Rethinking context : Realisation, instantiation and individuation in Systemic Functional Linguistics

Journal article


Doran, Yaegan, Martin, J. R. and Herrington, Michele. (2024). Rethinking context : Realisation, instantiation and individuation in Systemic Functional Linguistics. Journal of World languages. pp. 1-44. https://doi.org/10.1515/jwl-2023-0051
AuthorsDoran, Yaegan, Martin, J. R. and Herrington, Michele
Abstract

In spite of decades of research developing a model of language and context, there is little consensus in systemic functional linguistics (SFL) about how context should be modelled and how language and context are related. In this paper, we review recent work in SFL which focuses on modelling register as a resource – reconceiving field as a resource for construing phenomena, tenor as a resource for negotiating social relations, and mode as a resource for composing texture. This work has a number of implications for SFL’s conception of realisation (as strata of abstraction), instantiation (as a cline of generalisation), and individuation (as a scale of belonging). For realisation it bears critically on the issue of whether or not to adopt a stratified model of context (as register and genre) and the relationship between extrinsic functionality (field, tenor, and mode) and intrinsic functionality (ideational, interpersonal, and textual metafunctions). For instantiation, it bears critically on our modelling of principles for coupling (co-selecting and arranging choices within and across languages and related modalities of communication) – for example mass, presence, and association. And for individuation, it bears critically on the perspectives of allocation (i.e. how access to meanings and their uptake is distributed across communities) and affiliation (i.e. how meanings are used to collaborate and struggle, within and between social groups). Our basic aim in this paper is to suggest a model for improving traction as far as SFL work on language in context is concerned, fully embracing a multimodal perspective on language and related modalities of communication as resources for meaning.

Keywordscontext; field; mode; register; systemic functional linguistics; tenor
Year01 Jan 2024
JournalJournal of World languages
Journal citationpp. 1-44
PublisherDe Gruyter
ISSN2169-8260
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1515/jwl-2023-0051
Web address (URL)https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/jwl-2023-0051/html
Open accessOpen access
Research or scholarlyResearch
Page range1-44
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Print16 Jan 2024
Publication process dates
Accepted31 Oct 2023
Deposited03 Jul 2024
Additional information

© 2023 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Place of publicationGermany
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/90q9x/rethinking-context-realisation-instantiation-and-individuation-in-systemic-functional-linguistics

