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VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
POST-GRADUATE DEPARTMENT

NGUYỄN THỊ LAN

A STUDY ON THE MEANING AND STRUCTURE
OF AN ENGLISH FAIRY TALE A SYSTEMIC
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS
M.A MINOR THESIS

FIELD: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS
CODE: 602215
SUPERVISOR: PROF. DR HOANG VAN VAN

HANOI, 2011


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DECLARATION

I certify that this thesis does not incorporate without acknowledgement any
material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any university; and that to my
best of my knowledge it does not contain any material previously published or written
by other people where due reference is not made in the text.

Nguyễn Thị Lan


Nguyễn Thị Lan


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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION

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ABSTRACT

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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LIST OF TABLES

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

1



24

3.1. Introduction..................................................................................................27
3.2. The chosen text............................................................................................29
3.3. Contextual configuration of the text............................................................29
3.4. Clause and clause complex analysis............................................................30
3.5. The transitivity pattern of the text................................................................37
3.6. The mood pattern of the text........................................................................38
3.7. The thematic pattern of the text...................................................................39
3.8. The cohesion of the text...............................................................................39
3.9. The structure of the fairy tale text................................................................41
CHAPTER 4. CONCLUSION

43

4.1. Recapitulation..............................................................................................43
4.2. Implications for the study............................................................................43
4.3. Suggestions for further study.......................................................................44
REFERENCES
APPENDIXES

45


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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION


Being a teacher of English, I want to contribute something to this field. I would
like to choose “A study on the meaning and structure of an English fairy tale: a
systemic functional analysis” for my thesis, using Halliday’s functional grammar as the
theoretical framework.
1.2. Aims of the study
This thesis attempts to study the meaning and the structure of an English fairy
tale as seen from the systemic functional perspective.
1.3. Scope of the study
This study does not mention all aspects of meaning and structure of the fairy tale
but only some precious features are discussed. They are the transitivity, the mood, the
theme pattern and the cohesion of the text.
1.4. Methods of the study
The methods used in the study are descriptive and analytic.
Descriptive method is concerned with the description of main areas of functional
grammar and analytic method is concerned with the analysis of the text.
1.5. Design of the study
This thesis is divided into 4 chapters:
-

Chapter 1: Introduction – presents the rationale of the study, the aims, the scope,
the methods and the design of the study.

-

Chapter 2: Literature Review -- provides the theoretical background of the study.
Its focus is on introducing important concepts in systemic functional linguistics
relevant to the topic of the study and knowledge surrounding the kind of fairy
tales.



system, and (3) of the elements of linguistic structures”. (Halliday, 1994). According to
Halliday, language is functional in sense that it is designed to account for how language
is used and language has evolved to satisfy human needs. Therefore, the fundamental
components of meaning in language are functional components and each element in a
language is explained by reference to its function in the total linguistic system.
Halliday’s grammar model is also called systemic because he developed the detailed
system networks named mood type for many areas of English grammar.
Hoang Van Van states that systemic functional grammar owns “a very rich pool
of analytical instruments which help researchers tackle not only phonological but also
grammatical (syntax), semantic and discoursal problems of a text” (Hoang Van Van
2006: 161). This theory encompasses all levels of language: phonology, lexico-grammar,
semantics and context of situation where language occurs. In terms of phonology, it
studies the resources of intonation, rhythm, and syllabic and phonemic articulation.


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Lexico-grammar includes lexis or vocabulary and grammar in a unified system.
Semantics is concerned with the system of meaning. Unlike other grammatical theories,
this theory develops a model for contextual analysis which consists of three components
or parameters: field, tenor, and mode. His model can be represented as follows:

 Field: refers to what it is happening, to the nature of the social action that
is taking place: what is it that the participants are engaged in, in which the
language features as some essential components?


