Transcript attributive

TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF TWO TEXTS:
“AN ENCYCLOPAEDIC REPORT ON THE
NUMBAT”
“A TEXT FOR CHILDREN ON SOUNDS”
Instructions and preliminary comments
-The texts for analysis have been segmented into
clauses and the clauses into their constituent parts to
facilitate analysis. This is the usual practice. This
does not mean you have to accept the segmentation
proposed here. If you want to propose a different
segmentation, feel free to ask in class or in office
hours.
- Remember that certain elements are not analyzed
for transitivity, like conjunctions (and, but),
conjunctive adjuncts (besides, moreover, however)
modals (can) and modal adjuncts (unluckily,
fortunately; always, sometimes; probably)
This is a numbat
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE
ENCYCLOPAEDIC REPORT ON THE NUMBAT”
The numbat
Its coat
is
is
a slender marsupial
with … ears
grey-brown to
reddish brown
with about eight
transverse white
stripes on the
rump.
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
The numbat
is
an unmistakable
slender marsupial with
… ears
Carrier
Process: relational:
attributive: intensive:
Attribute
classifying
Its coat
is
Carrier
Process: relat.
Attribute
attrib.: intensive:
describing
grey-brown to
reddish brown
with about eight
transverse white
stripes on the
rump.
Circ. of
accompaniment:
additive
Comments on analysis
One might wonder why the first relational process is said to be classifying,
whereas all other intensive processes are said to be describing, especially
since there is so much description in the first one (“unmistakeable”
“slender” and “with a pointed muzzle and short erect ears”).
Note that description in the first clause is to be found not at the level of
the clause, but within the Ngp that makes up the Attribute of the clause
(“an unmistakeable slender marsupial with …ears”). At the level of the
clause the meaning is one of classification (the numbat is a member of a
class of animals (= marsupials). The classification is thus foregrounded,
and the description backgrounded by being made at a lower rank. To see
this, compare the first clause with clauses such as “The numbat is
slender/small”, “The numbat has short erect ears”, where description is
foregrounded now by being made at the level of the clause.
Comments on analysis
“On the rump” in “with about eight transverse white stripes on the rump”
is a Qualifier within the NGp that functions as completive of the
preposition “with”, the head of which (Th) is “stripe”. There are several
indication of this. If we pay attention to meaning, “on the rump” is
specifying “stripes”, by telling us where the stripes are located. Given that
this is its function it cannot be moved around in the clause as it would be
in clauses like the following, where if is not a Qualifier :
“The numbat has 8 stripes on the rump” = “On the rump the numbat has
eight stripes” “The numbat has, on the rump, eight stripes.”
“There are 8 stripes on the rump of the numbat” = “On the rump of the
numbat there are 8 stripes”
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
The eye
has
and
the long bushy
tail
a black stripe
is
through it
yellowish
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
The eye
has
a black stripe
through it
Carrier
Process:
relational:
possessive:
Attribute
Circumst. of
location: spatial
location
describing
and
the long bushy
tail
is
yellowish
Carrier
Process:
relational:
attributive:
intensive:
Attribute
describing
Comments on analysis
The PP “through it” has been analyzed as
Circumstance because it is not specifying
“stripe” but relating to the verb “have” and
expressing the location of the process expressed
by the verb. Evidence of this is the fact that it
can be moved around (“The eye has, through it,
a black stripe”)
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
The teeth
The tongue
are
is
small.
extensible
as in all
mammalian ant
or termite-eaters
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
The teeth
are
small.
Carrier
Process: relational:
attributive: intensive
Attribute
describing
The tongue
is
extensible
as in all
mammalian ant
or termiteeaters, …
Carrier
Process:
relational:
attributive:
intensive
Attribute
Circumstance
of manner:
comparison
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
and
Most
marsupials
the forefeet
are
are
stonglyclawed
active
for digging
during the night
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
and
the forefeet are
stonglyclawed
for digging
Carrier
Attribute
Circumstance of cause:
purpose
Process:
relational:
attributive:
intensive
describing
Most
marsupials
are
active
during the night
Carrier
Process:
relational:
attributive:
intensive
Attribute
Circumstance
of extent:
duration
describing
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT “THE
NUMBAT”
The numbat
It
is
shelters
different in being
active during the
day
in hollow logs
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT “THE
NUMBAT”
The numbat is
Carrier
different in being
active during the
day
Process: relational: Attribute
attributive: intensive
describing
It
shelters
in hollow logs
Actor
Process: material
middle
Circumstance of location:
spatial location
Comments on analysis
The PP “during the day” is also a “Circumstance of extent: duration”, but it is somewhat
different from the PP “during the night” in that
it is not functioning as Circumstance to the verb
“is”, but as Circumstance to “being” within the
embedded clause functioning as completive of
the preposition “in” (“being active during the
day”). This is why in a first level of analysis it is
shown as part of the attribute.
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
and
(it)
forages
for termites
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
and
(it)
forages
for termites
Actor
Process:
Circumstance
material middle of cause:
purpose
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
This termiteeater
but
(it)
was
once
now
lives
relatively
common
only
in a small
area of …
Australia
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
This termiteeater
was
once
relatively
common
Carrier
Process:
relational:
attributive:
intensive:
describing
Circumstance
location: time
Attribute
but
(it)
now
lives
Actor
Circumst.
of
location:
time
Process:
material:
middle
only
in a small
area of …
Australia
Circumst.
of
location:
spatial
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
It
is
the offical animal
emblem of Western
Australia
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF “THE NUMBAT”
It
is
the offical animal
emblem of Western
Australia
Token
Process: relational:
Value
identifying: intensive
Comments on analysis
Why identifying and not attributive?
The main reactance and test showing it is
“identifying” is the fact that the participants
can be reversed, while all the other pocesses
in the text with the verb “to be”, which are all
attributive, cannot have their participants
reversed. Another piece of evidence is the
fact that “be” can be replaced by “represent”.
Transitivity patterns in “The numbat”
1 Carrier ^ Process (relational/attrib./intens./classifying) ^ Attribute.
2 Carrier ^ Process (relational/attrib./intens./describing) ^ Attribute ^ Circ. of
accompaniment: additive.
3  Carrier ^ Process (relational/attrib./possessive/describing) ^ Attribute ^ Circ. of
location: spatial.
4  Carrier ^Process (relational/attrib./intensive/describing) ^ Attribute
5  Carrier ^Process (relational/attrib./intensive/describing) ^ Attribute
6  Carrier ^ Process (relational/attrib./intens./describing) ^ Attribute ^Circ. of manner:
comparison
7  Carrier ^ Process (relational/attrib./intens./describing) ^ Attribute ^ Circ. of cause:
purpose
8  Carrier ^ Process (relational/attrib./intens./describing) ^ Attribute ^ Circ. of extent:
duration
Transitivity patterns in “The numbat”
9
Carrier ^ Process (relational/attrib./intensive/describing) ^ Attribute
10  Actor ^ Process (material middle) ^ Circumst. of spatial location
11  Actor ^ Process (material middle) ^ Circumst. of cause: purpose
12  Carrier ^ Process (relational/attrib./intens./describing) ^ Attribute ^
Circ. of temporal location
13  Actor ^ Process (material middle) ^ Circumst. of temporal location ^
Circumst. of spatial location
14  Token ^ Process (relational identifying) ^ Value
What pattern of transitivity emerges in the
text?

