Functional Grammar

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Functional Grammar
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What is Grammar ?
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Grammar is the way spoken and written language
is organised. It is concerned with the ordering
of word groups, clauses and sentences and
morphemes within words. It is closely related to
generic structure and cohesion.
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Morphemes are the roots and affixes of
words. There are two kinds of morphemes.
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Free morphemes are words or parts of words that
can stand on their own.
For example, railway consists of two free
morphemes rail and way
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Bound morphemes include prefixes and suffixes
(rebuild, kindness) inflection (beaches) possessio
n (dads beer) tense markers (joking, played)
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Bound morphemes cannot stand on their own.
They must combine with free morphemes. For
example, the word unhealthy consists of the
prefix un and the word healthy
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Why teach Grammar ?
Past ? Now

• language and life - language is fundamental to
  human life and culture
• awareness of language - we aim to make children
  conscious of language so they can achieve greater
  control both in using it and responding to it
• talking about language - develop an awareness of
  the grammatical resources available to them.
  Terminology is not the main issue - the essential
  aim is to develop childrens understanding of the
  language system
• language accessible to all - to help children
  cope with aspects of language which they dont
  necessarily pick up from experience

• grammar was a discipline for the mind
• grammar, studied for the mother tongue prepared
  people for the study of other languages
• learning grammar provided people with a set of
  terms which they could refer to features of the
  language
• grammar enabled people to use English more
  effectively and become better writers
• grammar aided people in the interpretation of
  literature

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What is Functional Grammar ?
Functional grammar describes the relationships
between grammatical structures and meaning. It
focuses on language resources for analysing
texts (what is going on) subject matter
(field) analysing interaction (who is
communicating with whom) roles relationships
(tenor) analysing the ways messages are
constructed mode and medium (mode)
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Functional grammar emphasises the ways in which
language functions to assist meaning, but also
relies upon knowledge, understanding and the use
of terms of traditional grammar.
Rod Campbell and Graham Ryles Grammar in its
Place- 1996
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(No Transcript)
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The teaching of grammar in Queensland schools
has changed dramatically over the past few years.
The model of language underlying the current
English syllabus is a functional one. However the
Senior Policy Officer Christine Ludwig stated in
early 1994 that the teaching of grammar in
Queensland schools should be a balance of both
traditional and functional grammar.
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Traditional grammar provides us with a way of
describing the language we use. It is essential
to the study of foreign languages it provides a
basis for correct judgement on the different
forms of usage and it provides a conceptual base
and terminology for the learning of other
grammars such as functional grammar. Gregory
Blaxwell and Gordon Winch - 1995
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Aims in Teaching Grammar

• To develop students understanding of language
• to assist students to use language more
  effectively

