The Distinction Between Generality, Abstraction And Instantiation In SFL

Halliday & Matthiessen (1999: 615):

General terms are not necessarily abstract; a bird is no more abstract than a pigeon.

Halliday & Matthiessen (1999: 144-5):

In other words, the elaboration sets up a relationship either of 

• generality (delicacy), of 
• abstraction (realisation), or of 
• token to type (instantiation);

Blogger Comments:

1. Generality/delicacy is equivalent to hyponymy and can be construed as either an identifying or attributive relation;
2. Abstraction/realisation can only be construed as an identifying relation;
3. Instantiation can only be construed as an attributive relation.