Misconstruing Enhancement As Elaboration And Elaboration As Extension

Martin (1992: 317):

This interpretation of the experiential grammar in terms of the general logico-semantic relations of elaboration, extension and enhancement is summarised in Table 5.13.

Table 5.13. Elaboration, extension and enhancement across clauses and groups
Elaboration	Extension	Enhancement
process = range	process + medium + range:entity	process x circumstance
take shot (take a shot)	shoot deer (shoot the deer)	shoot field (shoot in the field)
classifier = thing	epithet + thing	thing x qualifier
parking lot (a parking lot)	new car (a new car)	car park (the car in the park)
event = particle	event + event	event x quality
shoot up (shoot up)	try shoot (try to shoot)	shoot carefully (shoot carefully)

Blogger Comments:

As this table is a summary of the preceding discussion, see previous posts for more detailed arguments.

[1] The relation between the Classifier parking and the Thing lot is enhancement, not elaboration.  It is a lot for the purpose of parking.

[2] To the extent that the preposition up construes direction, the relation between the verb shoot and the preposition within the phrasal verb is enhancement: location, not elaboration.

[3] Expansion relations obtain between the Nucleus (Process/Medium) and other participants and circumstances, not between the Process and Medium.

[4] The relation between the Epithet new and the Thing car is elaboration, not extension.  The Epithet provides further detail about the Thing.

[5] The expansion relation obtains between the Nucleus and the circumstance of Manner: quality, not  within a verbal group between Event and "Quality".