Friday, 14 August 2015

Misconstruing Residue Substitution As Continuity

Martin (1992: 233):
The use of so and too to hold the Residue constant underlies their function in polarity focussed arguments such as the following where they resemble the clause substitutes not and so; so and too are always tonic in this function (tonic syllable in bold face):
[4:178] Ben won really.
            — // He did not. //
            — // He did so. //
            — // He didn't. //
            — // He did too. //

Blogger Comments:

[1] As demonstrated in previous posts, 'holding the Residue constant' is not the function of either too functioning as a conjunctive Adjunct or so functioning cohesively as substitute for Predicator and Complement.

[2] In SFL theory, not, so and too don't just resemble cohesive substitutes, that is their function in the example provided.  Substitution of the Residue occurs with positive polarity, whereas ellipsis of the Residue occurs with negative polarity.

Ben
won
really
Subject
Finite
Predicator
comment Adjunct: speech-functional: unqualified: factual
Mood
Residue

He
did not
Ø
Subject
Finite
Predicator
comment Adjunct: speech-functional: unqualified: factual
Mood
Residue

He
did
so
Subject
Finite
Predicator
comment Adjunct: speech-functional: unqualified: factual
Mood
Residue

He
didn’t
Ø
Subject
Finite
Predicator
comment Adjunct: speech-functional: unqualified: factual
Mood
Residue

He
did
too
Subject
Finite
Predicator
comment Adjunct: speech-functional: unqualified: factual
Mood
Residue

Thursday, 13 August 2015

Misconstruing Substitution As Continuity

Martin (1992: 233):
Where the Mood changes, but the Residue is constant, the realisation so ^ Finite ^ Subject is possible:
NEW MOOD
[4:178] Ben won the race,
            but later so did Carl.

Blogger Comments:

[1] Contrary to the claim, part of the Residue (the substitution) and part of the Mood (the Finite) are constant across clauses here.

[2] In SFL theory, so marks an instance of substitution, a resource of textual cohesion, as shown by the variant ordering of elements; see Halliday & Matthiessen (2004: 564-5). Here it is misconstrued as continuity, which in turn is misconstrued as logical instead of textual.

Ben
won
the race
Subject
Finite
Predicator
Complement
Mood
Residue

but
later
so
did
Carl

circumstantial Adjunct
Predicator
Complement
Finite
Subject

Residue
Mood

Wednesday, 12 August 2015

Misconstruing the Function Of A Mood Adjunct (Misconstrued As A Continuity Item)

Martin (1992: 232):
The items too, also and as well are sensitive to parallels between the Mood ^ Residue structures of proposals and propositions.  They signal that either the Mood or the Residue is the same:
NEW MOOD
[4:176] Ben won the race,
            but later Carl did too. 
NEW RESIDUE
[4:177] Ben won in Rome,
            and he won in Seoul too.

Blogger Comments:

In SFL theory, this function of too, also and as well is interpersonal, not logical; they are mood Adjuncts of intensity, not continuity items.  (Hence the reference to Mood, Residue, proposals and propositions.)

Demonstrably, these mood Adjuncts do not 'signal that either the Mood or the Residue is the same'.

In the first instance, it is not the Mood that has changed, but part of both the Mood and the Residue.

Ben
won
the race
Subject
Finite
Predicator
Complement
Mood
Residue

but
later
Carl
did
too

circumstantial Adjunct
Subject
Finite
mood Adjunct: intensity

Residue
Mood

In the second instance, it is not the Residue that has changed, but only part of it (circumstantial Adjunct).  The Predicator has not changed.

Ben
won
in Rome
Subject
Finite
Predicator
circumstantial Adjunct
Mood
Residue


and
he
won
in Seoul
too

Subject
Finite
Predicator
circumstantial Adjunct
mood Adjunct: intensity

Mood
Residue
(Afterthought)

Tuesday, 11 August 2015

Misconstruing Mood Adjuncts Of Temporality As Aspectual Continuity Markers

Martin (1992: 232):
The aspectual continuity markers are illustrated below.  Inceptives (e.g. already, finally and at last) are opposed to continuatives (e.g. still); and inceptives are divided into those signalling that something has begun sooner than expected (already) and those coding that it has begun later than expected (finally and at last).
FRUITION:PRECEDENCE
[4:173]  Is Ben coming?
             — He's already here. 
FRUITION:ENDURANCE
[4:174]  Has Ben shown up?
             — He's finally arrived. 
CONTINUATION
[4:175]  Has Ben left?
             — No, he's still here.

Blogger Comments:

[1] In SFL theory, these "aspectual continuity markers" are mood Adjuncts of temporality.  They function interpersonally, not logically.

[2] In SFL theory, the mood Adjuncts already and still differ in terms of expectation with regard to the interpersonal time at issue (see Halliday & Matthiessen 2004: 127-8).

[3] The terms inceptive and durative — not continuative — relate to the elaboration of processes in terms of phase (see Halliday & Matthiessen 2004: 499-501).

[4] The mood Adjuncts already, finally and at last are concerned with expectation with regard to interpersonal time, not the beginning phase of processes.

[5] In SFL theory, the textual cohesion (substitution & ellipsis) is marked here by the mood Adjunct of polarity no (see Halliday & Matthiessen 2004: 564).  In Martin's model, the logical relation of continuity is marked here by the continuative still (which in SFL theory is an interpersonal Adjunct).