Text Analysis by Use of Systemic Functional Linguistic Framework - Case Study Example

Running Head: Text Analysis Text Analysis By use of Systemic Functional Linguistic (SFL) Framework Name: Course: Tutor’s Name: 3rd, November, 2009 Introduction “Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) views text as a realization of multiple overlapping choices within a network of related meanings, many of which relate to non-denotational (traditionally pragmatic) aspects such as cohesion or interpersonal distance” (Eggins, 2004; Lecture notes 9 a). Systemic Functional Linguistics describes language in a functional manner and not a formal manner. It provides a framework for language description (Eggins, 2004). The language is interpreted as a resource for making meaning and descriptions are based on extensive analysis of written and spoken text” (Whitelaw, C. and Argamon, 2009). To describe the functional meaning of the text selected, the analysis will be based on the framework as to what language is (Matthiessen, C. & Halliday). Halliday’s framework “construes language as a set of interlocking choices for expressing meanings with more general choices limiting the possible specific choices” (Fawcett, 2000). According to Chapelle, Halliday’s framework text analysis is done using three basic strata. The three are lexicogrammar, semantics and phonological (1998). It is noted in SFL, however that Systemic Functional Linguistics framework has four strata which are; the Context, Lexico-grammar, semantics and phonology-graphology (SFL, 2009). Selection of strata for the analysis is however based on the text (Eggins, 2004). Below is an analysis of a text (presented in the appendix) using the Systemic Functional Linguistics theory. The analysis will be based on experimental, interpersonal and textual meanings. a) Experimental Meanings These produce the ideological function of the text. As noted earlier, these are determined by analyzing the semantics, Lexico-grammar and graphology of the text. They reveal the idea of the text. Experimental meanings are described using the system’s clauses and are an expression of the writer’s/reader’s experiences. The clause has the participant, the process and the circumstance as the components. The clauses describe who expresses the idea and to whom, what is being expressed and under what circumstances the idea is expressed. This produces the experimental meaning of the text (Lecture notes 9b). Grammatical choices that constitute the clauses (transitivity) produces experimental meanings which give the text its ideological meta-function describing its context (Lecture notes 9b). Below are examples of clauses describing the experimental meanings from the text presented in the appendix: Representation Clauses in the Text Participant Process Participant Circumstance Everyone Loves Pizza making pizza is simple We used the recipe This particular recipe makes a two pizza crusts you would rather make individual pizza pies the portions have been formed Try spinning the dough in the air (Allrecipes Staff, 2009; Eggins, 2004). The types of processes within the text a) Material Processes Material processes describe what is being done or what is happening. Those from the text are: 1. “We used the recipe for Jay's Signature Pizza Crust”. We-(Actors)- used- (Material process)- the recipe for Jay's Signature Pizza Crust- (Goal). 2. “Once the dough has been formed and allowed to rise, uncover the dough and punch it down”. Once- The dough-(Goal) has been formed-(Material process) and- allowed to rise-(Material process), -uncover- (material process) the dough – (Goal) and punch it-(material process)- down- (Circumstance). 3. “Portion the dough into as many round balls as you want pies”. Portion-(material process) the dough-(goal) into as many round balls-(goal) as you-(actor) want –(material process) pies-(goal). 4. “[Cover and let]-Material Process- [the dough]- goal-[sit]-Material Process- [for 5 to 10 minutes]-Circumstance” 5. “[ Flour]-Material Process- [the surface of your work area]- Goal”. 6. “[Dust]-Material Process [Your hands]-Goal- with flour”. 7. “Gently [stretch]-Material process- [the dough]-Goal”. 8. “[Use]-Material Process- [the backs of your fingers]-Goal-[to push]-Material Process- [the dough]-Goal- out wider”. 9. “Start in the middle of the dough with both hands close together, and slowly pull your hands apart, allowing the dough to glide above your hands”. 10. “Try spinning the dough in the air”. 