transitivity presentation based on gerot & wignell; bloor & bloor

TRANSITIVITYTRANSITIVITYPRESENTATION BASED ON GEROT & WIGNELL; BLOOR & BLOOR

TRANSITIVITYTRANSITIVITYThe system or resource for construing

experiential meaning, i. e. meaning

about the world outside and inside the

speaker.

It is the resource for construing (=

interpreting and expressing) events,

happenings, goings-on, mental states,

sayings, behaviours and relations of

different kinds.

Behaviour-al

human and animal physiological

behaviour; human verbal and mental

behaviour

He snored/coughed. He slept soundly.

He breathed heavily.They shouted/cried/growled.

He pondered/reflected over the problem.

Process type

Meanings Examples

Material

actions and happenings

(outside world; observable)

He ran. The window broke. He climbed the tree. She made a cake.

She broke the window. She gave him a present.

Mental

perception, cognition and

affective processes (inner world; not

directly observable)

I saw a bird, I heard a sound. I saw him cross the street.

I knew the answers. I believe/think he is wrong.

I fear the outcome. I like the smell. The woman scares me. The

decision pleased me.

Meteorolo-gical

weather or time processes

It’s 8 o’clock. It’s noon. It’s windy. It’s raining/snowing.

Process type

Meanings Examples

Verbal

saying (mental process that

becomes observable)

He told a lie. He told a story.He said “Hello”. “I’m tired!” he exclaimed. He answered that he was unaware of the decision.

Existential

existenceThere is a bird on the tree. Ghosts exist.

Relational

being and havingHe is a (famous) scientist. He is the head of the department. He has blue eyes/a car.

Process type

Participants

Subtypes

ExamplesDistinctive features/

Reactances

RELA-TION-AL

(being and having)

CARRIER&

ATTRIBUTE

ATTRI-BUTIVE

IDENTIFY-

ING

TOKEN &

VALUE

She is famous.She is a scientist.She has blue eyes.

She is the leader.The Aconca-gua is the highest beak in America.

-Presence of “be” or verbs comparable in meaning.

--No substitution by any verb

-S Present as unmarked tense in Present.

Process type

Participants

Subtypes

Examples

Distinctive features/

ReactancesRELA-

TIONAL

(being and having)Identify-ing an entity by referenceto some other entity.Mean-ings of symbolization.

TOKEN

&

VALUE

INTEN-SIVE

POSSES-SIVE

CIRCUMS-TANTIAL

America is the beacon of democracy. The Aconcagua is the highest peak in America

This is Neil’s.This belongs to Neil.

The time of the meeting is Friday. The cause for his illness is stress.

-Presence of definite NGp.

-- substitu-tion by ‘represent’

--Reversi- bility

PARTICIPANTS IN MENTAL PROCESSES

Value: A more abstract entity that can be perceived only if represented by a more concrete entity (Susan is the kindest salesperson in the shop; He is the leader).

Token: The concrete entity that embodies/ represents/ symbolizes a value (Susan is the kindest salesperson in the shop; He is the leader).

AMERICA IS THE BEACON OF DEMOCRACY

TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE

SUBJECT SUBJECT COMPLEMENT

THE ACONCAGUA IS THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN AMERICA

TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE

THE BEACON OF DEMOCRACY IS AMERICA

VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE

SUBJECT SUBJECT COMPLEMENT

THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN AMERICA IS THE ACONCAGUA

VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE

THI S BOOK IS M ARY’S

TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE IDENTIFYING: POSSESSIVE

THE TIME OF THE MEETING IS FRIDAY

VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN IDENTIFYING: CIRCUMSTANTIAL THE CAUSE FOR HIS ILLNESS IS STRESS

VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN IDENTIFYING: CIRCUMSTANTIAL

THI S BOOK BELONGS TO M ARY.

TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE IDENTIFYING: POSSESSIVE

CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING VALUE AND TOKEN

TOKENTOKEN VALUEVALUEMore concrete entity“America” in “America is the beacon of democracy”

Abstract notion, value“the beacon of democracy” in same clause

Subject in a clause with the verb “represent”“America represents the beacon of democracy”

Complement in clause with “represent”See “the beacon of democracy” in other box

Process type

Participants

Subtypes


Reactances

MEN-TAL

(percep-tions, cogni-tions, affection - inner world – non-observ-able)

SenserPhenomenonMacro-phenomenon (act-Perception)Metapheno- menon (fact- emotion)

Affection

He saw a bird. I saw him cross/cross-ing the street.

He knows all the answers. He believes that you are to blame.

I like/fear him. He pleases/scares me.

-No substitution by any verb

-S Present as unmarked tense in Present

-Bidirectionality

-Capacity to project

Perception

Cognition

Meta-phenomenon(idea -cognition)


• Macro-phenomenon: an event or happening or doing in the material world that can be perceived; only used with processes of perception. It is an embedded clause that is a participant in the mental clause (he saw [[him help the old lady/him helping the old lady]]; he heard [[him shout his name/him shouting his name]]).

• Senser: an entity endowed with higher or lower consciousness, like a human being and, for some processes, an animal. It can be Subject (I like fruit) or Complement (Fruit appeals to/pleases me);

• Phenomenon: a thing (person, object, place, etc.) that can be perceived, known or that can be the object of an emotion of some kind. It is a participant in the mental clause and it is always a Ngp (He saw the animal; he knew the animal; He loves animals);

• Meta-phenomenon: idea: abstract but not pre-existing the process; rather brought into existence by it. Not really a participant in the clause but a separate clause:I understood // that it was futile. I knew // that it was of no use.


• Meta-phenomenon: fact: an abstract, non-material, semiotic entity that pre-exists the emotions it triggers; only used with processes of emotion and an embedded participant element in the clause.I regretted (the fact) [[that I had not had the courage to speak to her]].

I liked (the fact) [[that she was black]].[[That she was so young]] surprised me.

HE SAW A BIRD

SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON PERCEPTION

HE HEARD TIM THREATENING BOB

SENSER MENTAL: MACRO-PHENOMENON: PERCEPTION act (embedded cl.) HE KNOWS ALL THE

ANSWERS

SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON COGNITION

HE BELIEVES THAT YOU’RE TO BLAME

SENSER MENTAL: METAPHENOMENON: idea COGNITION (hypotactic cl.)

HE REGRETS (THE FACT ) [[THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO HELP]].

SENSER MENTAL: META-PHENOMENON :FACT (embedded clause) AFFECTION

(THE FACT ) [[THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO HELP]] SURPRISES ME.

META-PHENOMENON :FACT (embedded clause) MENTAL: SENSER AFFECTION SHE PLEASES ME

PHENOMENON MENTAL: SENSER AFFECTION

HE LOVES YOU

SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON AFFECTION

I FEAR THE OUTCOME

SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON AFFECTIONTHE OUTCOME SCARES ME

PHENOMENON MENTAL: SENSER AFFECTION

I DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS STUFF

SENSER MENTAL: COGNITION PHENOMENON THIS STUFF BAFFLES ME

PHENOMENON MENTAL: COGNITION SENSER

MENTAL PROCESSES: BIDIRECTIONALITYMENTAL PROCESSES: BIDIRECTIONALITY

Process type

Participants

Subtypes


Reactances

VERBAL(SAYING)

Sayer

Verbiage

Receiver

Locution:Quoting

Locution:

Reporting

He told (us) a lie/a story.

“I’m tired” he said

He said (to me) he was tired.

-Presence of receiver

-No substitution by do

-S. Present as unmarked tense in Pr.

-projectionLocution

PARTICIPANTS IN VERBAL PROCESSES

Processes of saying or verbal processes can project another clause that expresses the content of what was said (locution). It can project it verbatim (quotation) or parapharse it in line with the here and now of the speaker (report). The “locution” IS NOT a Participant in the verbal clause but a separate clause projected by it

• Sayer: The person or thing (dictionary, sign, article, newspaper, etc.) that says sth.

