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The meaning of sentence

Lecture 5

Main Issues
Grammaticality, meaningfulness and acceptability Variables in the functions of sentence meaning Types of process Types of participants Types of circumstances
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Aceptability

Grammaticality

Sentence

Meaningfulness
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Are you love me? The farmer has killed the house. My father died last night.

Grammaticality
A grammatical sentence is one which is formed according to the rules of grammar.

Meaningfulness
The meaningfulness of a sentence is conditioned by how well-informed that sentence is semantically. Meaningful sentence Scott is a lazy, stupid, disagreeable, stubborn guy. Meaningless sentence

Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.


Thursday is in bed with Friday
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Grammaticality vs. Meaningfulness


Most sentences we produce are grammatical and meaningful Nothing is gonna change my love for you.

A sentence which is grammatically correct is not necessarily meaningful

It asks a pile of rubbish to clean the ant.


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Acceptability

In grammatical sense

In semantic sense

In grammatical sense
Some sentences are unacceptable because it is not grammatically possible.

e.g. I love speak but I think it is so difficult to get fluency.

In semantic sense
Suitable to social etiquette After the battle, the enemies all passed away. Unacceptable You are my dog Acceptable in Britain Unacceptable in Greece
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In semantic sense

Rationality/ logical coherence


She died even though she fell down from the 100th floor.

Unacceptable

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Variables in the function of sentence meaning


1. Structural meaning 2. Representational meaning 3. Interpersonal meaning 4. Textual meaning

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Structural meaning
Structural meaning is the kind of meaning that results from a particular arrangement of the parts of the sentence.

E.g.:
- The mantte wernnted a yob

- My fueak liauded me to doen


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Representational meaning
Can be defined in terms of experiential and logical functions.

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Representational meaning
The experiential function: is to communicate ideas It is the main function by which a speaker expresses the content elements of his utterance, by referring to people, objects, states of affairs, events, qualities, places, actions and circumstances, all of which are parts of the world we live in. E.g. John invited Susan to go to the cinema with him last night.

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2. The logical function:


Relates ideas to each other on an equal or subordinate basis The bus was crowded and I had to stand

all the way


equal We all believe that working hard is the key to success. subordinate
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Interpersonal function
1. To establish and maintain social relations.

This function can be manifested in various


forms indicating functions such as: - Good morning - Have a nice day - Thank you very much

- I am sorry
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Interpersonal function
2. To influence people behaviour and get things done. This function may be called the instrumental function, that is influencing peoples behaviour and getting things done. - Could you pass me the wine? Request - Why was she late? Enquiry - Dont do that again Warning - If you keep doing this, Ill Threat 18

Interpersonal function
3. To express the speakers feelings, attitudes

and opinions towards, or the assessment


of the representational content of the sentence via the use of modal verbs and

adverbs. For example:


- What she said may be right - You must be feeling hunger by now - This is probably right
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Textual function
The textual function or meaning is to create texts. It is this function that helps to give texts coherence and cohesion.
When Bill Gates was in the sixth grade, his parents

decided he needed counselling. He was at war with


his mother, an outgoing woman who harboured the belief that he should do what she told him

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When Bill Gates was in the sixth grade, his parents decided he needed counselling. He was at war with his mother, an outgoing woman who harboured the belief that he should do what she told him.
Experiential Actors Bill gates, mother & father. actions decide, tell, do. State is at war. Place sixth grade. Qualities- outgoing. Objects belief, counselling, etc Logical Subordinate when Bill Gates, his parents decided. He should do what she told him.
Interpersonal

Should, and factual (express by the mood)

Textual

Bill Gates He, his parents


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More on the representational meaning


According to Halliday, the experiental component of the representational meaning provides an account of the underlying content of a sentence or utterance. It handles within its scope: a. processes: actions, events, states, relations b. Participating entities: persons, objects, abstractions

c. Circumstances:time, place, reasons, conditions, results which are associated with the process
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Participants

Processes

Mr. Haliday

Circumstance
A transivity network going through, extending to another entity
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More on the representational meaning

E.g. Jim kicked the dog this morning The participant Jim performs a doing kicking, which is directed at the goal the dog under the circumstances this morning

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Types of processes
Material processes: express our outer experiences Mental processes: express our inner experiences Relational processes: connect our experiences Behavioral processes (between material processes and mental processes): represent outer manifestations of our inner workings Verbal processes (between mental and relational processes): represent symbolic relationship constructed in human consciousness and enacted in the form of language. Existential processes (between the material and relational processes): concerning with existence
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Material processes
If there are two entities, they are the ACTOR and the GOAL. In this case:

+ the actor can do something to the goal.


e.g. John broke the glass The lion caught the tourist The mechanic repaired my car + the actor can create or bring about the goal

e.g.