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Levels of Grammar
In traditional grammar, there are levels of
language construction such as
letters, words, sentences and paragraphs. Functio
nal grammar looks at such
levels in a functional way. These levels are
known as ranks. At different ranks, we are
concerned with different
patterns and functions.
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Functional Grammar has three ranks
Clause Group Word
My mothers friend hid thirty dollars under his
bed.
At the clause rank hid is a process
at the word rank,
hid is a verb such an analysis underlines the
differences between
traditional and functional grammar
Join the Ranks !
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The Clause
The basic unit of meaning is the clause which
provides information about What is
happening Who is taking part Surrounding
circumstances (eg where, when and
how)
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Joe windsurfs at Yeppoon.
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Joe windsurfs at Yeppoon.
Who ? (Participant)
Where ? (circumstance)
What ? (Process)
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The Language Ladder
Functional Grammar
Whole Text
Sentences
Clauses
Phrases
Words
Traditional Grammar
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Units of Meaning
Sentence
add the eggs to the mix and beat in well.
Clause add the eggs to the mix - and beat in
well.
Group add - the eggs - to the mix - and beat in
well.
word add - the - eggs - to - the - mix - and -
beat - in - well.
morpheme add the eggs to the mix and beat in
well.
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Context/Text Model
Cultural Context
Generic Structure (How is the text organised
?) Cohesive Ties (How are the ideas related
?) Vocabulary (Which words are used and why
?) Grammar (How are the words organised ?
Intonation, Paragraphing Punctuation (How are
the important ideas indicated ?) Spelling (What
are the sounds or letter patterns ?) Non
Linguistic Features (What else conveys meaning
?)
Social Context
WHAT is being spoken or written about ?
Written Symbols
Text
Non Verbal Symbols
Visual Symbols
WHO is involved in the interaction ?
Auditory Symbols
HOW is the message being conveyed ?
Subject Matter Roles and Relationships Mode and
Medium
PURPOSE What is the purposeful cultural activity ?
Genre
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Cultural Context
Football
PURPOSE What is the purposeful cultural activity ?
Genre
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Cultural Context
Football
The Maroons vs The Blues
Social Context
WHAT is being spoken or written about ?
WHO is involved in the interaction ?
HOW is the message being conveyed ?
Subject Matter Roles and Relationships Mode and
Medium
PURPOSE What is the purposeful cultural activity ?
Genre
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Cultural Context
Football
The Maroons vs The Blues
Generic Structure (How is the text organised
?) Cohesive Ties (How are the ideas related
?) Vocabulary (Which words are used and why
?) Grammar (How are the words organised ?
Intonation, Paragraphing Punctuation (How are
the important ideas indicated ?) Spelling (What
are the sounds or letter patterns ?) Non
Linguistic Features (What else conveys meaning
?)
Social Context
WHAT is being spoken or written about ?
Written Symbols
Text
Non Verbal Symbols
Visual Symbols
WHO is involved in the interaction ?
Auditory Symbols
HOW is the message being conveyed ?
Subject Matter Roles and Relationships Mode and
Medium
PURPOSE What is the purposeful cultural activity ?
Genre
Gordon Tallis
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SEMIOTICS
Cultural Context
Football
The Maroons vs The Blues
Generic Structure (How is the text organised
?) Cohesive Ties (How are the ideas related
?) Vocabulary (Which words are used and why
?) Grammar (How are the words organised ?
Intonation, Paragraphing Punctuation (How are
the important ideas indicated ?) Spelling (What
are the sounds or letter patterns ?) Non
Linguistic Features (What else conveys meaning
?)
Social Context
WHAT is being spoken or written about ?
Written Symbols
Text
Non Verbal Symbols
Visual Symbols
WHO is involved in the interaction ?
Auditory Symbols
HOW is the message being conveyed ?
Subject Matter Roles and Relationships Mode and
Medium
PURPOSE What is the purposeful cultural activity ?
Genre
Gorden Tallis
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English Syllabus Links
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Scenario One
A person has witnessed a road accident. That
person goes home and telephones a friend to talk
about the event. The choice is telephone
conversation which has its own conventions. The
friends are talking over the telephone so the
language chosen is oral language. The
conversation might go something like ...
WITNESS Eh, gooday. Thought Id give you a bell
Just arrived home a bit upset. FRIEND Whats
ya problem ? WITNESS I feel saw a dreadful
prang there were coppers everywhere I was
caught up in the traffic we crawled past the
wreck the ambulance and the fire brigade were
there . What a mess ! Made me feel sick !
Subject matter A road accident Roles Information
giver Receiver Relationships Close (friend to
friend) Mode Spoken Medium Telephone
Conversation
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Scenario Two
The same accident has attracted the attention of
a television network so that night there is a
report on the news. Many of the facts might be
the same, but the language used will be very
different because the journalist is reporting an
incident to the general public. The report may go
something like this ...
TV REPORTER A fatal accident on the corner of
Acacia Road and Victoria Road caused one of
Sydneys worst traffic jams this afternoon. Two
people, a mother and her eight year old son were
killed in the accident. Police are withholding
the names of the victims until relatives have
been contacted. An eye witness at the scene
described the accident as horrific and this was
confirmed by the Senior Sergeant John Citizen.
Ive been in the force for forty years and Ive
never seen anything like this. The car was torn
in half. The driver and passenger had no chance.
Police are interviewing the twenty six year old
driver of the other vehicle involved in the
accident. A police spokesperson said that charges
were expected to be laid.
Subject matter A road accident Roles TV reporter
(information giver) Viewers (information
seeker) Relationships Distant Mode Visual,
spoken and written Medium Television Report
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Scenario Three
The same night, the person who had witnessed the
accident decides to write about it in their
diary. This is now written language and will use
different language from and of the other reports.
24 NOVEMBER This afternoon, I saw the most
hideous traffic accident. The car seemed to have
exploded. Ambulance officers and the Police
Rescue were trying to do something for the
victims. I was so angry at being held up in such
a horrible traffic jam. I knew there must have
been an accident of some kind. But when I saw the
wreck and the officers working desperately to do
something for the people, I thought how selfish I
had been. And now home, safe and well fed, I
cant help but think of how this accident must
have changed the lives of so many people. I feel
guilty that I was so annoyed. I feel frightened
that this accident could have happened to anyone
- even me. Why were those people killed ? The TV
said it was mother and her son. It doesnt seem
fair. But accidents never seem fair.
Subject matter A road accident Roles Self as a
writer and reader Relationships Informal for
self Mode Written Medium Diary Entry
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Cultural Context
Telephone Conversation Purpose - to
inform someone
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Cultural Context
Telephone Conversation Purpose - to
inform someone
Subject Matter (What ?) Last weeks State of
Origin Roles and Relationships (Who
?) Information Giver/Seeker Mate to Mate, close
Mode and Medium (How ?) Telephone
Conversation Spoken (Auditory)
Social Context
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Cultural Context
Telephone Conversation Purpose - to
inform someone
Subject Matter (What ?) Last weeks State of
Origin Roles and Relationships (Who
?) Information Giver/Seeker Mate to Mate, close
Mode and Medium (How ?) Telephone
Conversation Spoken (Auditory)
Generic Structure Spelling and
Vocabulary Grammar and Cohesion Intonation,
Paragraphing Punctuation Non Linguistic Features
Social Context
Textual Features
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Grammar
Cultural Context
PARTICIPANTS PROCESSES CIRCUMSTANCES MOOD
MODALITY THEME COHESION
Telephone Conversation Purpose - to
inform someone
Subject Matter (What ?) Last weeks State of
Origin Roles and Relationships (Who
?) Information Giver/Seeker Mate to Mate, close
Mode and Medium (How ?) Telephone
Conversation Spoken (Auditory)
Generic Structure Spelling and
Vocabulary Grammar and Cohesion Intonation,
Paragraphing Punctuation Non Linguistic Features
Social Context
Textual Features