• Verbiage: the content of what is said, always expressed by a Ngp

• Receiver: the addressee; the person to whom sth is said

HE SAID HE WAS TIRED

SAYER VERBAL LOCUTION REPORTING (Hypotactic cl.) “I AM TIRED” HE SAID

LOCUTION SAYER VERBAL (Hypotactic cl.) QUOTING

HE TOLD US A LIE

SAYER VERBAL RECEIVER VERBIAGE (NG) SHE ASKED TOO MANY

QUESTIONS

SAYER VERBAL VERBIAGE (NG)

Process type

Participant

Subtypes


Reactances

EXISTENTIAL(EXIST-ENCE)

Existent

Existential

There are different species of whales. On the sofa was a cat

Existential

(+ some other

meaning)

Through the window, there came the sounds of Sydney.



-presence of the unstressed There in S position.

PARTICIPANTS IN VERBAL PROCESSES

For some, the non-stressed “there” has no experiential role in the clause. It is just a dummy Subject, a place-holder for Subject. For others, it encodes the process together with “be”. When the clause starts with a Circumsatance it can be omitted. It can be marked together with the verb “be”

Existent: it is the participant that the process introduces as existing, as having existence.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF WHALES

EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT TRHOUGH THE WINDOW, THERE CAME THE SOUNDS OF SYDNEY

CIR: SPATIAL LOCATION EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT

THERE IS A UNICORN IN THE GARDEN.

EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT CIR: SPATIAL LOCATION ON THE MATINEE JACKET WAS A BLOOD –STAIN.

CIR: SPATIAL LOCATION EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT GHOSTS EXIST.

EXISTENT EXISTENTIAL

Process type

Participants

Subtypes


Reactances

BEHA-VIOUR-AL(physiological, mental and para-verbal beha-viour)

BEHAVER

(behaviour)

Range,

Matter,

Target

Physiolo-gical

(para)Verbal

MentalBehaviour

he slept soundly. He snored. He breathed.

He pondered /meditated over the matter. He watched TV. He listened to the news

He babbled/ granted/ sang a song. He cried/laughed/giggled. They talked .



-no projection

PARTICIPANTS IN BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES

• Range: in very few cases in which the process takes a second participant that is not a behaviour and that is different in nature from the process itself: he watched a movie; they observed the stranger; they discussed/debated the problem.

• Behaver: person or animal having the behaviour, usually endowed with consciousness. Most behavioural processes ONLY have a single participant, and that’s the Behaver.

• Behaviour: found in very few cases in which the behaviour usually repeats the behavioural process with some added attribute (he breathed a deep breath; he dreamt a strange dream)

PARTICIPANTS IN BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES

•Target: used with verbal behavioural processes expressing insult, offence, criticism (They criticized his manners. He insulted him.) Both “his manners” and “him” in these sentences are the Target of the insult or the criticism.

•Matter: used with verbal behavioural and mental behavioural processes (They talked about the problem; They reflected/pondered over the problem).

THE Y TALKED ABOUT THE PROBLEM

BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: MATTER VERBAL

WE WATCHED A MOVIE

BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: RANGE MENTAL

HE REFLECTED OVER THE PROBLEM

BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL MATTER MENTAL:

SHE CRITICIZED HIS MANNERS

BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: TARGET VERBAL

HE SLEPT SOUNDLY

BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: A:cir PHYSIOLOGICAL

HE SNEEZED

BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: PHYSIOLOGICAL

BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES: A TRANSITION CATEGORY

Behavioural processes are said to be located between material processes, on the one hand, and mental or verbal processes, on the other. This is particularly true of the verbal behavioural and the mental behavioural processes. They are not properly verbal or mental because THEY CANNOT PROJECT and, in the case of mental ones, because THEY INVOLVE VOLITION. So they are more “saying” and “thinking” or “perceiving” as BEHAVIOUR.

Their transitional character can be perceived in the following examples:

He said that he was illHe thought that he was ill

are properly verbal and mental because they can project (a locution and an idea respectively).

He talked about his illnessHe reflected on/over his illness

are not properly verbal or mental because there is no saying in the first one and no idea being brought into existence in the second one. They are saying and thinking as behaviour.

BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES: A TRANSITION CATEGORY

transitivity presentation based on gerot & wignell; bloor & bloor

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