An introduction to

functional Grammar
  Grammar is a theory of language, of how language is
put together and how it works.
 It encompasses phonology (the sound system),
semantics (the system of meaning), morphology (the
rules of word formation), syntax (the rules of sentence
formation), and the lexicon (vocabulary of words)
What is (Education Department of Western Australia, 1997).
grammar?  It is a way of describing how language works to make
meaning within a particular time (Derewianka, 1998).
 Grammar is the system of patterns we use to select and
combine words. Grammar makes it possible for us to
write a text which expresses our experiences, ideas,
thoughts, and feelings (Feez & Joyce, 2000).
  Developed by Halliday and his colleagues.
 SFG treats language as resource for meaning.
Systemic  Being systemic means it offers options or set of
Functional choices for making meaning
Grammar  Being functional means it has evolved to serve
basic human needs, purposes or functions for
making meaning.
 Traditional SFG
Primary How is How are the
concern (should) this meaning of
sentence (be) this text
structured? realized?
Unit of sentence Whole texts
analysis
Traditional vs Language syntax semantics
Functional level of
concern
Grammar language A set of rules A resource for
for sentence meaning
construction making
or Or
Something we Something we
know do
  SFL is a social theory of language which has been developed
and influenced by Malinowski, Firth, Pike and Hymes in
terms of the concept of context of situation and context of
culture.
 SFL has also been influenced by the Prague School of
Systemic Linguistics, concerning its notion of a functional sentence
Functional perspective.
 SFL also owes much to the work of Whorf in its focus on the
Linguistics relationship between language and culture, and Saussure
and Hjelmslev, specifically the notion system and function.
 SFL regards language as a meaning-making resource
through which people interact with each other in given
situational and cultural context.
  Its interest in language in functional terms.
 The ideational metafunction, which is to do with
representation of experience.
 The interpersonal metafunction, to do with negotiating and
The features of maintaining relationship with others.
 The textual metafunction, to do with organizing language to
SFL make connected and coherent discourse.
 Set of choices in making meaning
 A whole text (meaningful passage of language) as the
object of language study
  Language is a social semiotic (a signing
system).
 SFL sees language as a resource for
making meaning.
Basic  SFL concerns texts, rather than
principles of sentences.
SFL theory
 SFL focuses on close relations between
texts and social contexts.
 SFL concerns language as a system for
construing meaning.
  Text and context: the consideration of language as a
text has nothing to do with the length or size of form,
but with meaning.
 Metafunctions
 Register: Field (the ongoing activity or subject matter),
Basic notions Tenor (the relationship between interactants), Mode
in SFL the way message is communicated.
 Genre, having a particular social purpose, a particular
structure, typical language features.
 The interdependence of text and context and
intertextuality
  It concerns how language serves to established and maintain
social relations: giving and demanding information, goods, or
Mood: the services.
interpersonal
metafunction  Giving: would you like to have coffee?
 Demanding: can I borrow Laskar Pelangi?

IT WASN’T MICHAEL
SUBJECT FINITE RESIDUE
MOOD
transitivity: the
ideational  It has to do with how language serves for the expression of
metafunction content: non relational and relational processes

THE SIGN SAYS “NO SMOKING”

sayer verbal material
Theme and
Rheme: the
textual  It has to do with how language has to provide for making links
with itself and with features of the situation in which it is used.
metafunction
Jack Wanted to eat
Theme Rheme
GRAMMAR
 Class
THEORY OF Structure
GRAMMAR Unit
System
Class
Structure
Unit
System