Tenor: refers to who is taking part, to the nature of the participants, their statuses
and roles: what kind of role relationships of one kind or another, both of the
types of speech role that they are taking on in the dialogue and the whole cluster

of the linguistic system: the functional-semantic relations that make up the logic of
natural language. There are two systemic dimensions in the interpretation: one is
interdependency including parataxis and hypotaxis which is general to all complexesword, group, phrase and clause alike, and the other is the logico-system of expansion
and projection, which is specifically an inter-clausal relation.
2.2.2.2. Types of relationship between clauses
2.2.2.2.1. Type of interdependency
In this type, the relation of modifying, whereby one element ‘modifies’ another,
is not the only relationship that may obtain between the members of a complex. Where
one element modifies another, the status of the two is unequal; the modifying element is
dependent on the modified. But two elements may be joined together on an equal
footing, neither being dependent on the other.
Hypotaxis:
The general term for the modifying relation is Hypotaxis. Hypotaxis is the
relation between a dependent element and its dominant, the element on which it is
dependent. The dominant element is free, but the dependent element is not.
Hypotaxis will be represented by the Greek letter notation already used for
modification on the structure of the group
Parataxis:
Parataxis is the relation between two like elements of equal status, one initiating
and the other continuing. Paratactic structures are presented by a numerical notation 1 2


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3… Both the initiating and the continuing element are free, in the sense that each could
stand as a functioning whole.
2.2.2.2.2. Type of logico-semantic relation
In this type of logico-semantic relation, there is a wide range of different logicosemantic relations any of which may hold between a primary and a secondary member
of a clause nexus and it is possible to group these into a small number of general types,
based on the two fundamental relationships of Expansion and Projection.

=2

=ß

+2

+ß

x2

xß

“2

“ß

‘2

‘ß

Elaborating: one clause expands another by elaborating on it (or some portion of
it): restating in other words, specifying in greater detail, commenting, or exemplifying.
Extending: one clause expands another by extending beyond it: adding some new
element, giving an exception to it, or offering an alternative.


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Enhancing: one clause expands another by embellishing around it, qualifying it
with some circumstantial feature of time, place, cause, or condition.

has only one participant (Actor), it is called intransitive. When there are two participants,
the process is called transitive and these transitive clauses are probed by “What did X do
to Y?” and in this case, these roles are referred to respectively as Actor and Goal (one
that is affected by the action). In some material processes, there appears the third
participant which is called Receiver, which is the one benefiting from the process. The
following examples reflects the material process.
(e1)
He
Actor

is running
Material Process

(e2)
The lion
Actor
(e3)

caught
Material Process

Mary
Actor

gave
Process: material

the tourist
Goal
her brother

wants..) and Phenomenon (one that is sensed, felt, thought of, and wanted).
(e5)
I
Sensor

know
Process: mental

the city
Phenomenon

2.2.3.3. Relational process
Relational process is the process of being, being at, or having. It consists of three
main subtypes: the intensive, the circumstantial and the possessive.
Intensive: “X is a”
Circumstantial: “X is at a” (where “is at’ stands for “is at, on, in, for, with, about,
along, etc)
Possessive: “X has a”
Each of these comes in two modes: attributive and identifying.
Attributive: “a is an attributive of X”
Identifying: “a is the identify of X”
When a relational process is in the attributive mode, it has one participant
referred to Carrier and the quality or the thing showing that the Carrier belongs to a class
of things, which is usually realized by an adjective or an indefinite nominal group, is
usually referred to as Attribute. The participants in identifying process are called Token
and Value or sometimes they are called Identified and Identifier.
For example,
(e6)



(e8)
She
Behaver

laughed
Behavioural Process

We can say “She laughed” but not “The door laughed” or “The tree laughed”.
Behavioural process can contain a second participant that is like a Range (a restatement
of the process). This participant is called Behaver.
For example,
(e9)
He
Behaver

smiled
Process: behavioural

a broad smile
Behaviour

If the second participant is not a restatement it is called a Phenomenon
(e10)


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Peter
Behaver


are talking
Process: verbal

about this problem
Circumstance: manner

2.2.3.6. Existential process
Existential process is the process of existing, indicating that something or some
natural force exists. It has normally one participant called Existent and some
circumstantial elements. In an existential clause, the subject “There” is often used
although it does not receive any functional label in an existential process.
(e13)
There

is
Process: existential

a man
Existent

These process types can be summarized in the table below:

in the room
Circumstance


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Process type
Material

‘being’

Sayer, Target, Verbiage, Recipient
Carrier, Attribute

Attributive

‘attributing’

