Systemic Function Semiotics workshop:

Interpersonal semiosis

Dr Thu Ngo
Lecturer in Language and Literacy education,
Australia Catholic University
Email: thu.ngo@acu.edu.au
Time (Vietnam) Time Topic
(Sydney)

08:00-08:15 12:00-12:15 Dr Huynh Hong Hanh-Opening speech

08:15-08:45 12:15-12:45 Getting to know the researchers in HCM city

 
Sydney Lunch break

10:00-10:45 14:00-14:45 An overview of Systemic Functional Linguistics and Systemic Functional Semiotics

11:00-12:000 15:00-16:00 Interpersonal meanings and linguistic realisations

12:00-13:00 HCM city lunch break

14:00-15:00 18:00-19:00 Interpersonal meanings and visual realisations

15:00-16:00 19:00-20:00 Sydney Dinner break/ HCM city afternoon tea

16:00-17:00 20:00-21:00 Discussion: research trajectories for HCM city researchers

Agenda
1. WHY SFL?
2. WORKSHOP AIM
3. WORKSHOP OBJECTIVE
4. GETTING TO KNOW HCM UHSS researchers
PART 1: INTRODUCTION: WHY SFL
Workshop introduction: Why SFL?
• A theory about language for language learning developed from
language learning development process.
• Fast-growing popularity world-wide
• Robust theoretical framework as it can deal with:
1. Meaning in contexts
2. Axis of system and structure
3. Trinocular vision
4. Multimodality
5. Appliable
A theory about language for language learning
developed from language learning development process
Linguist who changed the way languages are taught

https://www.smh.com.au/national/mak-halliday-university-
sydney-chomsky-linguists-20180509-p4zeap.html
Fast-growing popularity world-wide

Halliday centre (Hong Kong City University)

Http://hallidaycentre.cityu.edu.hk/index.aspx
Fast-growing popularity world-wide

Martin centre
https://sfl.sjtu.edu.cn/martincentre/
Cardiff school of SFG-Europe
A robust/powerful theoretical framework
As it can deal with:
1. Meanings in context
 Context: Popular Ballad song
Social purpose of popular ballad songs: to deliver, usually THE BALLAD SONG LYRICS GENRE
emotionally charged, tales. Examining ballad song lyrics as a genre with a
Lyric structure and functions: distinctive staged goal-orientation process from
The basic lyrics structure of such songs is Verse ^ Chorus ^ Verse. other genres (e.g. narrative).
Variations of a song structure may include additional sections
such as Pre-chorus and Bridge. 0’00’’ Start
0’00’’ – 0’12’’ Instrumental only
I heard that you’re / s ettled down
That you’ve / found a girl and you’re / married now. /

The verse is the main part of the song that tells the story. Each 0’13’’ – 0’56’’ Verse one
I heard that your dreams came true. /
Gues s she gave you things / I didn't give to you. /
Old friend, / why are you so shy? /
verse typically has different lyrics set to the same melodic Ain't like you to hold back / or hide from the light. /

content. A verse elaborates on the feeling or situation expressed 0’57’’ – 1’12’’ Pre-chorus one
I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited
But I / couldn't s tay away, I couldn't fight it. /
in the chorus. 1’13’’ – 1’48’’ Chorus one
I had hoped you'd see my face / and that you'd be reminded
That for me / it isn't over.
Pre-choruses: create anticipation. 1’51’’ – 2’18’’ Verse two

Chorus: sums up the emotional heart of the song and usually 2’19’’– 2’36’’ Pre-chorus two Never mind, I'll find / s omeone like you /
I wish nothing but the bes t / for you too /
2’37’’ – 3’04’’ Chorus two Don't forget me, / I beg /
contain the same lyrical and melodic content. Choruses often I remember you said, /
“Sometimes it las ts in love and sometimes it hurts instead.” /

contain a ‘hook’, which is the most memorable line in the song – (“Sometimes it las ts in love and sometimes it hurts instead.” /)

this is often the title of the song found in the first and/or last line 3’05’’ – 3’23’’ Bridge
You know how the / time flies
Only / yesterday was the / time of our lives /
We were born and raised
of the chorus. 3’24’’ – 3’51’’ Chorus three In a / s ummer haze /
Bound by the s urpris e / of our glory days/
Bridge: provides a peak moment or a turning point in the song
and is usually melodically and lyrically distinct from the rest of 3’52’’ – 4’29’’ Chorus four Nothing compares
No worries or cares /
Regrets and mistakes
the song. The bridge can be used to reveal something hidden 4’30’’ – 4’44’’ Instrumental Only
4’44’’ End
They are memories made. /
Who would have known how / bittersweet this would tas te. /