Download files


Publisher's version
  • 26
    total views
  • 18
    total downloads
  • 3
    views this month
  • 3
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Chemical formalisms : Toward a Semiotic Typology
Yu, Zhigang and Doran, Yaegan. (2024). Chemical formalisms : Toward a Semiotic Typology. Semiotica: journal of the international association for semiotic studies. pp. 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2022-0110
Interpreting history : Valuing events in a postcolonial world
Doran, Yaegan. (2024). Interpreting history : Valuing events in a postcolonial world. In In Hao, Jing and Martin, J.R. (Ed.). The Discourse of History - A Systemic Functional Linguistic Perspective pp. 73 Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009024884.005
Archiving an academic legacy : The Halliday and Hasan archive project
Caple, Helen, Butt, David, Christie, Frances and Doran, Yaegan. (2023). Archiving an academic legacy : The Halliday and Hasan archive project. Language, Context and Text: the social semiotics forum. 5(1), pp. 2-15. https://doi.org/10.1075/langct.00042.cap
Structure markers : A subjacency duplex analysis.
Martin, J.R. and Doran, Y.J.. (2023). Structure markers : A subjacency duplex analysis. Language, Context and Text : the social semiotics forum. 5(1), pp. 16-48. https://doi.org/10.1075/langct.22007.mar
Using historical evidence : The semantic profiles of Ancient History exam responses in senior secondary school
Macnaught, Lucy, Matruglio, Erika and Doran, Yaegan. (2023). Using historical evidence : The semantic profiles of Ancient History exam responses in senior secondary school. Historical Encounters. 10(1), pp. 76-99. https://doi.org/10.52289/hej10.106
Visualization type and frequency in final year high school science examinations
Unsworth, Len and Herrington, Michele. (2023). Visualization type and frequency in final year high school science examinations. Research in Science Education. 53(4), pp. 707-725. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-022-10094-2
Semiotic description : Grappling with mathematics
Doran, Yaegan. (2022). Semiotic description : Grappling with mathematics. In Appliable Linguistics and Social Semiotics: Developing Theory from Practice pp. 341-354 Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350109322
Building complexity in Chemistry through images
Yu, Zhigang, Maton, Karl and Doran, Yaegan. (2022). Building complexity in Chemistry through images. In Enhancing Science Education: Exploring Knowledge Practices with Legitimation Code Theory pp. 1-30 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003055549-6
Beneficial outcomes and features of playgroup participation for children and adult caregivers : A systematic review of the literature
McLean, Karen, Edwards, Susan, Katiba, Timothy, Bartlett, Jacinta, Herrington, Michele, Evangelou, Maria, Henderson, Michael, Nolan, Andrea and Skouteris, Helen. (2022). Beneficial outcomes and features of playgroup participation for children and adult caregivers : A systematic review of the literature. Educational Research Review. 37, p. Article 100493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100493
Legitimising disciplinary literacy : Rewriting the rules of the literacy game and enhancing secondary teachers’ professional habitus
McLean Davies, Larissa, Potter, Troy and Hinton Herrington, Michèle. (2022). Legitimising disciplinary literacy : Rewriting the rules of the literacy game and enhancing secondary teachers’ professional habitus. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy. 45(3), pp. 359-374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44020-022-00022-2
Sundanese nominal groups : Meaning in text
Doran, Y. J. and Bangga, Lungguh Ariang. (2022). Sundanese nominal groups : Meaning in text. Word. 68(2), pp. 145-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.2021.2024353
Multimodal literacy in school science
Unsworth, Len, Tytler, Russell, Fenwick, Lisl, Humphrey, Sally, Chandler, Paul, Herrington, Michele and Pham, Lam. (2022). Multimodal literacy in school science Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003150718
Winning the discursive struggle? The impact of a significantenvironmental crisis event on dominant climate discourses on Twitter
Bednarek, Monika, Ross, Andrew S., Boichak, Olga, Doran, Y. J., Carr, Georgia, Altmann, Eduardo G. and Alexander, Tristram J.. (2022). Winning the discursive struggle? The impact of a significantenvironmental crisis event on dominant climate discourses on Twitter. Discourse, Context and Media. 45, p. Article 100564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcm.2021.100564
Teacher orchestration of language and gesture in explaining science concepts in images
Ngo, Thu, Unsworth, Len and Herrington, Michele. (2022). Teacher orchestration of language and gesture in explaining science concepts in images. Research in Science Education. 52(3), pp. 1013-1030. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-021-10011-z
Teacher use of genre pedagogy : Engaging students in dialogue about content area language during text deconstruction
Fenwick, Lisl and Herrington, Michele. (2022). Teacher use of genre pedagogy : Engaging students in dialogue about content area language during text deconstruction. Language and Education. 36(1), pp. 43-58. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2021.1912082
Field relations : Understanding scientific explanations
Doran, Y. J. and Martin, J. R.. (2021). Field relations : Understanding scientific explanations. In In Maton, Karl, Martin, J. R. and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Teaching science : Knowledge, language, pedagogy pp. 105-133 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351129282-7
Constellating science : How relations among ideas help build knowledge
Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J.. (2021). Constellating science : How relations among ideas help build knowledge. In In Maton, Karl, Martin, J. R. and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Teaching science : Knowledge, language, pedagogy pp. 49-75 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351129282-4
