous problems of mixing the two criteria within the framework of embedded clauses.
 Results First, we argued that the logico-semantic relationship(projection) and clause complexing of quotation clause are independent systems, so that quotation clause can be used as a paratactic, hypotactic, or adverbial clause. we, also, explained that projecting nouns and fact nouns require adjective clauses as complement clause, and some factual cognitive verbs require nominal clauses as complement clause. Second, we explained that Korean quotation clauses can be logically and semantically categorized into locution, idea, and fact projections, respectively. Each of these is governed by the locution verb, the idea verb, and the fact noun in the main clause. In addition, a projecting clause always functions as a proposition or a proposal: thus, projenting clause can be defined as an obligatory bound clause that functions as speech acts of proposition or proposal. Third, from the perspective of systemic functional linguistics, we proposed the morpho-syntactic structures of quotation clauses as paratactic, hypotactic, and adverbial clauses, reflecting the aforementioned logico-semantic types and clause complexing system of quotation clauses.
 Conclusions The clause complexing system of SFL adopted in this paper is expected to provide a more comprehensive explanation than existing grammar theories because it reflects both logical-semantic types and the Taxis.

Deontic Modality in "The Invisible Man" Movie (A Systemic Functional Linguistics Perspective)

This research discusses the aspects of action and speech that are contained in The Invisible Man movie based on the theory of Jespersen and Palmer (2007) in the sub-categories commissive, directive, and volitive. The objective of this research is to describe deontic modality in three sub-categories commissive, directive, and volitive in The Invisible Man movie. This research used the descriptive qualitative method. The sources of data of this research are audio visual as primary data and written utterances from screenshotting and transcribing as secondary data. The data is from The Invisible Man movie. Data collection was carried out by searching and downloading movies, watching movies, screenshotting, classifying, and coding. Data were analyzed by presenting, describing, interpreting, and concluding data to answer research questions from this research. The results show that 18 data are included in the sub-categories commissive, directive, and volitive. Deontic modality appears because it is made by several characters in the movie that make promises and threats (commissive), make requests, order others to do something, give suggestions, carry out obligations (directive), and hope for something (volitive). The researcher found that the characters in The Invisible Man movie adopt deontic modality aspects that focus on the sub-categories commissive, directive, and volitive modality because many scenes show how aspects of the three sub-categories are used by characters to overcome existing problems. These three sub-categories are related to each other, the existence of a commissive that will lead to the directive to volitive.

Exploring the metafunctions to improve EFL learners’ writing ability in the perspective of systemic functional linguistics

Writing in academic English is challenging and complex to learn, the root reasons for the issue, may include differences in the cultural backgrounds of the students, a deficiency in critical thinking skills, and a deficiency in linguistic proficiency. This study set out to investigate how metafunctions may be used to enhance students' writing skills. A research approach incorporating a qualitative case study will be employed to assess ninth-grade students' text composition. The data were gathered through collecting student writing over the school year 2021/2022. The students’ writings were the texts that were learnt in grade nine based on the curriculum. This study used Systemic Functional Linguistic theory and English texts to provide the framework for the text analysis. The texts were analyzed using the metafunction analysis in Hallidayan SFL to uncover the students’ ability to write English text. The teacher applied the Genre-based Approach when instructing his or her students on how to write. The results presented that metafunctions analysis was very important because there were ideational, interpersonal, and textual metafunctions. The ideational metafunction revealed the use of some processes in the students’ writing (material, mental, relational, and verbal), interpersonal revealed the importance of mood and residue elements in students’ writing and textual metafunction showed the importance of thematic progression pattern. This study indicated that to alleviate students’ challenges and strengthen their academic writing and critical thinking capacity, teachers should have a better understanding of the theory of Systemic Functional Linguistics.