The process type that prevails/is dominant in the text is the relational
attributive process of the intensive describing/descriptive type


Next in frequency are the material middle processes (3), and less frequent
are the relational attributive intensive classifying processes (1 in first
clause), the relational attributive possessive processes (only 1) and the
relational identifying processes (1 in closing sentence).
The Circumstances that prevail are of spatial location, followed by
Circumstances of temporal location (2) and of cause: purpose (2), and
Circumstances of manner: comparison (1), and extension: duration (1).
What does the pattern of transitivity
identified tell us about the text?

The prevalence of/high proportion of relational attributive
intensive processes can be explained by, and reflects, the
descriptive character of the text. We could expect narrative
texts and instructional texts, for example, to favor material
processes. The presence of an attributive possessive process
reinforces this descriptive character, as this also serves to
describe the animal or parts of its body.
What does the pattern of transitivity
identified tell us about the text?

The shifts in process type, from a relational attributive intensive
classifying process in the first clause to relational attributive
intensive describing/descriptive processes and relational attributive
possessive processes (also descriptive in function) in the body and to
material middle processes towards the end and a closing identifying
process reflects the structure of the text, the generic structure
(Classification ^ Description of animal ^ Description of animal habits ^
Reference to animal’s value or significance ).
What explains this pattern? Why this
pattern?
The structure of the text can be accounted for by the fact
that every descriptive report, as one could find in an
encyclopedic entry, must necessarily start by placing the
unknown animal or plant that it provides information on in a
known class of entities (through the classifying process) for
the sake of those who do not know it, so they can start to
grasp the unknown through what’s known to them, and only
then proceed to describe the animal or plant (through
relational attributive processes) and its habits/physiology
(mainly through material middle processes).
What do the Circumstances suggest?

The Circumstances of spatial location in the text can be
explained because in a descriptive report o an animal for an
encyclopedic entry one needs to locate the animal for the
sake of the readers who do not know the animal and are
looking for information, though some circumstances of
spatial location relate to the physical description of the
animal and indicate where certain features are to be found in
the body.
What do Circumstances suggest?

Circumstances of manner: comparison could be
explained
as
a
way
of
facilitating
the
understanding of the unknown (the numbat) by
comparing it to what’s known (mamalians;
marsupials)

Otherwise, circumstances in the text are not so
prominent
Conclusions on transitivity

Transitivity patterns reflect the nature of the
text (descriptive, narrative, etc)

Changes or shifts in transitivity along the text
reflect changes in function (Classification,
Physical description, Description of habits,
Appraisal of animal) and thus the structure of
the text, the stages or sections that result from
changes in function
Conclusions on transitivity


A perspective on verbs like this focuses on semantics,
and tells us more about what meanings the verbs make
and what meanings their participants make. A Direct
Object can now be a Goal created, a Goal affected, a
Range, a Phenomenon, a Verbiage, where meaning of
the Direct Object is more explicit;
A perspective on verbs like this focuses on text and
patterns of verbs or processes in text, that is, it does not
attend to isolated sentences but seeks to establish
patterns in text;
Conclusions on transitivity

A perspective like this is functional in that it seeks to determine the
function of patterns (what they tell us about the nature of the text or the
structure of the text)

A perspective like this helps us gain a better understanding of the
grammar involved in more traditional terms. Such is the case of relational
processes, where we realize, for example, that saying only that the verb “to
be” is a linking verb with S and SC provides a very limited understanding
of the grammar of this verb that can take different structures (+ adjective
groups, + indefinite nominal groups, + definite nominal groups;
structures where S and C are reversible and structures where they are not),
which reflect different meanings ranging
symbolization and involving description also.
from
classification
to
TEXT II
ANALYSING A TEXT ON SOUNDS
Purpose of analysis
In analyzing this text we will also seek to
explore the advantages of adopting a more
semantic, textual and functional approach to
verbs
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Do … enjoy
you
[[making sounds]]
What sounds
do ... make
these things
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Do … enjoy
you
[[making sounds]]
Process: mental:
affection
Senser
Phenomenon:
Macrophenomenon
What sounds
do … make
these things
Goal
Process: material:
Actor
effective (“do” is not
experiential)
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
If
you
bang
What different
sounds
can … make
you
them
with your body
and your voice
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
If
you
bang
them
Actor
Process:
material:
effective
Goal
What different
sounds
can … make
you
Goal
Process:
Actor
material:
effective (“can”
is not
experiential)
with your body
and your voice
Circumstance:
means/
instrument
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Put
your fingers
on your throat
as
you
talk
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Put
your fingers
on your throat
Process: material:
effective
Goal
Circumstance of
location: spatial
location
as
you
talk
Behaver
Process: behavioural:
verbal
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
or
as
you
sing
Behaver
Process:
behavioural:
paraverbal
What
can … feel
you
Phenomenon
Process: mental:
perception
Senser
Why “talk” and “sing” behavioural
Processes like “talk” and “sing” are behavioral because,
through there is sth verbal in them (talk) or paraverbal
(sing, since it includes the voice), they do not involve
direct saying, that is, they do not project another clause
as locution (*He talked/sang that he had to leave,
would not be grammatical). So verbs which have a
verbal quality but do not ptoject, that is, do not
introduce a locution (like chat, discuss, gossip, chant,
recite, describe, etc.) are behavioural verbal/paraverbal
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Hold
Press down
a ruler
on the edge of a table
the end
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Hold
a ruler
on the edge of a table
Process: material:
effective
Goal
Circumstance of
location: spatial
location
Press down
the end
Process: material: effective
Goal
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
and
Can … hear
let go
you
a sound
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
and
let go
Process: material: middle
Can … hear
you
a sound?
Process: mental:
perception
Senser
Phenomenon
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
What
Whenever
can … see
you
you?
hear
a sound
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
What
can … see
you?
Phenomenon
Process: mental:
perception
Senser
Whenever
you
Circumstance of Senser
location:
temporal
location (time)
hear
a sound
Process: mental: Phenomenon
perception
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
there is
This movement
[[something moving]]
is called
a vibration
TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN A TEXT ON SOUNDS
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
There is
[[something moving]]
Process: existential
Existent
This movement
is called
a vibration
Carrier
Process: relational:
Attribute
attributive: intensive:
classifying: assigned
(caused) Assigner not
expressed
Comments on processes
The process “This movement is a vibration”, would be
a “relational attributive process, with “This movement”
as Carrier and “a vibration” as Attribute. In the process
we have in the text, however, there is a slight difference.
The clause is a passive voice clause (“This movement is
called a vibration”), still regarded as attributive, but as
attributive assigned, because somebody assigns “the
movement” to the class, as is obvious in what could be
the corresponding active voice (“Scientists call this
movement a vibration”). See the PPP on transitivity and
you will find these processes there in the last few slides.
Comments on transitivity patterns in
“Do you enjoy making sounds”


