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lecture 5, semantics
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1
The meaning of sentence
Lecture 5
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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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Grammaticality
Meaningfulness
Aceptability
Sentence
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Are you love me? The farmer has killed the house.My father died last night.
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A grammatical sentence is one which is
formed according to the rules of grammar.
Grammaticality
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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
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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.
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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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Can be defined in terms of experiential and logical functions.
Representational meaning
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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 people’s behaviour and getting things done. - Could you pass me the wine? Request- Why was she late? Enquiry- Don’t do that again Warning- If you keep doing this, I’ll… Threat
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Interpersonal function
3. To express the speaker’s 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 functionThe 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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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
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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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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Processes
Circumstance
Participants
Mr. Haliday
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 goale.g. He has built a fortune along the way.
They are building a new school hereJane 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 processes2. 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 out3. 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?
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Mental processes4. 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 Please typeI like it It pleases meI fear it It frightens me
I wonder at it It amazes meI don’t understand it It puzzles meI enjoy it It delights meI mind it It upsets meI admire it It impresses me
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Mental processes5. 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 o’clock
2. Place:e.g. I met her at a small restaurant
3. Condition:e.g. I she comes, I’ll go
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The circumstances4. Concession:
e.g. In spite of her parents’ objection …5. Result:
e.g. I was caught in a sudden shower, so I was soaked
6. Manner:e.g. She beat her son with a ruler
7. Attending circumstances:e.g. As everyone is here, let’s start
8. Cause:e.g. Because of the rain, the train was late.
9. Purpose:e.g. She is out for lunch now.