Saturday 28 September 2013

Sysfling/Sys-Func Discussion On Offers

Why Offers Are Always More Than Just Offers

1. In English, there is no congruent lexicogrammatical realisation of the speech function 'offer' in terms of mood (see Halliday 1994: 95; Halliday & Matthiessen 2004: 110).

2. Consequently, all offers involve interpersonal metaphor.

3. Grammatical metaphor is a junctional construct: the grammatical wording simultaneously realises both the congruent and the metaphorical meaning (Halliday & Matthiessen 1999: 263, 271, 283).

4. On the semantic stratum, the congruent meaning is realised as the metaphorical meaning (Halliday & Matthiessen 1999: 288, 293).

5. Therefore:

(a) an offer that is realised as an imperative clause is simultaneously an offer and a command, where the offer is realised as a command (see, eg, Halliday & Matthiessen 2004: 139 on suggestions);

(b) an offer that is realised as an interrogative clause is simultaneously and offer and a question, where the offer is realised as a question;

(c) an offer that is realised as a declarative clause is simultaneously and offer and a statement, where the offer is realised as a statement.
See an analysis of a clause complex with imperative and declarative realisations of offers (the one that triggered the discussion) here.

See also the semantic system of speech function (Halliday & Matthiessen 2004: 108) for the valeur of initiating and responding moves within the overall system.