11. “Cover a bread peel with either flour or corn meal” 12. “Arrange whatever toppings desired onto the newly formed homemade crust”. (Allrecipes Staff, 2009). b) Relational Processes These describe relations. Below are examples from the text. 1. “The flour layer is vital” The flour layer- (Identified) is- (Relational Process)- vital- (Atrribute) 2. “There is quite a bit of dough” There- is-(Existential Process) quite a bit of dough-(Existent) c) Projecting Processes The clauses with projection processes are those that indicate what people think, say or assume. They project the inner world. An example is: ‘He thought, “What I’m I going to do?”’. He- (Senser) thought-[Projected process (mental)], “What I’m I going to do?-(Projected Clause) (Allrecipes Staff, 2009) Pre-modifiers The text has the following pre-modifiers: a) Dietics Demonstrative: (underlined) “..The process along…” “..The dough has been…” “..The backs of your fingers…” “..The middle….” “..The crust…” “…On the peel...” “….Of the shape...” “…This particular recipe…” Possesive Dietics (underlined): “Jay's Signature Pizza Crust” “Some people prefer a more rustic look to their pizzas which does not require perfectly round dough balls” (Allrecipes Staff, 2009). Non-specific pointers (underlined): “Some people prefer a more rustic look to their pizzas which does not require perfectly round dough balls” “While you don't need to use a rolling pin to roll the dough out”, “…it will help maintain a consistent thickness” “..this is just a preliminary shaping, to form the dough ball into a disc. but it's a lot of fun!” “…helping the crust to form into a perfectly round shape”. “…a heavy square of cardboard will work well..” “Start in the middle of the dough with both hands close together”, “….as the centrifugal force causes equal amounts of pressure to be thrown out in all directions”, “Some people prefer a more rustic look to their pizzas which does not require perfectly round dough balls” (Allrecipes Staff, 2009) b) Numeratives: Cardinal numbers used in the text are 1-7 which have been used to number each step in preparing the Pizza. There are no Ordinal Numbers used in the text. c) Epithets: “…Or one very large crust” “…Until the dough is thinner, wider, and consistent throughout..” “…Helps to make the dough more round”. “…To push the dough out wider” (Allrecipes Staff, 2009) d) Classifiers: Nouns as classifiers used in the text; “Jay's Signature Pizza Crust” “Pizza stone” (Allrecipes Staff, 2009) Qualifiers These describe the nouns or the prop-nouns in more details. Qualifiers used in the text are: “…to push the pizza off of the peel, into the hot oven”, “Some people prefer a more rustic look to their pizzas which does not require perfectly round dough balls” “….Throughout the entire circumference of the crust” “…The dough in the air” (Allrecipes Staff, 2009). Circumstances “Desired onto the newly formed homemade crust” “…Which will allow you, with a quick motion, to push the pizza off of the peel, and onto a baking or pizza stone”. “This is certainly not required, but it's a lot of fun!” “This is just a preliminary shaping” “Gently stretch the dough using the back of your floured hand” “….and slowly pull your hands apart” (Allrecipes Staff, 2009). b) Interpersonal Meanings As noted earlier, a text’s interpersonal meta-function is a representation of the interaction within the text. The interactions produce the interpersonal meanings which in turn produce the function of the text (Lecture notes 11). The choice of lexico-grammar makes it possible for a writer/speaker to express what he/she means in a clause hence in the whole text. Analysis of the clauses produces the overall meaning of what is written in the text. In this case, the clause acts as an interactive event since it gives the interaction between the writer and reader or speaker and the listener (Lecture notes 11; Eggins, 2004). Every clause therefore has four distinctions which are; goods and services, giving, information and demanding. Interactions results from demanding, giving, information or services being demanded and so on. In this case, the clauses act as an exchange (Lecture notes 11). The interaction between the reader and the writer or the speaker and the listener gives the speech function for example; in the clause ‘the apple was given to the baby’ where the clause represents an interaction between a speaker who is responding to a listener. The listener demanded to know (information) which may have been a question and he/she received the response (which is the statement/answer).The speech has