Multimodal knowledge : Using language, mathematics and image in physics
Doran, Y. J.. (2021). Multimodal knowledge : Using language, mathematics and image in physics. In In Maton, Karl, Martin, J. R. and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Teaching science : Knowledge, language, pedagogy pp. 162-184 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351129282-9
A systemic functional sketch of material clauses in Sundanese
Bangga, Lungguh Ariang and Doran, Y. J.. (2021). A systemic functional sketch of material clauses in Sundanese. Word. 67(2), pp. 208-233. https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.2021.1909840
Language in action : Sport, mode and the division of semiotic labour
Doran, Yaegan J., Caldwell, David and Ross, Andrew S.. (2021). Language in action : Sport, mode and the division of semiotic labour. Language, Content and Text. 3(2), pp. 275-303. https://doi.org/10.1075/langct.20009.dor
Nominal group grammar : System and structure
Martin, J. R., Doran, Y. J. and Zhang, Dongbing. (2021). Nominal group grammar : System and structure. Word. 67(3), pp. 248-280. https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.2021.1957545
The teaching of science : New insights into knowledge, language and pedagogy
Doran, Y. J., Maton, K. and Martin, J. R.. (2021). The teaching of science : New insights into knowledge, language and pedagogy. In In Maton, K., Martin, J. R. and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Teaching science : Knowledge, language, pedagogy pp. 1-19 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351129282-1
Academic formalisms : Toward a semiotic typology
Doran, Y. J.. (2020). Academic formalisms : Toward a semiotic typology. In In Martin, J. R., Doran, Y. J. and Figueredo, Giacomo (Ed.). Systemic functional language description : Making meaning matter pp. 331-358 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351184533-11
Describing languages, understanding language : Systemic functional theory and description
Doran, Y. J. and Martin, J. R.. (2020). Describing languages, understanding language : Systemic functional theory and description. In In Martin, J. R., Doran, Y. J. and Figueredo, Giacomo (Ed.). Systemic functional language description : Making meaning matter pp. 1-31 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351184533-1
Academic discourse : An inter-disciplinary dialogue
Martin, J. R., Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J.. (2020). Academic discourse : An inter-disciplinary dialogue. In In Martin, J. R., Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Accessing academic discourse : Systemic functional linguistics and legitimation code theory pp. 1-31 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429280726-1
Seeing values : Axiology and affording attitude in Australia’s ‘Invasion’
Doran, Y. J.. (2020). Seeing values : Axiology and affording attitude in Australia’s ‘Invasion’. In In Martin, J. R., Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Accessing academic discourse : Systemic functional linguistics and legitimation code theory pp. 151-176 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429280726-6
J. R. Martin, language and linguistics
Doran, Y. J.. (2020). J. R. Martin, language and linguistics. In In Zappagina, Michele and Dreyfus, Shoshana (Ed.). Discourses of hope and reconciliation : On J. R. Martin's contribution to systemic functional linguistics pp. 1-20 Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350116092.ch-001
Cultivating values : Knower-building in the humanities
Doran, Yaegan. (2019). Cultivating values : Knower-building in the humanities. Estudios de Lingüística Aplicada. 37(70), pp. 169-198. https://doi.org/10.22201/enallt.01852647p.2019.70.965
Building knowledge through images in physics
Doran, Y. J.. (2019). Building knowledge through images in physics. Visual Communication. 18(2), pp. 251-277. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470357218759825
Intrinsic functionality of mathematics, metafunctions in Systemic Functional Semiotics
Doran, Y. J.. (2018). Intrinsic functionality of mathematics, metafunctions in Systemic Functional Semiotics. Semiotica: journal of the international association for semiotic studies. 2018(225), pp. 457-487. https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2017-0004
The discourse of physics : Building knowledge through language, mathematics and image
Doran, Y. J.. (2018). The discourse of physics : Building knowledge through language, mathematics and image Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315181134
Systemic functional linguistics and code theory
Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J.. (2017). Systemic functional linguistics and code theory. In In Bartlett, Tom and O’Grady, Gerard (Ed.). The Routledge handbook of systemic functional linguistics pp. 605-618 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315413891-51
Condensation : A translation device for revealing complexity of knowledge practices in discourse, part 2 - clausing and sequencing
Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J.. (2017). Condensation : A translation device for revealing complexity of knowledge practices in discourse, part 2 - clausing and sequencing. Onomázein. Número especial II, pp. 77-110. https://doi.org/10.7764/onomazein.sfl.04
The role of mathematics in physics : Building knowledge and describing the empirical world
Doran, Y. J.. (2017). The role of mathematics in physics : Building knowledge and describing the empirical world. Onomázein. Número especial II, pp. 209-226. https://doi.org/10.7764/onomazein.sfl.08
Semantic density : A translation device for revealing complexity of knowledge practices in discourse, part 1-wording
Maton, Karl and Doran, Yaegan. (2017). Semantic density : A translation device for revealing complexity of knowledge practices in discourse, part 1-wording. Onomázein. Número especial II, pp. 46-76. https://doi.org/10.7764/onomazein.sfl.03