LANGUAGE ATTITUDE AND SENTIMENT ANALYSES IN GETTING THE INSIGHTS TOWARDS COVID-19’S OMICRON VARIANT NEWS

Omicron variant has been massively reported on Indonesian mass media following the spread of other previous variants during Covid-19 pandemic. This research combines computer science and linguistics to analyze the news on the variant. It implemented quantitative research using computational algorithm by collecting the titles of the news from Indonesian mainstream online mass media. Sentiment Analysis (SA) was applied to obtain the sentiments, opinion, and subjectivities of the texts along with topic modeling in classifying the topics. The words in the headline news titles were used as the data and grabbed by Python programming language. A criterion-based sampling was employed in to select the relevant data and to formulate the criteria in the research methodology. The results were filtered to ‘Omicron’ keyword for SA processing by the Azure Text Sentiment Analysis tool. The results of SA, as computational research, was then confirmed with Attitude Analysis (AA) from the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics. AA classified the words into affect, judgment, and appreciation as the attitude construed in English text. This research provides SA as the insights of Omicron issue. The presence of AA extracts the words into bipolar senses of human’s meaning interpretation. AA is important to straighten SA findings. SA has contextual meaning problem and requires study on its words classified in ‘neutral’ which are then confidently directed into positive or negative meanings by AA. It is found that there are different dynamics by SA and AA findings as they reflect particular meanings. Besides their difference, SA is useful for managing overload data into fast policy making whereas AA makes sure the acceptable meanings to people. In this case AA corrects the bias occurring from SA.

The Realization of Mood and Modality by English Conversations Video in the YouTube Channel

This study discussed the language used for communication. It analyzed an English conversation video from the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics, especially mood and modality in interpersonal meaning. This study aimed to explain the realization of mood systems and modality in an English conversation video on a YouTube channel. In conducting this study, the researcher had several objectives to achieve. This study tried to explain the realization of mood and modality on a video of English conversations from the Learn English with Jessica channel on YouTube on YouTube by Learn English with Jessica channel. Researchers tried to explain the relationship between mood and modality in an English conversation video on a YouTube channel. The researcher used the Interpersonal meaning theory by Halliday and Matthiessen (2014). A descriptive qualitative research design was used in this study with an English conversation video on a YouTube channel taken as the subject of analysis. The results showed that the dominant mood found in this study was the declarative mood. The researcher also found the speech function in this study. Speakers often use the form of a statement to get their message across to listeners. The researcher also summarizes the modality system in which speakers mainly use probability type of modalization and inclination type of modulation to modify their conversations. This study held the function of communication as an information source, as evidenced by the interpersonal meaning they embody. They will be able to provide and receive information and advice using mood and modality

중국의 비즈니스 광고와 공익 광고의 동성체계(Transitivity) 연구

Objectives The purpose of this paper is to compare the transitivity of business advertising language and public service advertising language in China from the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics. Business advertising is a genre that aims to persuade consumers and is highly embedded with consumer sensibilities, while public service advertising is a genre that best reflects the social concerns and changes of an era or country.
 Methods According to SFL, there are six types of Process Types in the transitivity: material process, mental process, relational process, existential process, behavioral process, and verbal process. By analyzing Chinese advertising language according to the differences in process types, we can identify the characteristics of business advertising, the characteristics of public service advertising, the differences between business advertising and public service advertising, and the changes in the transitivity at the level of Chinese-Korean translation. Our findings on these issues are as follows.
 Results First, business advertising is characterized by a large number of material and mental processes. In particular, mental processes are more prevalent in advertising for alcohol, beverages, and food products. Due to the nature of the industry, advertising for alcohol, beverages, and food products mainly use the senses of sight and taste to recommend products to the audience. This is likely due to the fact that business advertisements use concise language to arouse consumers' desire to buy and generate profits for companies. Second, unlike the high use of mental processes in business advertising, they are very low in public service advertising, and material processes are most prevalent in public service advertising. The prevalence of material processes in public service advertising is likely due to the fact that they are related to the interests of the people as a whole and emphasize the communication purpose of persuasion and appeal to gain the cooperation of the general public. Third, we also examined the changes in the transitivity during the translation process from Chinese to Korean. By comparing the transitivity of the original and translated advertising, we found three types of changes: addition, reduction, and conversion. Through the presentation of major cases of translation variation, we examined the characteristics of each variation and the reasons for its occurrence.
 Conclusions The systematic functional linguistic characteristics of Chinese advertising derived from the above analyses would help readers to understand the characteristics of Chinese advertising language, and may also be helpful for those who study Chinese advertising language, develop Chinese slogans, or teach Chinese slogans.

