WHAT IS AXIAL

REASONING?
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Reasoning

Reasoning is the set of concepts, principles, postulates, viewpoints

adopted by science to

(1) determine its object of investigation,

(2) make observations of phenomena related to its object,
(3) collect, analyze and interpret data from observations,
(4) construct descriptions and explanations about its object which will
eventually become part of a theory.

Platonic, Aristotelian, inductive, deductive, formal, functional, etc. are

all examples of reasoning.

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Axial Reasoning

Axial reasoning is a type of reasoning based on the concept of axis.

According to axial reasoning the object of investigation is organized
into two axes:

- Paradigmatic axis
- Syntagmatic axis

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Paradigm

The paradigmatic axis (paradigm, from the Greek for “pattern”)

organizes phenomena as alternatives, choices, possibilities, thus forming
classes of features.

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Syntagm

The syntagmatic axis (syntagm, from the Greek for “arranged

together”) organizes phenomena as combinations, sequences of
segments, thus forming chains of classes (or chains of features of a
class) as a structure.

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8
Paradigm Syntagm

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Paradigm-syntagm hierarchy

The paradigm takes precedence over the syntagm.

Such precedence lies on the fact that observations of phenomena can

be investigated and become categories of a theory if, and only if,
they can be classified (i.e., put in a class).

It is just then that features of different classes can be combined and

arranged together as elements of structure.

Correspondingly, objects of investigation are first organized as a set

of alternatives and categories presented as features belonging to a
class. Objects are secondarily organized as a structure of arranged
elements – or the manifestation of paradigms.
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 Paradigm-syntagm hierarchy

first, classify then, string together

class 1 class 2 structures
lithium group oxygen group class 1 ^ class 2

H2O H2O2 H2S H2S2

H
O
Li Li2O Li2O2 Li2S Li2S2
S
Na
Se Na2O Na2O2 Na2S Na2S2
K
Te
Rb
Po K2O K2O2 K2S K2S2
Cs
Fr Rb2O Rb2O2 Rb2S Rb2S2

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SYSTEM
 Class

Apple Tiger Angel

Grape Monkey Five
Pineapple Crocodile Gather
Strawberry Worm Ink
Plum Dolphin Worm
Melon Ostrich Apple
Banana Tortoise Eleven
Mango Owl Language
Orange Parrot Needle
Blueberry Sheep ’ve done

Activity1:
Classify items in each set according to, at least, 2 classes
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Ferdinand de Saussure

Language is a system of signs

Sign= signified/signifier

Signs have a relative value

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Sign

valeur

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 Classification

Apple Tiger Angel

Grape Monkey Five
Pineapple Crocodile Gather
Strawberry Worm Ink
Plum Dolphin Worm
Melon Ostrich Apple
Banana Tortoise Eleven
Mango Owl Language
Orange Parrot Needle
Blueberry Sheep ’ve done

Activity2:
Re-classify items in each set using different criteria from 1.
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CLASSIFCATION: separate and describe features according to their DIFFERENCES

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 Systemic notation

group under description

classified as ‘a’
structure ‘a’

entry condition
CRITERIUM X
(unit)
realization in structure

classified as ‘b’
structure ‘b’
principle of classification

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 Systemic notation

classified as ‘a’
structure ‘a’

entry condition
SYSTEM
(unit)

classified as ‘b’
structure ‘b’

ACTIVITY 3:
Re-do activity 1, but now using systemic notation

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Agnation

Opposition relationship between features of a system.

Features are AGNATES.

classified as ‘a’
structure ‘a’

entry condition
SYSTEM agnation;
(unit) ‘a’ and ‘b’ are agnates

classified as ‘b’
structure ‘b’

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 Delicacy

Increase in specificity

feature ‘a’

SYSTEM 1
entry condition feature ‘x’
(unit)

SYSTEM 1.2
feature ‘b’

feature ‘y’

entry condition for SYSTEM 1.2

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SYSTEM NETWORKS
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The platypus problem

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The hydrogen problem

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Coselection

A class is generated by two or more features

feature ‘a’

SYSTEM 1 a&x

feature ‘b’
a&y
entry
condition
b&x
feature ‘x’

SYSTEM 2
b&y

feature ‘y’
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 Tiger, Monkey
Crocodile
Coselection - example Worm, Dolphin
Ostrich, Tortoise
Owl, Parrot
feature ‘a’ Sheep
water
HABITAT a&x
water & cold
feature ‘b’
land a&y
animal water & warm

feature ‘x’ b&x

cold blood land & cold
BODY
b&y
TEMPERATURE land & warm
feature ‘y’
warm blood

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 Coselection

ACTIVITY 6:
Draw a coselective system to generate the feature ‘platypus’
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Realization

Manifestation of a feature in structure. Structures can be:

(i) A single element
(ii) Several elements
(iii) A sequence of elements
(iv) A prosody of elements
classified as ‘a’

realization

entry condition
SYSTEM
(unit)

classified as ‘b’

realization
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THE SYSTEM OF POLARITY
IN FRENCH
System 1: POLARITY in French

Je suis un étudiant.

Je ne suis pas un étudiant.

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 positive

POLARITY Je suis un étudiant.

clause

Je ne suis pas un étudiant.

negative

ne^Finite^pas

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System 2: POLARITY in French

- Tu n’es pas un étudiant.

- Si, je suis un étudiant.

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 minus contradiction

CONTRADICTION
positive
POSITIVE
POLARITY
clause plus contradiction

#si
negative

ne^Finite^pas

Si, je suis un étudiant.

