TRANSITIVITY PRESENTATION BASED ON GEROT & WIGNELL; BLOOR & BLOOR

TRANSITIVITY The system or resource for construing experiential meaning, i. e. meaning about the world outside and inside the speaker. It is the resource for construing (= interpreting and expressing) events, happenings, goings- on, mental states, sayings, behaviours and relations of different kinds.

Behaviour- al human and animal physiological behaviour; human verbal and mental behaviour He snored/coughed. He slept soundly. He breathed heavily. They shouted/cried/growled. He pondered/reflected over the problem. Process type MeaningsExamples Material actions and happenings (outside world; observable) He ran. The window broke. He climbed the tree. She made a cake. She broke the window. She gave him a present. Mental perception, cognition and affective processes (inner world; not directly observable) I saw a bird, I heard a sound. I saw him cross the street. I knew the answers. I believe/think he is wrong. I fear the outcome. I like the smell. The woman scares me. The decision pleased me.

Meteorolo- gical weather or time processes It’s 8 o’clock. It’s noon. It’s windy. It’s raining/snowing. Process type MeaningsExamples Verbal saying (mental process that becomes observable) He told a lie. He told a story. He said “Hello”. “I’m tired!” he exclaimed. He answered that he was unaware of the decision. Existentialexistence There is a bird on the tree. Ghosts exist. Relationalbeing and having He is a (famous) scientist. He is the head of the department. He has blue eyes/a car.

Process type ParticipantsSubtypesExamples Distinctive features/ Reactances RELA- TION- AL (being and having) CARRIER & ATTRIBUTE ATTRI- BUTIVE IDENTIFY- ING TOKEN & VALUE She is famous. She is a scientist. She has blue eyes. She is the leader. The Aconca- gua is the highest beak in America. - Presence of “be” or verbs comparable in meaning. - -No substitution by any verb -S Present as unmarked tense in Present.

Process type ParticipantsSubtypesExamples Distinctive features/ Reactances RELA- TIONAL (being and having) Identify- ing an entity by reference to some other entity. Mean- ings of symboliza tion. TOKEN & VALUE INTEN- SIVE POSSES- SIVE CIRCUMS- TANTIAL America is the beacon of democracy. The Aconcagua is the highest peak in America This is Neil’s. This belongs to Neil. The time of the meeting is Friday. The cause for his illness is stress. - Presence of definite NGp. - - substitu- tion by ‘represent’ - -Reversi- bility

PARTICIPANTS IN MENTAL PROCESSES Value: A more abstract entity that can be perceived only if represented by a more concrete entity (Susan is the kindest salesperson in the shop; He is the leader). Token: The concrete entity that embodies/ represents/ symbolizes a value (Susan is the kindest salesperson in the shop; He is the leader).

AMERICA IS THE BEACON OF DEMOCRACY TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE SUBJECT SUBJECT COMPLEMENT THE ACONCAGUA IS THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN AMERICA TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE THE BEACON OF DEMOCRACY IS AMERICA VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE SUBJECT SUBJECT COMPLEMENT THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN AMERICA IS THE ACONCAGUA VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE

THI S BOOK IS M ARY’S TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE IDENTIFYING: POSSESSIVE THE TIME OF THE MEETING IS FRIDAY VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN IDENTIFYING: CIRCUMSTANTIAL THE CAUSE FOR HIS ILLNESS IS STRESS VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN IDENTIFYING: CIRCUMSTANTIAL THI S BOOK BELONGS TO M ARY. TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE IDENTIFYING: POSSESSIVE

CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING VALUE AND TOKEN TOKENVALUE More concrete entity “America” in “America is the beacon of democracy” Abstract notion, value “the beacon of democracy” in same clause Subject in a clause with the verb “represent” “America represents the beacon of democracy” Complement in clause with “represent” See “the beacon of democracy” in other box

