Misrepresenting Stratification [Augmented]

Martin (1992: 46):

To this point a stratified approach to the function of interacts has been proposed, with MOOD and SPEECH FUNCTION each contributing one layer of meaning on the content plane.

 

Blogger Comment:

[1] This is misleading, because it misrepresents Halliday's prior theorising as Martin's innovation. To be clear, firstly, Martin is claiming in this publication that stratifying the content plane is his innovation, despite the fact that Halliday & Hasan (1976: 5) present just such a stratification:

And secondly, Martin is here claiming that stratifying SPEECH FUNCTION (semantics) with respect to MOOD (lexicogrammar) is his innovation, despite this distinction being made in Halliday (1985: 71, 342), if not before:

The semantic function of a clause in the exchange of information is a proposition; the semantic function of a clause in the exchange of goods-&-services is a proposal. …

The other main type of interpersonal metaphor is that associated with mood. Mood expresses the speech function; and as we saw in Chapter 4 the underlying pattern of organisation here is the exchange system — giving or demanding information or goods-&-services, which defines the four basic speech functions of statement, question, offer and command.

[2] In SFL stratification, the content plane consists of one level of meaning, semantics, and one level of wording, lexicogrammar, not two levels of meaning. The grammatical system of MOOD is a system of wording that realises meaning: the semantic system of SPEECH FUNCTION. The semantic system of SPEECH FUNCTION is a system of meaning that is realised by wording: the grammatical system of MOOD.