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THE SYSTEM OF MOOD IN
ENGLISH
System 1: MOOD in English

You will watch the movie

Watch the movie.

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 indicative

+Subject
MOOD +Finite
clause

+Predicator
imperative

You will watch the movie

Watch the movie.
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System 2: MOOD in English

You will watch the movie.

Watch the movie.

Will you watch the movie?

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 declarative

Subject^Finite
INDICATIVE
indicative
TYPE
MOOD +S
clause +F interrogative

Finite^Subject
+Predicator
imperative

You will watch the movie.

Watch the movie.
Will you watch the movie? 40
System 3: MOOD in English

You will watch the movie.

Watch the movie.

Will you watch the movie?

What will you watch?

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 declarative

S^F
INDICATIVE
indicative polar
TYPE
MOOD +S INTERROG.
clause +F interrogative

F^S TYPE
+Predicator
imperative elemental

+Wh-
#Wh-

You will watch the movie.

Watch the movie.
Will you watch the movie? 42
System 4: MOOD in English

You will watch the movie.

Watch the movie.

Will you watch the movie?

What will you watch?

You will not watch the movie.

Don’t watch the movie.

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 declarative

S^F
INDICATIVE
indicative polar
TYPE
MOOD +S INTERROG.
+F interrogative

F^S TYPE
imperative elemental
clause
+Wh-
+P #Wh-
positive

POLARITY

You will not watch the movie.

negative Don’t watch the movie.
+not; F^not
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Activity 1 – System network drawing

(1a) Use the principle of CLASSIFICATION and separate elements of the following sets into
classes:

entry condition (H2O)  Set1 = { water, ice, vapour }

entry condition (place to live)  Set2 = { beach house, apartment, mansion, house, tent, loft,
cabin, bungalow }

(1b) After classifying elements in (1a), organize them in a system according to systemic notation.

System1 for classes of Set1

System2 for classes of Set2

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Activity 2 – System network drawing

(2a) Use the principle of CLASSIFICATION and separate elements of the following sets into
classes:

entry condition (???)  Set1 = { I like books, I don’t like books }

entry condition (???)  Set2 = { They went to the movies, They go to the movies, They will go to
the movies }
entry condition (???)  Set3 = { Open the door, I opened the door, Did you open the door?,
What did you open?, you opened the door, didn’t you? }

(2b) After classifying elements in (2a), organize them in a system according to systemic notation.

System1 for classes of Set1

System2 for classes of Set2
System3 for classes of Set3

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MACHINE-AIDED ANALYSIS
UAMCorpusTool
machine-aided annotation

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 declarative

S^F
INDICATIVE
indicative polar
TYPE
MOOD +S INTERROG.
+F interrogative

F^S TYPE
imperative elemental
clause
+Wh-
+P #Wh-
positive

POLARITY

negative

+not; F^not
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50
OFFICER: Just tell me your name, please, sir.
CITIZEN: Right, sir. Hold on a second. Ready?
OFFICER: Yes.
CITIZEN: My name is Derrick [Clack].
OFFICER: What are you doing?
CITIZEN: That’s my name.
OFFICER: What is?
CITIZEN: This. Derrick [Clack].
OFFICER: Oh. Derrick [Clack] is your name?
CITIZEN: Yes.
OFFICER: What kind of name is that?
CITIZEN: It’s my name.
OFFICER: Bit unusual, isn’t it, Mr. [Clack]?
CITIZEN: If I had a pound for every time someone would’ve said that to me…
OFFICER: Uh… how do you spell [Clack], Mr. [Clack]?
CITIZEN: It’s as it sounds.
OFFICER: Uh, yeah, but if you wouldn’t mind spelling it for me.
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CITIZEN: Well, let me--
OFFICER: I would be very grateful if you would spell it for me.
CITIZEN: Alright. N I P P L - E.
OFFICER: Nipple?
CITIZEN: I beg your pardon?
OFFICER: Nipple.
CITIZEN: Nipple? Where? What are talking about?
OFFICER: N I P P L E
CITIZEN: Hyphen E
OFFICER: Hyphen E, in my book spells ‘nipple’. It doesn't spell [Clack].
CITIZEN: Have you gone mad? What are you talking about? I thought a modern policeman was
supposed to be a highly trained law enforcement and you can’t even spell.
OFFICER: Alright, Mr. Nipple, If I could have your address, please?
CITIZEN: Are you talking to me?
OFFICER: Yes.
CITIZEN: You want to know my address?
OFFICER: Yes, please.
CITIZEN: Or do you want to know Mr. Nipple’s address?
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1. How does axial reasoning benefit Linguistics? let’s
think
2. Does your work involve axial reasoning?
about it
3. Can you list all the categories you are using in your
research?

4. How do you separate your categories into classes?

5. Are you using any kind of machine-aid annotation?

6. How do you count the number of occurrences of your

phenomena of interest?

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READINGS:

1. Martin, J. Systemic functional grammar: a next step into the theory – axial
relations. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2013.

2. Lemke, J. Discourse, Dynamics, and Social Change. Cultural Dynamics, v.6, n.

1, p. 243-275, 1993.

3. Martin, J.; Matthiessen, C. Systemic typology and topology. In: Christie, F.

(Ed.) Literacy in Social Processes: papers from the inaugural Australian Systemic
Linguistics Conference. Darwin: Centre for Studies in Language in Education,
Northern Territory University. 1991. 345-383.

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