The Meaning of Function: Syntax in Systemic Functional Linguistics

摘要

There have been developed two models of systemic functional grammar over the years, and there are differences between them and also disagreements among systemists on the focus, perspective and the theoretical construct of the two models. The present paper is intended to study the relationship between them, so as to give a clearer picture of the syntactic study in this theory. We first present briefly the two models of systemic functional grammar: Halliday's systemic functional grammar and the Cardiff Grammar, and then study the relations between form, function and meaning in relation to the two models, and finally discuss the relationship between them. We have found that in systemic functional grammar, there can be three syntaxes: the meaning-based functional syntax, the form-based functional syntax, and, the formal syntax in terms of ranked constituent analysis which forms the basis for the two functional grammars. The concept of function is considered a relational concept, which may mean (1) the relation between the formal constituents and the structure they are in, (2) the relation between form and meaning and (3) the relation between the form of language and its situational and sociocultural context. In this way, the 'mysteries' hidden in the two models can be explicitly revealed.