An overview of functional grammar
- 2. It is the way in which a language is organized; theory of how language is put together and how it works.also known as the study of wording. Folk terminology meaning Wording Letters/sounds Linguistic terminology Semantics Lexicogrammar Orthography/phonology
- 3. It is to understand how texts work. In language teaching For teachers, it is helpful to understand texts through studying the pattern of language use For the students or learners Helping the students, learners, and of course the teachers themselves to understand and produce texts appropriately.
- 4. Traditional Grammar • Prescriptive • Focuses on rules for producing sentences • Effectiveness in written communication is not guaranteed. Formal Grammar • Aims to describe the structure of individual sentences • Views language as a set of rules • Central question: “How is this sentence structured?” Functional Grammar • Aims to describe language in actual use • Focuses on texts and their contexts • Views language as a resource for making meaning FromTraditional Grammar to Functional Grammar
- 5. There are significant differences between Traditional & Formal grammar and Functional Grammar. Towards a FunctionalGrammar Formal (+ Traditional) Functional Language is A set of rules for sentence construction; Something we know A resource for meaning making; Something we do Language level of concern Syntax Semantics Unit of analysis Sentence Whole texts Primary concern How is (should) this sentence be structured? How are the meanings of this text realized
- 6. According to Halliday (1994), language can be described in terms of RANK SCALE. The Rank Scale and Logical Meaning Clause Complex Clause Group Word consists of one or more clauses consists of one or more groups or phrases consists of one or more words consists of one or more morphemes
- 7. The Rank Scale and Logical Meaning CLAUSE COMPLEX a language structure that consists of one clause working by itself, or a group of clauses that work together through some kind of logical relationship. Group Two different entities added to make group complex (marked by +) Two different groups referring to the same entities to make group complex (marked by =) Clause Dependent The clauses joint are dependent on another. Conjunctions : Although, Because, Since, If, so on Independent The clauses joints are of equal value. Conjunctions but, and, or, comma, colon, semi-colon, so on
- 8. Clauses and Their Constituent Parts The way to see the constituent parts of the clause is to break any one clause up into its discrete units or component parts. To know how the clause constituency works, here is an example of text cited from story of Start and Finish in “English Folktales” book by Keding and Douglas (2005) 1. A long time ago, two farmers were neighbors. 2. Each had a son, 3. and the boys were called Alpha and Omega. 4. As they grew up, 5. they were known as Start and Finish. 6. After their fathers died, 7. the two lads took over the farms 8. and stayed good friends all their lives. A long time ago, two farmers were neighbors. Each had a son, and the boys were called Alpha and Omega. As they grew up, they were known as Start and Finish. After their fathers died, the two lads took over the farms and stayed good friends all their lives. Clauses from the text above
- 9. The following abbreviations are used to label the constituents of the clauses here: A long time ago two farmers were neighbors ng ng vg ng and the boys were called Alpha and Omegs conj.g ng vg Ng After their fathers died conj.g Ng vg The two lads took over the farm ng vg pp The two lads took over the farm ng vg pp Clauses 1, 3 each have 4 constituents Clauses 6 has 3 constituents Clause 7 has 3 constituents, yet the division can be either in (a) with took as verbal group or (b) took over as the verbal group. The division of text into clauses and clauses into constituent parts is not always straightforward. ng = nominal group vg = verbal group conj.g = conjunction group pp = prepositional phrase
- 10. In Functional Grammar, elements of the clause are labeled in terms of the function each is playing in that clause. The kid sighed heavily Noun Verb Adverb The kid sighed heavily Participant Process Circumstance Behaver Behavioral Manner Participant the entities involved in the process, expressed by noun groups Process the one obligatory constituent of a clause, expressed by a verbal group Circumstance expressed by adverbials, including adverbs, adverbial group, and prepositional phrase In traditional and formal grammar In Functional Grammar, analyzed by function
- 11. •to encode our experience of the world •to convey a picture of reality •to give ideational meaning, about phenomena and things, about goings on, and the circumstances Representational Function •to encode interaction •to give interpersonal meaning, expressing a speaker’s attitude and judgments Interpersonal Function •to organize our experiential and interpersonal meaning into a linear and coherent whole. • to give textual meaning, expressing the relation of language to its environment. Textual Function Functionsof Language
- 12. Implication on Language Teaching Functional Grammar gives a light to more effective grammar teaching for the teachers who are put in paradoxical situation in regard of teaching grammar in language teaching. • allow students and teacher to talk about the forms that language elements take and work that language elements do. A set of functional labels which identify what a word does or its function • allows for a more detailed exploration of clause structure at all levels (morphemes, word, group, phrase, clause, and clause complex). The clause in terms of its rank scale • teachers can show students how an event takes central role in constructing message of a clause The clause with constituent part playing a functional role in the message • (1) represent experience, (2) interact with someone, (3) organize the message so it makes sense Three meanings made by every clause