Identified/ token

Identification
Existential

Participants
Actor, Goal, Recipient

Behaver,
Sensor, Phenomenon

‘identifying’
Identifier/ Value
‘existing’
Existent
Table 1: Process types, their meanings and key participants
(Source: Halliday 1994: 143)

2.2.4. The mood structure
An obvious thing is that people use their language to communicate with each
other, to exchange information, or to influence their behaviour and get something done.


given
Predicator
Residue

that teapot away
Complement

As we know all the roles of speech are traced back to a form of either giving or
demanding and these roles are simultaneously related to the two general things of
commodity negotiated between people -- goods-&-services, or information, for example
giving information is a statement and demanding goods-&-service makes up a
command, etc. Giving information is typically realized by a declarative clause;
demanding goods-&-services is typically realized by an imperative clause and
demanding information is typically realized by an interrogative clause. Therefore, we
have different types of Mood which are represented in the figure below:
Mood

indicative

interrogative
declarative

imperative

inclusive
exclusive

Figure 1. A fragment of the Mood system in English


clause) and also a vocative element.


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In the declarative clause, an unmarked theme “is the mapping of theme onto
subject” (Halliday 1994: 43). And a marked theme “is something other than the subject”
(Halliday 1994: 44) such as Complement, Adjunct, or even Predicator.
Below are some examples to illustrate the thematic structure of the clause.
Well

but

then

Ann

surely

wouldn’t

the best idea

be to join
the group

continuative structural

conjunctive


which has already introduced into the text and the New is the information which is
introduced into the text for the first time.
2.2.6. Cohesion
2.2.6.1. The concept of cohesion
The concept of cohesion is a semantic one which refers to relations of meaning
that exists within the text, and that defines it as a text. Cohesion occurs where the
interpretation of some element in the discourse is dependent on that of another. The one
presupposes the other, in the sense that it can not be effectively decoded except by
recourse to it. When this happens, a relation of cohesion is set up, and the two elements,


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the presupposing and the presupposed, are thereby at least potentially integrated into a
text.
There are four ways by which cohesion is created in English: by reference,
ellipsis, conjunction, and lexical organization. We will mention these types of cohesion
in the next parts.
2..2.6.2. Reference
According to Halliday, “a participant or circumstantial element introduced at one
place in the text can be taken as a reference point to something that follows”. Reference
expresses the relationship of identity which exists between units in discourse. Reference
can be divided into anaphoric reference, cataphoric reference, exophoric reference,
personal reference, demonstrative reference, and comparative reference.
Anaphoric Reference is the item(s) that “point backwards to the preceding text.”
(Halliday 1994: 312).
For example,
This lady is a professor. She works in a large university in New York.
Cataphoric reference is a cohesive device which points the reader or listener
forwards –it draws us further into the text in order to identify the elements to which the

ones and same.
For example,
I like the blue hat. I do not like the red one
Verbal substitute in English is do. This functions as head of a verbal group, in the
place that is occupied by the lexical verb. Its position is always at the end of the group.
E.g. They don’t like this shirt but I do.


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Clausal substitution is the one “in which what is presupposed is not an element
with in the clause but an entire clause” (Halliday and Hasan 1997: 130). The words are
used as clausal substitute are so and not.
E.g. She said it would rain the following day but I didn’t think so
Will it rain tomorrow? – I think not
2.2.6.4. Ellipsis
Another form of cohesion is ellipsis. Ellipsis can be thought of as the omission of
an item within the text. Like substitution, ellipsis can be studied in terms of nominal
ellipsis, verbal ellipsis and clausal ellipsis.
Nominal ellipsis, at the experiential level, is typically realized by the structure of
“Deictic + Numerative + Epithet + Classifier + Thing” (Halliday 1994: 180), for
example, the two floppy cotton hats. When the Thing is omitted, the Head will be taken
on by the one of the other element.
E.g. - I like the blue shirt.
- I like the green + ( 0)
Verbal ellipsis means ellipsis with in the verbal group.
E.g. – What are you doing?
– ( 0 ) watching TV.
Clausal ellipsis is related to the question–answer process in dialogue. There are
two kinds: Yes/No ellipsis and Wh –elipsis .Besides, there may be ellipsis of the whole