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Critical Issues in Information Systems. BUSS 951. Supplementary 4 Field in Texts: What’s going on?. Social Context and Language. Social Context and Language In General. every text refers to its social context- it must do in order to make any sense
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Critical Issues in Information Systems BUSS 951 Supplementary 4 Field in Texts: What’s going on?
Social Context and LanguageIn General... • every text refers to its social context- it must do in order to make any sense • must do so in order to be meaningful that is to communicate something to someone
Social Context and LanguageIn Organisations... • the term social context is often defined in the broadest possible way • but when studying workplace language there is also another meaning for context- organisational culture • ‘the way things are done around here!’
Social Context and LanguageRealisation • in order to show the relationship between language and social context we use concentric ovals (see next slide) • one semiotic system (language) is a realisation of another more abstract one (social context)
Social Context Language
Social Context and Language Redounding (1) • how language realises context is called redounding • redounding is indicated (in the previous slide) by the use of a double ended arrow
Social Context and Language Redounding (1) • language construes social context, language is construed by social context, and language reconstrues social context ... • a relationship of mutual determination and interdependency NOT simple cause and effect
Situational ContextRegister • whether speech or writing, texts always include some aspects of the situation • this helps to make the text understandable • systemic-functional linguistics (SFL) recognises three aspects of the context of situation...
Situational Context Register • the Context of Situation or Register includes field, tenor and mode: • field- social activities and actions • tenor- who is doing what to whom • mode- how language is used • there is another context which we will consider latter in the course, but for now...
Context of Situation Language
Field Defined • Definition: “the topic or focus of the activity” (Eggins 1994, 9) • we find out whats going on mainly from lexical items- or words (Eggins 1994, 25) • can you determine the field? • win, quinella, trifecta, daily double • reception, priest, bands, ‘I do’ • italicised words -> indexical lexical item
Business Transcript (Australian Example) • Who’s next? • I think I am • Can I have a loaf of bread please? • Yes, anthing else • Yes • I’d like a cinnamon donut • Will that be all? • Yeah, thanks. • That’ll be $1.85 • 0 [hands over $2.00 coin] • 10 and 5 is 15, thanks • Have a nice day • Thanks
Business Transcript (Australian Example) • Who’s next? • I think I am • Can I have a loaf of bread please? • Yes, anything else • Yes • I’d like a cinnamon donut • Will that be all? • Yeah, thanks. • That’ll be $1.85 • 0 [hands over $2.00 coin] • 10 and 5 is 15, thanks • Have a nice day • Thanks Indexical Lexical Items are underlined
Field- Taxonomies (1) • If many texts are observed within a given Context of Situation, it is possible to build field taxonomies • in order to build a taxonomy we use a special graphical notation commonly used in SFL called a system network
Field- Taxonomies (2) • system networks are used to build field taxonomies • the lexis (words) associated with the field are ordered into convenient or observed groups • possible selection options can therefore be shown
Field- Taxonomies (3) • System networks are read from left hand side, the so-called least delicate, to the right hand side, the so-called most delicate. • The following diagrams show the four major notations used and are based on Broman (1994, 80 modified after Eggins 1994, 205-206; Halliday 1991, 43)
