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Table 1 Differences Between Formal Grammar and SFL

The document outlines objectives for students to understand language through a systemic functional linguistics (SFL) framework. It aims to help students reflect on how the English language works, use language effectively, understand how grammatical forms create different meanings, critically analyze texts, examine language patterns, and develop a shared language for teaching and learning about English. Tables then contrast SFL with formal grammar and describe register variation regarding field, tenor, mode between everyday to specialized language uses and informal to formal settings. Examples are provided of spoken and written texts and how formal and informal language differ in terms of word choice, voice, complexity, and tone.

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35 views3 pages

Table 1 Differences Between Formal Grammar and SFL

The document outlines objectives for students to understand language through a systemic functional linguistics (SFL) framework. It aims to help students reflect on how the English language works, use language effectively, understand how grammatical forms create different meanings, critically analyze texts, examine language patterns, and develop a shared language for teaching and learning about English. Tables then contrast SFL with formal grammar and describe register variation regarding field, tenor, mode between everyday to specialized language uses and informal to formal settings. Examples are provided of spoken and written texts and how formal and informal language differ in terms of word choice, voice, complexity, and tone.

Uploaded by

Ayu Nabilla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Objectives: Students are expected to:

 be able to reflect on how the English language works as framed by SFL;


 be able to use language effectively, appropriately, and accurately;
 understand how different kinds of meaning are created through the use of
different grammatical forms so that they can control and shape those meanings
more skillfully and effectively;
 critically analyze texts so they can understand how grammar has been used to
achieve certain effects;
 examine patterns of language and word choices so that they can appreciate,
interpret and create well-constructed texts;
 have a shared language for teaching and learning about the main features of the
English language.

Table 1 Differences between Formal Grammar and SFL

Types of differences Formal Grammar Systemic Functional Grammar


Definition of language as a set of rules for as a resource for meaning
sentence construction making
Unit of analysis Sentence Text
Language level Syntax Semantics
Of concern
Primary concern Sentence structure Realization of meaning

Thompson (1996) explains the three metafunctions in layman terms as follows:

(1) we use language to talk about our experience of the world, including the world in our
minds, to describe events and states and entities involved in them.

(2) We also use language to interact with other people, to establish and maintain relation
with them, to influence their behavior, to express our own viewpoint on things in the
world, and to elicit or change theirs.

(3) Finally, in using language, we organize our messages in ways which indicate how they
fit in with other messages around them and with the wider context in which we are talking
or writing.
Table 2 Register Variation

Register variation
Commonsense Field Specialized
 Everyday, story world  technical
 Simple connections  complex connections

Informal Tenor Formal


 equal power  unequal power
 frequent contact  infrequent contact
 high solidarity  limited solidarity
Spoken Mode Written
 language as action  language as reflection
 interactive  monologic
 spontaneous  final draft

Table 3 Examples of spoken and written texts in informal and formal setting

Mode Informal Formal


Spoken casual talks speeches
casual story telling lectures or presentations
Written Personal letters or academic articles
emails business emails or reports
Text messages
Poscards

Formal language and informal language are associated with particular choices of
grammar and vocabulary. Below are some examples:

1. Full words versus constraction:

Formal: It has been proven that people with low IQ tend to be intolerant.

Informal: It’s been proven that people with low IQ tend to be intolerant.

2. Passive versus active voice:

Formal: It is suggested that you leave the building after 8 pm

Informal: We suggest that you leave the building after 8 pm.

3. Complex versus colloguial:

Formal: Customers are reminded that parking is not permitted in front of this
entrance. Thank you.
Informal: Please don’t park in front of this gate. Thanks.

4. Detached and impersonal versus showing empathy and emotion:

Formal: In this book the literature of the 1990s is discussed and analyzed.

Informal: In this book I discuss and analyze the literature of the 1990s.

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