He has built a fortune along the way.

They are building a new school here Jane is writing a letter

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Material processes
- Material processes are not necessarily concrete, but can be abstract e.g. The mayor resigned The president dissolved the Parliament

- We can ask about or probe material processes by using the verb do


e.g. What did the lion do? What is Jane doing? What did the mayor do?
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Mental processes
Definition: Mental processes are those that express our inner experiences. Mental processes involve two entities: a SENSER (the conscious being that feels, sees or thinks) and a PHENOMENON (that which is sensed, felt, thought or seen. e.g. Mary liked the gift No-one believed his story

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Characteristics
1. In a clause of mental process, there is always one participant who is human or human-like. This is the SENSER, the one who senses, feels, thinks or perceives. - On the contrary, in material process, no participant is required to be human, and the distinction between conscious and non-conscious beings simply plays no part.
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Mental processes
2. With regards to the other main element, namely the one that is felt, thought or perceived, it may be a person, a thing or a fact. e.g. Jane saw the stars Jane saw that the stars had come out The verb in a mental process clause is usually used in the present simple tense. e.g. She likes the gift Do you know the city?

3.

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Mental processes
4. Mental processes can usually be realized in either direction with either the senser or the phenomenon that is being sensed being the subject. Like type I like it I fear it I wonder at it I dont understand it I enjoy it I mind it I admire it Please type It pleases me It frightens me It amazes me It puzzles me It delights me It upsets me It impresses me
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Mental processes
5. Mental processes are processes of feeling, thinking and seeing. They are not kinds of doing, and cannot be probed or substituted by do. e.g. What did John do? He ran away (material) What did Mary do with the gift? She sold it. John knew the answer. (not: What John did was know the answer) Mary liked the gift. (not: What did Mary do with the gift)
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Relational processes
Definition: Relational processes are those that connect our experiences. They are processes of being. Characteristics: In a relational clause, there are two parts to the being: something is being said to be something else. In other words, a relation is being set up between two entities. e.g. Jane is beautiful Tomorrow is my birthday Peter has a piano
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Relational processes
The English system of relational processes operates with three main types

1. Intensive:

x is a

2. Circumstantial: x is at a (where is at stands for is at, in, on, for, with, about, along, etc.) 3. Possessive: x has a

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Behavioral processes
Definition: Behavioral processes are those describing physiological and psychological behavior like coughing, breathing, smiling, dreaming, and staring. They are partly like the material and partly like the mental processes.

Characteristics:
The participant who is behaving, labelled BEHAVER, is typically a conscious being, like the Senser, but the Process is grammatically more like one of doing. e.g. Jane is smiling
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Verbal processes
Definition: verbal processes are processes of saying. They represent symbolic relationships constructed in human consciousness and enacted in the form language.

Characteristics:
Verbal processes are Processes of saying (tell, insult, praise, slander, abuse, flatter, promise, etc.) .
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Existential processes
Definition: existential processes are those that are concerned with existence.

Characteristics:
Represents something that exists or happens Intermediate between material and relational processes Two entities: the EXISTENT and the process

e.g.:

Once upon a time, there lived a King who had a beautiful daughter.
There comes a huge man
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Existential processes
Verbs that commonly occur in existential

processes include: exist, remain, arise,


occur, come about, happen, take place,

follow, ensue, sit, stand, lie, hang, rise,


stretch, emerge, grow, erupt, flourish, prevail

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The circumstances
This component is related to the process. They can occur in all types of processes. Most are realized by prepositional phrases; however, they can be clauses as well. The main types of circumstances are: 1. Time: e.g. She arrived home at 9 oclock 2. Place: e.g. I met her at a small restaurant 3. Condition: e.g. I she comes, Ill go
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The circumstances
4. 5. Concession: e.g. In spite of her parents objection Result: e.g. I was caught in a sudden shower, so I was soaked Manner: e.g. She beat her son with a ruler Attending circumstances: e.g. As everyone is here, lets start Cause: e.g. Because of the rain, the train was late. Purpose: e.g. She is out for lunch now.

6. 7. 8. 9.

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