It is all about clauses: Speech analysis using systemic functional linguistics theory

Hieronimus Canggung Darong

Abstract


Text and context are tightly related. Although previous studies have revealed the benefits of employing Systemic Functional Linguistics theory (SFL) in revealing the language functions, the specific examination of text ideational or experiential focusing on transitivty process type analysis is lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the transitivity process type of a text. To achieve this purpose, Joe Biden’s victory speech was chosen and analyzed. In this respect, to make the analysis easily done, the speech text was changed into some sentences and clauses and thereafter analyzed following the aim of the study in question. The result of analysis has shown that the the material process type appears at most, which indicates the action of the participants involved in the speech. In addition, by means of transitivity analysis, interpersonal and power relation might be revealed as the existence of pronouns linking to verbs used in clauses of the text. As a conclusion, different language patterns might signify different concerns of the experintial or ideational functional category. Future research studies, by means of different ways of analysis, might be of benefit to examine the effectiveness of Systemic Functional Linguistics theory (SFL) in a text analysis.


Keywords


transitivity; function; and SFL

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ademilokun, M. . (2019). Corpus-Assisted Critical Discourse Analysis of Modality in Social Transformation Campaigns in Nigeria. Discourse and Interaction, 12(2), 5–28. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5817/DI2019-2-5

Afzaal, M. (2020). Book reviews. Discourse Studies, 22(5), 632–643. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445620921656

Andersen, T. H., Emilie, A., & Holsting, M. (2018). Clause Complexing in Systemic Functional Lingustics – towards an Alternative Description. Functional Lingusitics, 5(10), 1–25. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s40554-018-0059-7

Bao, C., Zhang, X., Qu, Y., & Feng, Z. (2018). American English Perfect Construction Across Registers. Journal of Quantitative Linguistics, 25(4), 314–341. https://doi.org/10.1080/09296174.2017.1387961

Bartley, L. V. (2018). Putting Transitivity to the Test: A Review of the Sydney and Cardiff models. Functional Lingusitics, 5(4), 1–21.

Boch, A. (2020). Increasing American Political Tolerance: A Framework Excluding Hate Speech. Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World Volume, 6, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/2378023120903959

Briones, R. R. Y. (2016). Textual Analysis through Systemic Functional Linguistics. Journal of English Language Teaching and Linguistics, 1(2), 109–144. https://doi.org/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21462/jeltl.v1i2.27 Textual

Brookes, G., & Mcenery, T. (2019). The utility of topic modelling for discourse studies: A critical evaluation. Discourse Studies, 21(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445618814032

Cartagena, M. C. C., & Prego-vázquez, G. (2018). Participation frameworks and socio-discursive competence in young children : The role of multimodal strategies. Discourse Studies, 21(2), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445618802656

Da Cunha, I. (2019). A corpus-based analysis of textual genres in the administration domain. Disocurse Studies, 22(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445619887538

Darong, H. C. (2021). Interpersonal Function of Joe Biden’s Victory Speech (Systemic Functional Linguistics View). Journal of Educational Research and Evaluation Volume, 5(1), 57–66. Retrieved from https://ejournal.undiksha.ac.id/index.php/JERE%0AInterpersonal

Eggins, S. (1994). An Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics. London: Pinter.

Fetzer, A., & Bull, P. (2012). Doing leadership in political speech : Semantic processes and pragmatic inferences. Discourse & Society, 23(2), 127–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/0957926511431510

Figini, F., Roccia, V., & Rezzano, N. S. (2019). The Construction of Field in Science Popularization Stories. International Journal of Systemic Functional Linguistics, 2(1), 1–13.

Fortanet, I. (2005). Honoris Causa speeches: an approach to structure. Discourse Studies, 7(1), 31–51.

Gusthini, M., Sobarna, C., & Amalia, R. M. (2018). A Pragmatic Study of Speech as an Instrument of Power: Analysis of the 2016 USA Presidential Debate. Studies in English Language and Education, 5(1), 97–113. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v5i1.6906

Halliday, M. A. . (1985). Introduction to Functional Grammar. London: Edward Arnold.

Hasan, R. (2014). Towards a Paradigmatic Description of Context: Systems, Metafunctions, and Semantics. Functional Lingusitics, 1(9), 1–54. https://doi.org/http://www.functionallinguistics.com/content/

Hopke, J. E., & Simis, M. (2016). Response to ‘ Word choice as political speech ’: Hydraulic fracturing is a partisan issue. Public Understanding of Science, 26(1), 124–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662516643621

Horváth, J. (n.d.). Critical Discourse Analysis of Obama ’ s Political Discourse, 45–56.