Meaning in EFL textbooks delivered to Chilean public schools: knowledge construction from a Systemic Functional approach

This study examines the knowledge built through the 1st and 2nd-grade English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks used in Chilean public schools. From a linguistic perspective, knowledge is addressed as meaning, developed through the selection of linguistic resources that a given language offers. Textbooks are fundamental in teaching and learning a foreign language, because they provide a great part of these resources; consequently, it is essential to understand how meaning begins to be built and develops through the curriculum. With that aim, with a mixed-method approach and from a Systemic Functional Linguistics perspective, we examined the lexical resources employed in textbooks that contribute to the construction of meaning. We conducted discourse analysis to identify the relations among lexical items and the kind of knowledge they build. Corpus analysis was used to estimate how lexical complexity increases from one level to the next. We found that the two books build commonsense knowledge, corresponding to what children know about the world in their mother tongue. We also found that lexical complexity increases from one book to the other, thus enlarging learners’ repertoire of words in English.

A corpus-based study on aviation English from the perspective of systemic functional linguistics

Aviation English (AE) is a distinct register of English used by pilots and air traffic controllers. As it is one of the contributing factors to aviation safety, ICAO and its Member States’ aviation authorities require the airspace users to have the proficiency in using AE effectively. In recent years, the training and testing have gained more attention, but little work has been done to describe its linguistic features. The study set out to describe AE from the perspective of systemic functional linguistics with an aim to illustrate its linguistic features as compared to conversational English (CE). To achieve this goal, the corpora of CE and AE communications between native English speakers from the United States were respectively constructed and then scrutinized to demonstrate that AE has a significant difference from CE in functional-semantic aspects. The findings of this study reveal how distinct AE with CE in terms of speech functions. Some pedagogical implications were then proposed for enhancing AE training to cultivate the students’ competence in semantics and interaction.

David L. Mathewson. Voice and Mood: A Linguistic Approach

David L. Mathewson. <i>Voice and Mood: A Linguistic Approach</i>

Multimodal-Based Learning Improves Students' Reading Ability in Perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics

This study was encouraged by taking advantage of the low analytical literacy abilities of students in junior high schools. This research aims to analyze Multimodal-Based Learning in Improving Students' Reading Ability from a Systemic Functional Linguistic Perspective. This research was conducted using quantitative research, incredibly descriptive, and experimental research. Data is collected through comment sheets and ratings. The respondents in this study were 210 students and nine teachers in seven classes. The tools used to obtain learning statistics are (1) an assessment to measure the competence of junior high school students and (2) note sheets to obtain statistics on the results of looking at the learning system. The statistics have been processed using descriptive statistical judgments and inferential facts. Based on the research results, the analytical learning system in the classroom still does not meet the actual learning requirements. The second result is that the multimodality method has proven effective in analyzing the literacy talents of junior high school students from various backgrounds. Based on this, the multimodality learning method can be used to improve the analytical literacy talents of junior high school students in classes with various backgrounds.

Study of Classroom Discourse of English-Major Interns from the Perspective of Functional Linguistics

Based on the qualitative analysis of classroom discourse of English-major interns, this study investigates the characteristics and causes of classroom discourse of English-major interns in underdeveloped areas in western China from the perspective of functional linguistics, and endeavors to explore the reasons for these characteristics from social context. The results show that the classroom discourse of English-major interns has the following three characteristics: 1) code-switching is common; 2) the types of clauses are mainly imperative sentences, declarative sentences with rising intonation; 3) teachers talk a lot and dominate the conversational turn. Code-switching reflects the shortage of target language input and outdated teaching methods in English class; and the second characteristic just echoes with existing research; teacher’s dominance over conversational turn indicates interns’ imitation of their instructors’ teaching mode, hoping to construct their teacher identity. This paper puts forward relevant suggestions to the above-mentioned problems, including adopting a research-guided teaching in elementary education, reinforcing the supervision of college internship instructors, diversifying the way interns constructing their teacher identities.