1、School of Foreign Languages,Sichuan Normal UniversityText:Function,Topic and GenreTOPIC and FUNCTION work as a WORKTABLEWORKTABLE for the use of a language.Without them,all the phonemes,vocabulary and grammar cannot convey meaning but useless signs.CONTENTS of CONTENTS of Go for itGo for it，Book IIB
2、ook IICONTENTS of SEFC,Book II（2）Hallidays seven basic language functions1.the instrumental function:using language to get things;2.the regulatory function:using language to control the behavior of others;3.the interactional function:using language to create interaction with others;4.the personal fu
3、nction:using language to express personal feelings and meanings;5.the heuristic function:using language to learn and to discover;6.the imaginative function:using language to create imaginary systems or ideas.7.the representational function:using language to communicate information.If you are a teach
4、er,how can you teach the following sentence to your students?Have you had your lunch?Step 1 Teacher reads the sentence and then gets the students to read the sentence after the teacher.Step 2 Teacher explains the meaning and translates the sentence from English into Chinese.The traditional teaching
5、steps:Step 3 Teacher explains the grammatical structure or rules and tells the students to be clear and remember the tense used in the sentence“the present perfect tense”and the formation of this kind of tense(have+p.p.),and the form of question and negation(have/has+subj.;Subj.+have/has+not),and th
6、eir abbreviation:havent/hasnt.Step 4 Teacher gives more examples such as:Have you had your breakfast?Yes,I have/No,I havent.Step 5 Students do pattern drills and read the examples aloud again and again.Step 6 Students do some written exercises.In this way,the structure of the sentence will be learne
7、d and remembered,and the students may be able to compose grammatically correct sentences,e.g.Have you had your supper?Yes,I have./No,I havent.But when two Chinese people meet in real life,Xiao Li says to Lao Wang:Have you had your lunch?What does he mean?Li means(function):A question:ask if Wang has
8、 eaten the meal or not.Greeting:Hello.Invitation:Invite Wang to a meal(Come,its my treat)Suggestion:You should have your lunch.For Chinese,its a usual informal greeting,and it has the same function as“Hello”.But for English,it often means an invitation(Are you inviting me?)or a formal question(Why d
9、o you ask me such a personal question?).He will feel confused if the Chinese moves away without waiting for the answer.In communication,a certain sentence can be understood very differently in different situations.Conclusion For students,knowing how to make correct sentences is only one part of lang
10、uage learning.In real communication,its functional value can be more important.Students have to use language in real communication so as to build up the relationship between the communicative functions and the sentence structures.GenreGenreGenre is a type of written organization and layout(such as a
11、n advertisement,a letter,a poem,a magazine article,prayers,sermons,conversations,songs,speeches,and novels etc.)which will be instantly recognized for what it is by a number of a discourse communitythat is any group of people who share the same language customs and norms.(Harmer,2019:31)variations s
12、ub-genres1.ilavietnam ila=International Language Association？2.mats=matinees a theatrical performance held during the daytime(especially in the afternoon)concs=concessions(i.e.cheaper tickets for students,the elderly,etc.)优惠价优惠价3.adjective(s)+noun WLTM/seeks/is looking for adjective(s)+noun+post-mod
13、ification(for fun/companionship/long-term relationship)WLTM(would like to meet)GSOH(good sense of humour)（Harmer,2019：31）Examples:Ray:Hi,mum.Mum:Hi,youre late.Ray:Yeah,that bastard bastard SootbucketSootbucket kept us in again.Mum:Nanas here.Ray:Oh,sorry.Where is she?Ray:Good afternoon,sir.Principal
14、:What are you doing here at this time?Ray:Mr Mr SuttonSutton kept us in,sir.A man hit another man very hard on the head.NP VP NP NP ADVP PREPP Thisere geezer clobbered this bloke bloodyard on the bone.(The same meaning,working class language)The right honourable member smote the chappie mightily on
15、the cranium.(The same meaning；doctors language)Eg.I met Mr.Jones yesterday,sir,who used to work here,if you remember?He asked we to inquire whether his post was still open and whether there was any chance of his taking it up again.Eg.Do you remember John Jones?I met him today and he said hed like hi
16、s job back.I think he is optimistic,dont you?-Met that fool John today,wants his job back.Can you imagine?今天撞见约翰那傻小子了，你猜怎么着，还打算回来干！Language teachers need to be aware of the various genres and text types that occur in speech and writing.Practice activity:Watch the teaching video,and identify the topic,the function and genre.
