1、Stylistic markers of syntaxObjectives:To acquaint students with the stylistic knowledge on the syntax levelSyntaxSyntax refers to the rules for ordering and connecting words into sentences.It allows various possibilities to be exploited for effective linguistic communication.A systematic description
2、 of syntactic style should includeIntersentence relationshipSentence typeClause typePhrase typeWord classesWord orderBasic structure of clause clauseSubject verb (object)(complement)(adverbial)NP VP NP NP AdvPNCl NCl AdjP PrepP NCl AdvCl NP Clause type(1)SV SVO SVC SVOO SVOCClause type(2)In terms of
3、 the structure of verb phrase:Finite clause Non-finite clause Verbless clause Finite clauses are clauses in which the verb is a finite form.Improve(improves,improved,has improved,may have been improved,etc.)Mrs.Marlows health has been improving since she quit smoking.Non-finite clause is a clause wh
4、ose verb is non-finite form.-ing,-ed,to do Verbless clause are clauses which contain no verb element.They are regarded as clause because they function as finite or non-finite clause.78 Passengers have been killed in the air crash,many of them holiday makers.Whether right or wrong,Michael always come
5、s off worst in an argument.Clause type(3)In terms of function in a sentence,clauses can be classified into independent and dependent(subordinate)clauses.An independent clause is one that is not subordinate to another clause.His nervousness is obvious.Everyone could see that he was nervous.Subordinat
6、e clauses are those which constitute part of another clause and function as its clause elements,or part of a phrase within a clause.Classification of subordinate clauses:Nominal clause Relative clause Comparative clause Nominal clause:that-clause,wh-clause,to-infinite clause and ing clause.What made
7、 him so nervous is a mystery.Toms ambition is to be a pop singer.Relative clause,functioning as post-modifier.The lung-cancer risk doubled for non-smoking women whose husband smoked 20 cigarettes a day at home.Comparative clauses resemble adjectives and adverbs in their modifying function.I love my
8、country more than I can express in words.Mary knows more English grammar than most of her classmates.Clause type(4)In terms of meaning,clauses can be viewed as means of representing patterns of ones objective and subjective experience in the world.They can be categorized into a number of situation t
9、ypes.agentive Dynamic action Situation non-agentive type event (by external force)of perception Stative mental states of cognition situation of attitude/emotion type attributing relational states identifyingEach situation is composed of three components A state or action,realized by a VP;Participant
10、s(involved in the action/state)realized by NPs Circumstances(ssociated with the action/state)realized by AdvPs,PrepPs,SdvCls,and NPs.Systemic-Functional approach of Halliday Ideational function transitivity Interpersonal function mood Textual function themeThree functions Ideational function Ideatio
11、nal function is to organize the speakers or writers experience of the real or imaginary world,I.e.language refers to real or imaginary personal things,actions,events,or states,etc.Six processes Material(physical world:doing)Mental (world of consciousness:sensing)Relational(word of abstract relation:
12、being)Existential(existing)Verbal(saying)Behavioral(behaving)Transitivity A choice between three main process that can be represented in a sentence A.a physical process B.a mental process C.a relational process Related to this choice of process is A.the choice of participants(involved in the process
13、)B.the choice of circumstance Further choices associated with transitivity would be which roles the participants had in a process and how process,participants,and circumstances are combined.Types of verb meaningClassification of situation types is based on the meaning types of the verb.Roughly we ma
14、y distinguish between stative meanings and dynamic meanings of verb.Stative meaning refers to the situation that is conceived as existing,rather than happening,and as being continuous and unchanging throughout its duration.Dynamic meaning refers to a happening or occurrence,which has a definite begi
15、nning and end.Stative verbs Verbs referring to a relationship,or a state of being(be,belong to,contain,consist of,have,own,possess,resemble,stand for)Verbs referring to states of perception(feel,hear,see,smell,taste),state of cognition(believe,forget,imagine,know,suppose,think,understand),and states
16、 of emotion and attitude(dislike,fear,love;want,intend,wish)Dynamic verbs Verbs referring to actives having duration(play,read,talk,walk,work,write)Verbs referring to processes or transitions(become,deteriorate,get,grow,improve,turn,arrive,die,drown,leave,stop)Verbs referring to momentary acts(hit,j
17、ump,kick,knock)Dynamic verb can be divided into:Agentive Non-agentive Agentive situation refers to the action performed by an animate entity,which intentionally and responsiblely uses its own force or energy to bring about an action.Non-agentive situation refers to(i)an unintentional,involuntary act
18、ion by an animate entity;(ii)the situation where an external force becomes the unwitting cause of an event.John opened the door with a key.(agentive,transition)The wind opened the door.(non-agentive,transition)John walked along the street.(agentive,durative action)John stumbled and knocked his head
19、against the wall.(non-agentive,momentary action)It should be noticed that the same verb may have a dynamic or stative meaning,depending on the context,the tense or aspect of the verb.I feel that I was wrong.(state of cognition)I could feel something hard under my pillow.(state of perception)I felt f
20、or the watch under my pillow.(dynamic action)Simple Simon is a fool.(simple present,relational state)You are being a fool.(progressive aspect,dynamic action,you are acting like a fool)Participant roles(1)Relational states can be subdivided into two types:attributive and identifying,each involving tw
21、o participant role.Attributive:Tom is hardworking/a teenager.Tom is in the lab.The board meeting is on Monday.Identifying:Tom is the head of our team.The lab is on the second floor.The writing must be Toms.Participant roles(2)All mental states potentially involve two participate roles:a sensor and a
22、 phenomenon.A sensor is one that senses,and a phenomenon refers to that which is sensed.I feel something hard under my pillow.I thought that I was wrong.Mary likes swimming.Everyone was shocked by the information.Participant roles(3)The possible participant roles in dynamic situation are as follows:
23、Agentive role John stopped the car near the gate.External force.The wind opened the door.Recipient role john has given Cathy a kite.Participant roles(4)The participant role associated with verbs of physiological and psychological behavior is behavior,an entity which is typically a conscious being.Be
24、havioral verbs function more like those of doing.Behavioral situations are intermediate between dynamic and mental type.The fat man laughed at my joke.My mother usually wakes up early.Linguists contend that the importance of the analysis of clause meanings likes in the fact that agency,animacy,dynamic action,mental states and so on seem to be the basic categories in terms of which human beings present the world and their experience through language.Consistent preference for or avoidance of certain situation typ0es and participant relationships distinguishes the mind-style of a writer,speaker.