Jitpranee, J. (2018). A Study of Systemic Functional Linguistics Phenomena in Thailand. In HUNIC (pp. 1–18).

Kelly, C. R. (2020). Donald J . Trump and the rhetoric of ressentiment. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 106(1), 2–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335630.2019.1698756

Kusuma, R., Dewi, S., & Kurniawan, E. (2018). Seeing Recount from Systemic Functional Linguistic Perspective: Sine Qua Non Attributes. RETORIKA: Jurnal Ilmu Bahasa, 4(1), 43–52. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.22225/jr.4.1.464.43-52

Lim, F. V. (2018). Developing a systemic Functional Approach to Teach Multimodal Literacy. Functional Lingusitics, 5(13), 1–17. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s40554-018-0066-8

Määttä, S. K., Puumala, E., & Ylikomi, R. (2021). Linguistic, Psychological and Epistemic Vulnerability in Asylum Procedures: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Discourse Studies, 23(1), 46–66. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445620942909

Martin, J. R., & Zappavigna, M. (2019). Embodied meaning: a Systemic Functional Perspective on Paralanguage. Functional Lingusitics, 6(1), 1–33. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s40554-018-0065-9

Mendoza-denton, N., & Jannedy, S. (2011). Semiotic Layering through Gesture and Intonation: A Case Study of Complementary and Supplementary Multimodality in Political Speech. Journal of English Linguistics, 39(3), 265–299. https://doi.org/10.1177/0075424211405941

Montes, P. A. ., Barboza, A. M. ., & Olascoaga, A. I. . (2014). Systemic Functional Linguistics and Discourse Analysis as Alternatives When Dealing With Texts. Profile, 16(2), 101–116. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.15446/profile.v16n2.38113.

Moragas-fernández, C. M., Calvo, M. M., & Capdevila, A. (2018). The process en route: the metaphor of the journey as the dominant narrative for the political discourse in Catalonia. Critical Discourse Studies, 15(5), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405904.2018.1468787

Nartey, M. (2018). ‘ I shall prosecute a ruthless war on these monsters … ’: a critical metaphor analysis of discourse of resistance in the rhetoric of Kwame Nkrumah. Critical Discourse Studies, 16(2), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405904.2018.1535987

Navarro, E., Macnamara, B. N., Glucksberg, S., & Andrew, R. A. (2020). What Influences Successful Communication? An Examination of Cognitive Load and Individual Differences. Discourse Processes, 57(10), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/0163853X.2020.1829936

Poulimenou, S., Stamou, S., Papavlasopoulos, S., & Poulos, M. (2016). Short Text Coherence Hypothesis. Journal of Quantitative Linguistics, 23(2), 191–210. https://doi.org/10.1080/09296174.2016.1142328

Santosa, R. (2016). Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA): Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). International Seminar Prasasti III: Current Research in Linguistics, 46–57.

Schubert, C. (2019). ‘ OK , well , first of all , let me say …’: Discursive uses of response initiators in US presidential primary debates. Discourse Studies, 21(4), 438–457. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445619842734

Schumacher, G., Hansen, D., Velden, M. A. C. G. Van Der, & Kunst, S. (2019). A new dataset of Dutch and Danish party congress speeches. Research and Politics, 6(2), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053168019838352

Silke, H., Quinn, F., & Rieder, M. (2019). Telling the truth about power ? Journalism discourses and the facilitation of inequality. Critical Discourse Studies, 16(3), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405904.2019.1568897

Tolochko, P., & Boomgaarden, H. G. (2017). Analysis of Linguistic Complexity in Professional and Citizen Media. Journalism Studies, 19(12), 1786–1803. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2017.1305285

Wang, J. (2010). A Critical Discourse Analysis of Barack Obama s Speeches. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 1(3), 254–261. https://doi.org/10.4304/jltr.1.3.254-261

Wang, W. (2020). Grammatical Conformity in Question-answer Sequences: The Case of Meiyou in Mandarin Conversation. Doscourse Studies, 22(5), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445620916371

Zhan, H., & Huang, S. (2018). Critical genre analysis : investigating interdiscursive performance in professional practice. Critical Discourse Studies, 15(5), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405904.2018.1468788




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22373/ej.v10i1.13029

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


This journal has been viewedtimes.
View full page view stats report here.


All works are licensed under CC-BY

Englisia Journal
© Author(s) 2019.
Published by Center for Research and Publication UIN Ar-Raniry and Department of English Language Education UIN Ar-Raniry.

Indexed by: