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the interpersonal meta function: how we interact with others

What we do with language when we use it to communicate. Giving information: It's for sale . Getting information: Where is he? . Commanding: Keep quiet!. Offering service: Would you like help?. Beauty and The Beast: Dialogic interaction . Beauty: I will help you take out the thorn (offer of help) Beast: Oh, Mistress mine, I am in great pain (response of support)Beauty: Please place your paw on my forearm (command) Beast:: Oh, no, I can't stand the pain (response that resists order)Beau19

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the interpersonal meta function: how we interact with others

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    1. The Interpersonal Meta function: How we interact with others Ben: May I ask you to hold my balloon, hah hah hah? Content: hold my balloon for a moment Interpersonal: May I ask you … hah hah hah Register: variation in language according to context. Tenor: the relationship established with other and with subject matter in particular context Tenor then is an element of register that is realized through the interpersonal meanings of the text. Since language evolves to offer us ways of construing ideational, interpersonal, and textual meanings, there are particular elements of grammar that relate to each metafunctionRegister: variation in language according to context. Tenor: the relationship established with other and with subject matter in particular context Tenor then is an element of register that is realized through the interpersonal meanings of the text. Since language evolves to offer us ways of construing ideational, interpersonal, and textual meanings, there are particular elements of grammar that relate to each metafunction

    2. Four basic speech functions that we engage in when talking or writing: goods & exchange or information: important to think that the functions of speech have evolved as they are there to provide us with the tools to interact (Thompson, Chapter 3) In communicating we always play roles:. For example, in asking a question a speaker takes on the role of seeker of information. A second participant is required to adopt the role of listener and provider of the information sought. The whole event thus takes on the form of an exchange of information, or what may be described as an interaction. Whether in this or any of the many other roles which speakers may adopt in interaction, we are obliged to make the appropriate grammatical choices for whichever role we have assumed.The list of possible speech role / functions is very long, and will include such diverse acts as paying someone a compliment, asking the time, demanding attention or issuing a threat. Four basic speech functions that we engage in when talking or writing: goods & exchange or information: important to think that the functions of speech have evolved as they are there to provide us with the tools to interact (Thompson, Chapter 3) In communicating we always play roles:. For example, in asking a question a speaker takes on the role of seeker of information. A second participant is required to adopt the role of listener and provider of the information sought. The whole event thus takes on the form of an exchange of information, or what may be described as an interaction. Whether in this or any of the many other roles which speakers may adopt in interaction, we are obliged to make the appropriate grammatical choices for whichever role we have assumed.The list of possible speech role / functions is very long, and will include such diverse acts as paying someone a compliment, asking the time, demanding attention or issuing a threat.

    3. Beauty and The Beast: Dialogic interaction Beauty: I will help you take out the thorn (offer of help) Beast: Oh, Mistress mine, I am in great pain (response of support) Beauty: Please place your paw on my forearm (command) Beast:: Oh, no, I can’t stand the pain (response that resists order) Beauty: You must move it an inch (resists refusal: takes out the thorn) Beast: Oh, Beauty, I am now at rest (response that supports previous speaker) In analyzing interaction, we need to think of addressivity – how is the interlocutor responding to the speech act (elicited by the type of speech act we have initiated) Participants relationship: Turns of talk/ type of statements/ direct imperatives and declaratives for P versus NP/ Status of relationship, contact, affect can be established by examining the interaction between speaker/ writer and audience. Here look at high degree of certainty and type of statements and imperative used by In analyzing interaction, we need to think of addressivity – how is the interlocutor responding to the speech act (elicited by the type of speech act we have initiated) Participants relationship: Turns of talk/ type of statements/ direct imperatives and declaratives for P versus NP/ Status of relationship, contact, affect can be established by examining the interaction between speaker/ writer and audience. Here look at high degree of certainty and type of statements and imperative used by

    4. Tenor: Negotiation of personal relationships among participants in a communicative act shown through mood, modality and appraisal Status Tenor: negotiation of social relationships among participants in social interaction. From Poyton, status (relationship between speaker and listener),contact (how much does one see) and the affect relates to how distant or involved one is with the listener/ reader. Tenor can be identified as more formal (higher status, lower or higher degree of contact and higher or lower degree of affect). For example, in equal relationship speakers tend to share the same references and ways of talking/ some unequal tends not to share same set of references etc – L Tenor: negotiation of social relationships among participants in social interaction. From Poyton, status (relationship between speaker and listener),contact (how much does one see) and the affect relates to how distant or involved one is with the listener/ reader. Tenor can be identified as more formal (higher status, lower or higher degree of contact and higher or lower degree of affect). For example, in equal relationship speakers tend to share the same references and ways of talking/ some unequal tends not to share same set of references etc – L

    5. Angles, colors, shot distance, thrust of lines etc (Interpersonal Metafunction) A left to right incline Lighter backgrounds Worm’s eye level perspective Soft texture (fine brush strokes of hair and mane) Contrast between colors Pointed and circular shapes Just to start: also interpersonal metafunction realized in art through colors, shapes, lines, perspective Just to start: also interpersonal metafunction realized in art through colors, shapes, lines, perspective

    6. Mood and Residue in Clause Subject is the point of reference that can be argued about in the proposition Subject (by reference to which the proposition can be affirmed or denied) Finite is the auxiliary or modal verb (I have seen the film; I can’t go tonight) that indicate tense or modality – with simple tense verbs (the indication of past or future is part of the finite) The subject and finite together form the Mood – which in turn will be construed as a mood clause – the residue of clause has a predicator (the lexical process/ the complement which is fusion of object and complement in clause analysis, and adjuncts which give information about the circumstance, the mood clause, the whole proposition or it is a textual component (could be dense nominal clause (not just one word) example: the insane born again christian, baptized in a fire of water in 1992, decided to plunge once again into the ocean Finite: Anchors the proposition in way that we can argue about it Subject is the point of reference that can be argued about in the proposition Subject (by reference to which the proposition can be affirmed or denied) Finite is the auxiliary or modal verb (I have seen the film; I can’t go tonight) that indicate tense or modality – with simple tense verbs (the indication of past or future is part of the finite) The subject and finite together form the Mood – which in turn will be construed as a mood clause – the residue of clause has a predicator (the lexical process/ the complement which is fusion of object and complement in clause analysis, and adjuncts which give information about the circumstance, the mood clause, the whole proposition or it is a textual component (could be dense nominal clause (not just one word) example: the insane born again christian, baptized in a fire of water in 1992, decided to plunge once again into the ocean Finite: Anchors the proposition in way that we can argue about it

    7. Identifying Mood and Residue by adding a tag The terrorist directive commands them to kill, doesn’t it? We will direct every resource at our command, won’t we? They want to overthrow existing governments in many Muslim countries, don’t they? The insane born-again-Christian principal, baptized in a fire of water in 1992, decided to make creationism part of the school curriculum, didn’t he?

    8. Modality: Continuum of probability, frequency, inclination or obligation That man may be undocumented (medium to low level of probability) She often sends money home (high degree of usuality) You must insure all your employees (high degree of obligation) I might help you with the protest (low degree of inclination) In our communicative acts we always indicate a certain degree of either prob/ usuality/ inclination/ obligation… will be indicated through modal verbs, adjuncts and sometimes lexical items In our communicative acts we always indicate a certain degree of either prob/ usuality/ inclination/ obligation… will be indicated through modal verbs, adjuncts and sometimes lexical items

    9. Implicit versus explicit modality and appraisal (New York Times Headlines, July 8th) Surprising Jump in Tax Revenues Curbs U.S. Deficit (explicit) Palestinians Say Their Rockets Create a 'Balance of Fear' (distancing from statement) Bush Says U.S. May Have Been Able to Intercept North Korean Missile (high level of distancing)

    10. Appraisal: affect, judgment and appreciation Judgment: of character/ of object (propriety, veracity, tenacity etc); Appreciation: composition/ emotional response of other/ comment on way speaker sees world; amplification: intensification through use of adjuncts, adjectives etc Very strong use of color and interactions in Do the Right Thing; in Howard’s End more subdued tones/ subtle movement of actors Judgment: of character/ of object (propriety, veracity, tenacity etc); Appreciation: composition/ emotional response of other/ comment on way speaker sees world; amplification: intensification through use of adjuncts, adjectives etc Very strong use of color and interactions in Do the Right Thing; in Howard’s End more subdued tones/ subtle movement of actors

    11. What is the pattern of mood in this excerpt and why? Identify terms of appraisal in the text and discuss what response the writers want to elicit in the reader? In terms of modality, what terms point to low or high degree of certainty, probability or frequency in the text? are called STRUCTURES. That is to say, there are recurrent structural features in the way that groups combine to form clauses, and clauses to form sentences. Within the clause these relations can be identified in terms of the functions which the various constituents (groups) of the clause perform. Let us consider again an example referred to earlier.  e.g. She can't lift the boxes.  This was identified as consisting of a nominal group followed by a verbal group followed by a nominal group. These components can also be identified in terms of the function which they serve in the structure of the clause: SUBJECTPREDICATOROBJECTshecan't liftthe boxes  These functions may be referred to as ELEMENTS of clause structure. The principle elements are:- SUBJECT (S)PREDICATOR (P)OBJECT (O)COMPLEMENT (C)ADJUNCT (A) The elements SUBJECT and PREDICATOR are most easily identifiable in that they exist in a relationship of concord, wherein there is an agreement of number between them, and the part which they play in determining the MOOD of the clause (whether it is declarative,  interrogative or imperative). Thus if the clause consists of P followed by an S then the mood will be interrogative, and if SP is the sequence then it is in declarative mood. The system of mood will be discussed in more detail later. In the example given above, the subject is a nominal group, and the predicator a verbal group. The subject typically identifies a principal participant in the process which is denoted by the predicator.e.g. SUBJECTPREDICATORPetersmokes The element which is necessary to complete the clause may be either an OBJECT, which is typically a nominal group, or a COMPLEMENT, which may be a nominal, adjectival or prepositional group. Although objects and complements are not always obligatory elements in the clause, as in the above example, they usually denote other participants or attributes concerned in what is being described, thus providing information which is essential to the message of the clause. Whereas an object refers to a different participant in the process in addition to the subject, the complement does not identify a new participant, but rather provides some identifying or descriptive quality attaching to a participant which has already been identified by the subject or object elements in the clause. e.g.(i) SUBJECTPREDICATOROBJECTPetersmokesa pipeShelikesoranges(ii) SUBJECTPREDICATORCOMPLEMENTMaryisa teacherJohnseemsout of breathYour houselooksbeautiful ADJUNCTS may supply information which is additional or circumstantial to the central components of the message, as denoted by the subject, predicator, object and complement elements. They can often be identified by virtue of supplying the "why", "where", "when" and "how" type of information. In this case the adjunct may be a component of the central meaning of the clause. e.g.  SUBJECTPREDICATOROBJECTADJUNCTHewas turningthe handlefuriouslyTheyhada holidaylast year Another type of adjunct may function outside the essential meaning of the clause. These may relate the clause to some other point in the text, by referring back, or indicate the speaker's attitude.   e.g.   Of course, it was rubbish.        We got there in the end, however. Adjuncts may be adverbial groups or prepositional groups. The sequential order of the structural elements will be discussed in more detail later, but we can note that the adjunct tends to be most mobile in the position it may take in clause structure. e.g.   Furiously, he turned the handle.        He furiously turned the handle.        He turned the handle furiously.        In the morning we'll wash the clothes. are called STRUCTURES. That is to say, there are recurrent structural features in the way that groups combine to form clauses, and clauses to form sentences. Within the clause these relations can be identified in terms of the functions which the various constituents (groups) of the clause perform. Let us consider again an example referred to earlier.  e.g. She can't lift the boxes.  This was identified as consisting of a nominal group followed by a verbal group followed by a nominal group. These components can also be identified in terms of the function which they serve in the structure of the clause: SUBJECTPREDICATOROBJECTshecan't liftthe boxes  These functions may be referred to as ELEMENTS of clause structure. The principle elements are:- SUBJECT (S)PREDICATOR (P)OBJECT (O)COMPLEMENT (C)ADJUNCT (A) The elements SUBJECT and PREDICATOR are most easily identifiable in that they exist in a relationship of concord, wherein there is an agreement of number between them, and the part which they play in determining the MOOD of the clause (whether it is declarative,  interrogative or imperative). Thus if the clause consists of P followed by an S then the mood will be interrogative, and if SP is the sequence then it is in declarative mood. The system of mood will be discussed in more detail later. In the example given above, the subject is a nominal group, and the predicator a verbal group. The subject typically identifies a principal participant in the process which is denoted by the predicator.e.g. SUBJECTPREDICATORPetersmokesThe element which is necessary to complete the clause may be either an OBJECT, which is typically a nominal group, or a COMPLEMENT, which may be a nominal, adjectival or prepositional group. Although objects and complements are not always obligatory elements in the clause, as in the above example, they usually denote other participants or attributes concerned in what is being described, thus providing information which is essential to the message of the clause. Whereas an object refers to a different participant in the process in addition to the subject, the complement does not identify a new participant, but rather provides some identifying or descriptive quality attaching to a participant which has already been identified by the subject or object elements in the clause. e.g.(i) SUBJECTPREDICATOROBJECTPetersmokesa pipeShelikesoranges(ii) SUBJECTPREDICATORCOMPLEMENTMaryisa teacherJohnseemsout of breathYour houselooksbeautifulADJUNCTS may supply information which is additional or circumstantial to the central components of the message, as denoted by the subject, predicator, object and complement elements. They can often be identified by virtue of supplying the "why", "where", "when" and "how" type of information. In this case the adjunct may be a component of the central meaning of the clause. e.g.  SUBJECTPREDICATOROBJECTADJUNCTHewas turningthe handlefuriouslyTheyhada holidaylast yearAnother type of adjunct may function outside the essential meaning of the clause. These may relate the clause to some other point in the text, by referring back, or indicate the speaker's attitude.  e.g.   Of course, it was rubbish.       We got there in the end, however.Adjuncts may be adverbial groups or prepositional groups. The sequential order of the structural elements will be discussed in more detail later, but we can note that the adjunct tends to be most mobile in the position it may take in clause structure.e.g.   Furiously, he turned the handle.       He furiously turned the handle.       He turned the handle furiously.       In the morning we'll wash the clothes.

    12. Tyriana’s Narrative A few seasons passed. Emma said, “The coconut tree became taller.” Jennifer exclaimed, “Yes, I know we can’t just pull coconuts. We have to climb the tree.” Many more seasons passed. The little tree was not so little anymore. He was even bigger than last time. Then he met a girl. They communicated by waving their leaves. Both trees played catch by throwing coconuts to each other. Both coconut trees became very great friends. The happy ending. Well at least for now In this multimodal text, one can see that the worm’s eye perspective indicates the artist’s evaluative stance toward the trees – in text, she uses appraisal (amplification (bigger, taller, great, not so little) In this multimodal text, one can see that the worm’s eye perspective indicates the artist’s evaluative stance toward the trees – in text, she uses appraisal (amplification (bigger, taller, great, not so little)

    13. Text Analysis for Next Week Persons (1) What personal pronouns are selected? How does the writer refer to self, subjects and reader? How does this reflect equal or unequal power? How does it reflect occasional or frequent contact? MOOD (2) What finite verb forms and poles of polarity (negative or positive) have been chosen? Is the mood declarative, imperative, interrogative? MODALITY: What type of modal verbs and adjuncts does the writer use? (e.g. would/ chould/ probably/ often) APPRAISAL (affect, judgment, appreciation, amplification) How do certain adjectives, nouns, adverbs and adjuncts indicate the writer’s attitude towards the subject matter and toward the audience? (e.g. The difficult students; the untiring teacher) OVERALL PATTERNS in TEXT How do the choice of tense, modal words, repetition, different typographical features and overall spatial organization of the text indicate the relationship of the writer/ speaker with the audience and with the subject matter? Rothery and Stenglin article (2000): wanted to say that what is very interesting is the methodology: quantitatively they counted up how often different types of appraisal were used in a student’s text in answering a state English exam: through this they were able to comment on the fact that there was very little use of appreciation (about the composition of text for example) and showed how too often focus is on personal response as opposed to seeing text as constructed by a writer to achieve a certain affect… please read for next week (global reading) Rothery and Stenglin article (2000): wanted to say that what is very interesting is the methodology: quantitatively they counted up how often different types of appraisal were used in a student’s text in answering a state English exam: through this they were able to comment on the fact that there was very little use of appreciation (about the composition of text for example) and showed how too often focus is on personal response as opposed to seeing text as constructed by a writer to achieve a certain affect… please read for next week (global reading)

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