the role of demanding or giving and the commodities exchanged are information and goods and services. The interactions between the speech roles and the commodities exchanged give the speech functions which describe the mood of the clause. A statement for example is a speech function that results from an interaction between ‘giving’ and ‘information’. This gives a declarative mood. An offer is a speech function that results from giving goods and services to the reader. It gives modulated interrogative mood (Lecture notes 11). Mood and Residue Only part of the clauses describes the mood, that is, the subject and the finite. The residue has the constituents as: Predicator, complement and adjunct. From the text, the following clauses describe the mood: {[Everyone]-subject- [loves]-finite}-Declarative MOOD- {[pizza!]-Complement}-Residue. {[It's as delicious]-Subject [to eat]-finite}- Elliptical declarative Mood-{[as]-adjunct- [it is]-predicator [fun to make]-complement}-Residue. [This particular recipe]-Subject- [makes]-finite} - declarative mood- {[a two pizza crusts]-complement or [one very large crust]-complement}-Residue, [Some people]-subject- [prefer]-finite}-MOOD- {[a more rustic look] - adjunct- [to their pizzas]-complement}-Residue. {[Once]-finite- [the portions]-subject- Modulated Interrogative mood-{[have been]-predicator- formed]-Residue. {[Flour]-finite-[the surface of your work area]-subject} - Modulated Interrogative mood-{[to keep]-predicator- [the dough]-complement- [from sticking]-adjunct}-Residue. {[Dust]-finite- [your hands]-Subject}- Modulated Interrogative mood- {[with flour]-complement- [to keep]-predicator- [the dough]-complement- [from sticking]-adjunct}-Residue. {[This flour layer]-Subject-[is]-finite}- Modulated Interrogative mood- {[vital because]-adjunct- [it keeps]-predicator [the dough]-complement- [from sticking]-adjunct- [to the peel]-complement}-Residue, {[which]-Subject- [will]-finite} Modulated Interrogative mood – {[allow]-predicator-[you]-complement, [with a quick motion]-adjunct, [to push]-predicator-[the pizza]-complement- [off of the peel, into the hot oven, and onto a baking or pizza stone]- complement }-Residue. {[Arrange]-finite- [whatever toppings desired]-subject}-Modulated Interrogative mood- {[onto]-adjunct- [the newly formed homemade crust]-complement}-Residue. (Allrecipes Staff, 2009) Polarity Polarity describes positions taken by speakers or writers. The positions can either be positive or negative. Below are clauses describing the writer’s position Positive polarity: {[Everyone]-subject- [loves]-finite}-Declarative MOOD- {[pizza!]-Complement}-Residue. {[It's as delicious]-Subject [to eat]-finite}- Elliptical declarative Mood-{[as]-adjunct- [it is]-predicator [fun to make]-complement}-Residue. [This particular recipe]-Subject- [makes]-finite} - declarative mood- {[a two pizza crusts]-complement or [one very large crust]-complement}-Residue, {[This flour layer]-Subject-[is]-finite}- Modulated Interrogative mood- {[vital because]-adjunct- [it keeps]-predicator [the dough]-complement- [from sticking]-adjunct- [to the peel]-complement}-Residue, {[which]-Subject- [will]-finite} Modulated Interrogative mood – {[allow]-predicator-[you]-complement, [with a quick motion]-adjunct, [to push]-predicator-[the pizza]-complement- [off of the peel, into the hot oven, and onto a baking or pizza stone]- complement }-Residue. Negative polarity: This is certainly not required, but it's a lot of fun! [Some people]-subject- [prefer]-finite}-MOOD- {[a more rustic look] - adjunct- [to their pizzas]-complement}-Residue. (Allrecipes Staff, 2009) Modality This expresses the degree of usuality, certainty, obligation, inclination, intensity and presumption. The text has the following clauses: {[Everyone]-subject- [loves]-finite}-Declarative MOOD- {[pizza!]-Complement}-Residue-(with a finite describing usuality). {[It's as delicious]-Subject [to eat]-finite}- Elliptical declarative Mood-{[as]-adjunct- [it is]-predicator [fun to make]-complement}-Residue.