Presentation of SFL by Hira Haroon

to Dr.Hafiz Qasim
DESCRIBING PERSONS,THINGS AND
CIRCUMSTANCES
ADJECTIVES AND THE ADJECTIVAL GROUP
 https://youtu.be/z2aoT-pKTvo
CIRCUMSTANCES

 Circumstances answer such questions as when,where,why,how,how

many and as what .
 They realise meaning about
time,place,manner,cause,accompaniment,matter and role
TYPES OF CIRCUMSTANCES

 Extent
 Location
 Manner
 Cause
 Contigency
 Accompaniment
 Role
 Matter
 Angle
Extent

 Circumstances of extent express such semantic notions as distance

(how far), duration (for how long) and frequency (how often)
Examples
 These are scattered throughout the country and include most of the
variety of habitats in Japan. (Extent: distance)
 Tom has been a horse dentist for fifteen years. (Extent: duration)
 Uncle Mick had dragged him time and time again to see his own
beloved New York Giants. (Extent: frequency)
Location

 Location is concerned with place (where) and time (when).

 Events take place in time and space.
 IFG mostly uses the terms spatial and temporal for these two sub-
types.
Examples
 He drove down to the beach, but did not park near Pepe’s.
(Location: spatial)
 I forgot to put it out for the birds yesterday morning. (Location:
temporal)
Manner

 This type has four sub-types

 Means (how: with what tools, what methods,e.g. with a key, by
magic, electronically)
 Quality (how: in what manner or style, e.g. quietly, briskly, with some
hesitation)
 Comparison (how: like what,e.g. similarly, in a different way, as
before, like an angel)
 Degree (how much: e.g. greatly, considerably, a little, a bit, very
much)
Cause

 Reason (why: e.g. because of, thanks to, owing to)

Example
As a result of this, he was suspended for two years, which of course
delayed his entry into first-class cricket. (Cause: reason)
 Purpose (why, what for: e.g. for the purpose of, with the aim of)
Example
He had been hanging on at Etten in hopes of a visit from Mauve. (Cause:
purpose)
 Behalf (who for: e.g. for, on behalf of)
Example
In the present context, the question is whether one State can enter into a
treaty on behalf of another. (Cause: behalf)
Contigency

 Condition (under what conditions, in case of, in the event of)

 Default (in default of, in the absence of, failing)
 Concession (in spite of, despite)
Examples
 An interior panic button allows occupants to draw attention in case
of attack. (Contingency: condition)
 Let’s call it a compromise for want of a better term. (Contingency:
default)
 The hill feels peaceful in spite of tourists. (Contingency: concession)
Accompaniment

 This term is fairly self-explanatory, but there are two sub-types:

 Comitative (who with, what with: with/without)
 Additive (as well as, instead of, besides)
Examples
 You starred in a film called River of No Return with Marilyn Monroe.
(Accompaniment: comitative)
 Again the howl, nearer, more drawn out, chilling the heart as well as
the blood. (Accompaniment: additive)
Role

 Guise (as what, for what: e.g. by way of, in the form of)
 Product (into what: e.g. into)
 Examples
1) As a teacher I assume the right to call my students by their first
names. (Role: guise)
2)You can convert your garden into a butterfly haven. (Role: product)
Matter

 Matter as in ‘subject matter’ (about what. This usually occurs in

verbal process and is difficult to separate from Verbiage).
Example:
He warned me about the fight.
Adjectives and The Adjectival
Group
Structure and characteristic uses of the adjectival group
The adjectival group is composed of three structural elements
 A head(h)
 A modifier(m)
 A post-head element(either a modifier or a compliment)
Examples
1) Very glad that you won the match(mhc)
2) very good indeed at chess(mhmc)
Types of Adjectives

 There are three types of adjectives

 Simple Adjectives (good,bad,big,little,tall,short,black,white)
 Derived Adjectives (greenish,hopeful,unhappy,insecure,asleep)
 Compound Adjectives (tax-free goods,well-off people)
Semantic classes of Adjectives

Descriptors
Such adjectives express the following types of meanings:
 Size,weight,extent (big/little,long/short,wide/narrow)
 Colour (black,white,red,blue)
 Meaning related to time (young,old,new,recent)
 Evaluative (beautiful,good,bad,nice,pretty)
 An active or passive process (participial adjectives:frightening,tired)
 General qualities (hot,cold,full,empty,soft,strong,dull)
 A temporary state (with predicative function only:
asleep,alone,awake)
classifiers

Three types of classifiers:

 Restrictive
 Relating to group
 Category-specifying meanings
Degree emphasisers

In addition to these two types,Certain adjectives can function as

degree emphasisers with a strongly emotive tinge.of these mere and
utter have no other meanings as adjectives,the others can be used as
descriptors(a sheer cliff,a true story,pure water)
Syntactic functions of the
Adjectival Group
AdjGs can realise functions in both group and clause structures:
AdjGs in Groups
 Pre-modifier in a NG (a very good actor)
 Post-modifier in a NG (something cheap)
 Head of a NG (the French,the sick)
 Complement of a preposition (at last,in short)
 Modifier in an AdjG (bright red,pale blue)
AdjGs in clauses
 Subject complement (the acting was brilliant)
 Object complement (I consider that offensive)
AdjGs in Peripheral
 Stance adjuncts
 Detached predicatives
 Ajectives as exclamations
Central and Peripheral Adjectives

 Central are attributive functions,as modifiers in NG and predicative

function,as subject complement in the clause.
 Central adjectives are also descriptors while peripherals are
classifiers,degree emphasisers,process oriented adjectives.
Thanks