Key: Salient note = bolded Phrase boundary = / Section =

 2. Axis of systems (of meanings) and their
syntactic structure
 - Tagalog syllable…

p p
b b
m m
t t
d d
n n paradigmatic
I
k u k relations
g a g
ŋ ŋ
s s
z z
l l
h h
ʔ ʔ

From Martin 2020 C V C

Vietnam 4th International VV
Linguistics Conference syntagmatic relations
14
Halliday (1925-2018)

“A systemic grammar is paradigmatic…

structure is…the mechanism for expressing the
choices that have been made.”
[1985: xxvii]
15
- e.g. MOOD system/structure in English...

declarative
Subject^Finite
indicative
+Subject
interrogative
+Finite
Finite^Subject
imperative

16
3. Trinocular vision
- systems bundle by stratum

discourse semantics

lexicogrammar

phonology

18
- systems bundle by metafunciton

textu
al

ideatio
nal
interpers
onal
- systems bundle by rank

clause

group/phrase

word

morpheme

Language Visual

20
4. Multimodality
 Static images

Prof. Len Unsworth-ACU

Moving images
Sound: Speaking and Singing voice
 Spatial design

A.Prof. Louise Ravelli, UNSW

 5. Appliable
Wide application in a vast • TEXTBOOK DESIGN
variety of fields: forensic • EDUCATION
• EMERGENCY RESPONSE in
science, legal studies, health
JAPAN
promotion, health science, • ANIMATION and GAME
business and marketing, • FILM and performing arts
politics, interior design, film
industry, game industry etc.
Allowing inter-disciplinary
research: Language-Science,
Language-Music, etc.
PART 2: Workshop aim
• Overview of SFL
• Introduction to Appraisal-Interpersonal meaning discourse-semantics
system
• Briefing on some of my research using and on interpersonal meaning
• Orientation to research planning for HCMUHSS-Department of
Linguistics.
3. Workshop objectives
By the end of the workshop, the participants are able to:
- Analyse Appraisal in written Vietnamese and English texts.
- Plan their research agenda using Appraisal.
PART 4: Getting to know the researchers
Please type your name on the next slides and
answers to the following questions.
1. What is your current position (e.g. a high
degree research student or a staff member).
2. How long have you been doing linguistics
research for?
3. What topic are you researching at the
moment?
4. What is your theoretical framework?
5. Pls identify your familiarity with SFL.
a. I’ve never heard about it.
b. I’ve heard about it but I know very little.
c. I’m starting to get to know it.
d. I know it and can use it for my research.
6. What is your expectation from this workshop?
Xin mời điền tên bạn vào slide tiếp theo và gõ câu trả
lời vào đó
1. Vị trí công tác tại Khoa hiện nay của bạn là gì? (ví
du: nghiên cứu sinh, sinh viên, cán bộ giảng viên?
2. Bạn đã nghiên cứu ngôn ngữ học trong bao lâu rồi?
3. Đề tài nghiên cứu hiện nay của bạn là gì?
4. Bạn đang dung khung lý thuyết nào?
5. Hãy xác định mức độ quen thuộc của bạn với Ngôn
ngữ học chức năng hệ thống (SFL)
a. Tôi chưa bao giờ nghe nói về nó
b. Tôi đã từng nghe nói về nó nhưng biết rất ít.
c. Tôi mới bắt đầu tìm hiểu về nó.
d. Tôi biết nó và có thể dung nó cho nghiên cứu của
mình.
6. Bạn mong đợi gì ở workshop này.