- -(finite describing presumption). [This particular recipe]-Subject- [makes]-finite} - declarative mood- {[a two pizza crusts]-complement or [one very large crust]-complement}-Residue, -(finite describing usuality). [Some people]-subject- [prefer]-finite}-MOOD- {[a more rustic look] - adjunct- [to their pizzas]-complement}-Residue. -(finite describing inclination). {[Once]-finite- [the portions]-subject- Modulated Interrogative mood-{[have been]-predicator- formed]-Residue. -(finite describing usuality). {[Flour]-finite-[the surface of your work area]-subject} - Modulated Interrogative mood-{[to keep]-predicator- [the dough]-complement- [from sticking]-adjunct}-Residue. -(finite describing certainty). {[Dust]-finite- [your hands]-Subject}- Modulated Interrogative mood- {[with flour]-complement- [to keep]-predicator- [the dough]-complement- [from sticking]-adjunct}-Residue. -(finite describing certainty). {[This flour layer]-Subject-[is]-finite}- Modulated Interrogative mood- {[vital because]-adjunct- [it keeps]-predicator [the dough]-complement- [from sticking]-adjunct- [to the peel]-complement}-Residue, -(finite describing certainty) {[which]-Subject- [will]-finite} Modulated Interrogative mood – {[allow]-predicator-[you]-complement, [with a quick motion]-adjunct, [to push]-predicator-[the pizza]-complement- [off of the peel, into the hot oven, and onto a baking or pizza stone]- complement }-Residue. -(finite describing certainty). {[Arrange]-finite- [whatever toppings desired]-subject}-Modulated Interrogative mood- {[onto]-adjunct- [the newly formed homemade crust]-complement}-Residue. -(finite describing obligation). c). Textual Meanings Topical Themes Clauses with topical themes from the text include: 1. {[Everyone]-Senser}- THEME – {[loves]-Mental Process- [pizza]-Goal!}-RHEME. 2. {[Some people]-Senser}-THEME- {[prefer]-Mental Process- a more rustic look to their pizzas}-RHEME. 3. {[Another approach]-Token}-THEME- {is [to pound]-material process- [the dough]-goal- [down]-circumstance- with your fist or palm of your hand}-RHEME 4. {[Gently]-Circumstance}- Topical THEME-{[stretch]-Material Process- [the dough]-Goal using the back of your floured hand}-RHEME. 5. [slowly]-Circumstance- {[pull your hands]-Material Process [apart]-Circumstance}-RHEME. 6. [This flour layer]-Token- {is vital because it keeps the dough from sticking to the peel}-RHEME 7. [This particular recipe]-Carrier {[makes]-relational process [a two pizza crusts or one very large crust]-Atrribute}-RHEME. Interpersonal Theme This has finite and the modal adjunct categories as structures functioning as interpersonal themes. Finite as interpersonal theme: There are no finite structures that function as interpersonal themes in the text. Mood adjunct as an interpersonal theme: There are no mood adjuncts. 1. {[If ]-Adj. Mood-[you]- subject- [would]-finite- }-MOOD/THEME- {rather [make]-material process [individual pizza pies]-Goal than [one large pizza]-Goal}-RESIDUE/RHEME, NB: Polarity adjuncts: The paper has no polarity, vocative ad comment adjuncts. Textual Themes There are no Continuity adjuncts in the text. Conjunctive adjuncts: Conjunctions are considered themes if they occur before the first topical theme in the clause. For example: {[While]-Adj. conjunct} - THEME-{[you]-Subject-[don’t]-finite-[need to use]-material process- [a rolling pin]-goal- [to roll]-material process-[the dough]-goal-[out]-circumstance}-RHEME. d). Text Analysis Coherence Analysis of a text requires determination of the level of the language. In order to establish what level of language a text is, the features described by Halliday in the Systemic Functional Linguistic framework have to be considered. Text coherence refers to how the text fits into its context. A text has to have a context which is described by the components of the culture making up the text and the situation making up the text for it to be coherent. There is generic coherence and situational coherence. Generic coherence makes it possible for the text’s a genre to be recognized. Situational coherence makes it possible to recognize the mode, tenor and mode (Lecture notes 13). Determination of the contexts is done by analysis of the semantics. Semantics are only realized in the systems of wording of the texts which are also described or realized from the text’s phonology or graphology (Lecture Notes 9a; Eggins, 2004). Reference Reference describes the relationship between two language items. In the text, reference is evident in the context of the text that has been shown. There are different language items such as finites, subjects, predicator and so on that have been analyzed. The relationship between these items shows the text reference. The mood for example, is determined by a clause’s subject and finite or a circumstance appearing on the first part on the clause in a text. This has been analyzed in the text. The reference also leads to the identification of themes and rhemes in the text. References in the text are determined by the cohesive devises which in turn determine the cohesion of the text. Cohesive devices that make up the text’s cohesion which is determined by the reference relationships in the text Implicit devices: 1. Jay's Signature Pizza Crust. This particular recipe makes a two pizza crusts or one very large crust, so}-exophoric reference. ‘This’ describes the relationship between the first clause and the second. It means the clause is still talking about the pizza crust. 