The Thought Occurs

Monday 13 January 2014

The Theoretical Architecture Of SFL Classified By SFL Relations

A. system networks
i. delicacy: elaboration
ii. disjunction: extension: alternative
iii. conjunction: extension: addition
iv. entry condition: enhancement: condition

B. rank scale: extension: composition (Halliday & Matthiessen 1999: 146)

C. realisation: elaboration + identifying (Halliday & Matthiessen 1999: 145)
1. higher stratum realised by lower stratum [stratification]
2. system realised by structure [axis]
3. function realised by form; eg clause rank function structure realised by group rank syntagm

D. instantiation cline: elaboration + attributive (Halliday & Matthiessen 1999: 145)


P.S. The pedagogical advantage of understanding the theoretical architecture in these very precise ways is that it enables the learner to immediately identify the bluffers in the SFL community who don't understand the theory — but whose confident bullying might suggest otherwise — so that the learner doesn't waste time trying to accommodate their misunderstandings.