The first clause of the text has a mental process of emotion
(enjoy) followed by a Phenomenon (Macrophenomenon). This is
the only mental process of emotion in the whole text. It is
interesting that it can be found in the first sentence, that could
be seen as the section of the text enticing the reader
(enticement), that is, trying to engage the reader’s interest.
Then there is an alternation of material processes effective
(bang; hold; press down) and middle (let go) and mental
processes of perception (hear, feel, see). There are also
behavioural processes in dependent clauses indicating when to
carry out a given action (as you talk, as you sing). Less frequent
are the existential process (1) and the relational process
assigned (1).
Comments on transitivity patterns in
“Do you enjoy making sounds”

It is interesting to see that the material processes always occur
in commands and the mental of perception in questions. The
alternation of material processes (effective and middle) in
commands and mental processes of perception in questions
would seem to be reflecting an alternation in the text between
instructions to perform certain actions (bang, hold, press down,
let go) and questions to direct readers to reflect on the
perceptions that are caused/brought about by such actions (Can
you hear …? What can you see?).
Comments on transitivity patterns in
“Do you enjoy making sounds”

The less frequent processes are behavioural ones (2),
existential (1) and relational attributive (assigned)
(1). The behavioural ones are found in dependent
clauses that specify when a certain action is to be
carried out (Put the fingers on your throat as you
sing or as you talk). The existential and the
relational ones are found at the end of the text, in
statements, that provide information on sounds. It is
interesting to note that information is only provided
after the child has been induced to perform certain
actions and reflect on the perceptions they induce.
Comments on transitivity patterns in
“Do you enjoy making sounds”




The structure of the text that the process alternations
would seem to reveal can be set out as follows, with
the second and third stage forming cycles:
Enticement/Engaging the reader (mental emotion =
enjoy)
Instructing the reader to perform certain actions that
create sounds/Inducing the reader to action (material
effective/middle)
Directing
the
reader
to
reflect
on
perceptions/Inducing reflection on perceptions
(mental perception)
Informing the reader on sound (existential,
relational)
What else does transitivity tell us about
this text
Apart from letting us uncover the different functions being performed by
different sections of the text and thus the structure of the text,
transitivity lets us see that the ideas about learning underlying the text are
such as are associated with the “learning by doing pedagogy”. If the
author had a different attitude to learning and the text was just an
exposition on sounds, the text would look very different, made up only
of material middle processses like “vibrate”, “move” and exitential and
relational processes, where the participants would be sounds or aspects
associated with them.
Concluding comments on transitivity
Again the analysis of this last text will have highlighted the semantic,
textual and functional character of the approach to verbs we are
following. Semantic, as we have paid attention to the meanings the verbs
and their participants make; textual because we have looked t patterns in
the whole text rather than at isolated sentences; and functional because
we have looked at the function of these patterns.