2. Try spinning the dough in the air. This is certainly not required, but it's a lot of fun! It also helps to make the dough more round, as the centrifugal force causes equal amounts of pressure to be thrown out in all directions, helping the crust to form into a perfectly round shape. ‘This’ extends the explanation about the process ‘try’. 3. Cover a bread peel with either flour or corn meal. This flour layer is vital because it keeps the dough from sticking to the peel, which will allow you, with a quick motion, to push the pizza off of the peel, into the hot oven, and onto a baking or pizza stone. [Co-extension] Lexical cohesive devices: Dust your hands with flour to keep the dough from sticking. Gently stretch the dough using the back of your floured hand, letting the weight of the dough pull the dough thinner. The dough has been repeated showing the relationship in the text. It reveals a co-extension reference. Instantial lexical cohesive devices: 1. Everyone loves pizza! It's as delicious to eat as it is fun to make [Describes semblance]-{co-classification reference} ‘It's’ describes co-referentiality-(type of reference relationship) 2. Another approach is to pound the dough down with your fist or palm of your hand--this is just a preliminary shaping, to form the dough ball into a disc. Describes semblance]-{co-classification reference} ‘This is’ describes the co-referentiality Structural cohesive devices : The themes and the rhemes described above. Conclusion A text is considered a text when it fits the context relevant to the text. There are two contexts according to Halliday which are situational and cultural. For a text to be coherent, it has to fit a situational context and a cultural context that describes the kind of text it is. It has to hang together. For a text to hang together, it has to have semantic relations (Lecture notes 13). From the above description, it is clear that the text presented is a text that fits its description. The text is a genre based on the fact that it is procedural and procedures belong to the genre text category. The genre describes the cultural context of the text. The context situation has also been described and the text fits the situations described. Interpersonal, experimental and textual meanings have been used in the analysis to determine the type of text this is, its mood (tenor), field (transitivity) and mode (theme) and so on. The text’s field as determined by the analysis is cookery, its themes have been determined and are several and its moods have also been determined. Analysis has been based on the clause structures and components which have acted as messages in terms of giving the textual meanings, as exchanges in terms of giving the interpersonal meanings and as representations in terms of giving experimental meanings. Reference List Allrecipes Staff. (2009)Forming Pizza Crust. Retrieved on 26th, Oct, 2009 from: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32542682/ Chapelle, C. A. (1998). Some Notes on Systemic-Functional Linguistics http://www.public.iastate.edu/~carolc/LING511/sfl.html Eggins, S. (2004). An introduction to systemic functional linguistics. 2nd Ed. Sydney, Australia: Continuum International Publishing Group. SFL. (2009). What is Systemic-Functional Linguistics? Retrieved on 26th Oct, 2009 from: http://www.isfla.org/Systemics/Definition/definition.html 7 Lecture notes 9 a----Introduction to Halliday’s Systemic Functional Grammar Lecture notes 9 part b: Experiential Meanings Lecture notes 11: Interpersonal Meanings (Clause as Exchange) Lecture notes 12: Textual Meanings – Clause as a Message Lecture notes 13; What is a Text Matthiessen, C. & Halliday, M. A. K. (1997).Systemic Functional Grammar: A First Step into the Theory. Retrieved on 26th, Oct, 2009 from: http://minerva.ling.mq.edu.au/resource/VirtuallLibrary/Publications/sfg_firststep/SFG%20intro%20New.html Whitelaw, C. and Argamon, S. (2009). Systemic Functional Features in Stylistic Text Classification. Retrieved on 27th Oct, 2009 from: http://musicweb.ucsd.edu/~sdubnov/FS08WorkingNotes/FS804WhitelawC.pdf Read More