Whether prose or poetry, how does a text come to mean what it does? A functional-semantic approach to text analysis, such as is illustrated in this book, offers a revealing look at the resources of language at work in the creation of meaning, and a unique perspective on the text as object of study.
The Essential Halliday contains selected articles by M A K Halliday on the core areas of Systemic Functional Linguistics. Presenting a thorough survey of Halliday's published work across five decades, the reader includes discussion of function, metafunction, grammar, metaphor, learning and teaching language, child language, computational linguistics, semantics, social semiotics and discourse analysis. Detailed cross references and suggestions for further reading guide the reader to other articles of interest.This comprehensive reader is an indispensable guide to the work of M A K Halliday. It will be an invaluable resource for students and researchers of Systemic Functional Linguistics. The Essential Halliday contains selected articles by M A K Halliday on the core areas of Systemic Functional Linguistics. Presenting a thorough survey of Halliday's published work across five decades, the reader includes discussion of function, metafunction, grammar, metaphor, learning and teaching language, child language, computational linguistics, semantics, social semiotics and discourse analysis. Detailed cross references and suggestions for further reading guide the reader to other articles of interest.This comprehensive reader is an indispensable guide to the work of M A K Halliday. It will be an invaluable resource for students and researchers of Systemic Functional Linguistics.
This work applies linguistic analysis to the poetry of Emeritus Professor Edwin Thumboo, a prominent Singaporean poet in Commonwealth literature. It examines how Thumboo skillfully combines grammar and metaphor to create meaning, highlighting the linguistic resources that underpin his unique technique. The author employs a functional linguistic perspective, delving into the multiple layers of meaning and metaphor that characterize Thumboo's intricate and textured verbal art. Utilizing Systematic Functional Theory, the study reveals how the poet's playful use of language reflects his love for it. Thumboo's multilingual and multicultural background significantly influences his creative language use. This analysis illustrates how Systematic Functional Theory, which emphasizes the semogenic power of language, enhances our understanding of poetry as intentional meaning-making. Thumboo's work exemplifies Barthes' notion that various linguistic elements are woven into the text, demonstrating the pervasive influence of language. By focusing on meaning, this functional analysis provides valuable insights into the linguistic foundations of Thumboo's poetic technique. The study will attract scholars interested in linguistic analysis and Commonwealth poetry, and it is well-suited for courses on literary stylistics or text linguistics.