Wednesday 30 September 2015

Misconstruing Ellipsis Of Repetition As Relational Meronymy [2]

Martin (1992: 305):
Alongside this set [of items realising relational meronymy], there are two groups of items which function in what Halliday (1985: 174) calls Pre-Deictic and Pre-Numerative position.  Those in Pre-Deictic position name components with respect to their location in time or space (e.g. the top of the wall): top, inside, side, bottom, edge, middle, outside, environs, start, finish, beginning, end.  These items may function "cohesively" in text: We played well that set.  — Not at the start.
Those in Pre-Numerative position measure out some portion of the whole (e.g. a sip of beer): jar, bottle, schooner, glass, midi, jug, can, loaf, mouthful, spoonful, pound, ounce, kilo, yard, metre.  These are also used "cohesively": Would you like a beer? — Just a midi thanks. 

Blogger Comments:

[1] In SFL theory, this nominal group function is termed 'extended Numerative: facet', which is the cross-classification of 'partitive' and 'type'.  See Halliday & Matthiessen (2004: 333).

the
top
of
the
wall
Numerative: facet
Deictic
Thing


[2] Not all of these items necessarily represent parts of wholes.


[3] The cohesive function here is the ellipsis of the potential lexical repetition (set).

we
played
well
that set
Subject
Finite
Predicator
Adjunct
Complement

not
at the start of the set
mood Adjunct: polarity
circumstantial Adjunct


[4] In SFL theory, this nominal group function is termed 'extended Numerative: quantum', which is the cross-classification of 'quantitative' and 'measure'.  See Halliday & Matthiessen (2004: 333).

a
sip
of
beer
Numerative: quantum
Thing


[5] The cohesive function here is the ellipsis of the potential lexical repetition (beer).

would
you
like
a beer
Finite
Subject
Predicator
Complement

I
would
like
just
a middy of beer
Subject
Finite
Predicator
mood Adjunct: intensity
Complement