Process type ParticipantsSubtypesExamples Distinctive features/ Reactances MEN- TAL (percep- tions, cogni- tions, affection - inner world – non- observ- able ) Senser Phenomenon Macro- phenomenon (act- Perception) Metapheno- menon (fact- emotion) Affection He saw a bird. I saw him cross/cross- ing the street. He knows all the answers. He believes that you are to blame. I like/fear him. He pleases/ scares me. -No substitution by any verb -S Present as unmarked tense in Present -Bidirectionality -Capacity to project Perception Cognition Meta -phenomenon (idea - cognition)

PARTICIPANTS IN MENTAL PROCESSES Macro-phenomenon: an event or happening or doing in the material world that can be perceived; only used with processes of perception. It is an embedded clause that is a participant in the mental clause (he saw [[him help the old lady/him helping the old lady]]; he heard [[him shout his name/him shouting his name]]). Senser: an entity endowed with higher or lower consciousness, like a human being and, for some processes, an animal. It can be Subject (I like fruit) or Complement (Fruit appeals to/pleases me); Phenomenon: a thing (person, object, place, etc.) that can be perceived, known or that can be the object of an emotion of some kind. It is a participant in the mental clause and it is always a Ngp (He saw the animal; he knew the animal; He loves animals);

Meta-phenomenon: idea: abstract but not pre-existing the process; rather brought into existence by it. Not really a participant in the clause but a separate clause: I understood // that it was futile. I knew // that it was of no use. PARTICIPANTS IN MENTAL PROCESSES Meta-phenomenon: fact: an abstract, non-material, semiotic entity that pre-exists the emotions it triggers; only used with processes of emotion and an embedded participant element in the clause. I regretted (the fact) [[that I had not had the courage to speak to her]]. I liked (the fact) [[that she was black]]. [[That she was so young]] surprised me.

HE SAW A BIRD SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON PERCEPTION HE HEARD TIM THREATENING BOB SENSER MENTAL: MACRO-PHENOMENON: PERCEPTION act (embedded cl.) HE KNOWS ALL THE ANSWERS SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON COGNITION HE BELIEVES THAT YOU’RE TO BLAME SENSER MENTAL: METAPHENOMENON: idea COGNITION (hypotactic cl.)

HE REGRETS (THE FACT ) [[THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO HELP]]. SENSER MENTAL: META-PHENOMENON :FACT (embedded clause) AFFECTION (THE FACT ) [[THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO HELP]] SURPRISES ME. META-PHENOMENON :FACT (embedded clause) MENTAL: SENSER AFFECTION SHE PLEASES ME PHENOMENON MENTAL: SENSER AFFECTION HE LOVES YOU SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON AFFECTION

I FEAR THE OUTCOME SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON AFFECTION THE OUTCOME SCARES ME PHENOMENON MENTAL: SENSER AFFECTION I DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS STUFF SENSER MENTAL: COGNITION PHENOMENON THIS STUFF BAFFLES ME PHENOMENON MENTAL: COGNITION SENSER MENTAL PROCESSES: BIDIRECTIONALITY

Process type ParticipantsSubtypesExamples Distinctive features/ Reactances VERBAL (SAYING ) Sayer Verbiage Receiver Locution: Quoting Locution: Reporting He told (us) a lie/a story. “ I’m tired” he said He said (to me) he was tired. - Presence of receiver -No substitution by do - S. Present as unmarked tense in Pr. -projection Locution

PARTICIPANTS IN VERBAL PROCESSES Processes of saying or verbal processes can project another clause that expresses the content of what was said (locution). It can project it verbatim (quotation) or parapharse it in line with the here and now of the speaker (report). The “locution” IS NOT a Participant in the verbal clause but a separate clause projected by it Sayer: The person or thing (dictionary, sign, article, newspaper, etc.) that says sth. Verbiage: the content of what is said, always expressed by a Ngp Receiver: the addressee; the person to whom sth is said

HE SAID HE WAS TIRED SAYER VERBAL LOCUTION REPORTING (Hypotactic cl.) “I AM TIRED” HE SAID LOCUTION SAYER VERBAL (Hypotactic cl.) QUOTING HE TOLD US A LIE SAYER VERBAL RECEIVER VERBIAGE (NG) SHE ASKED TOO MANY QUESTIONS SAYER VERBAL VERBIAGE (NG)

Process type ParticipantSubtypesExamples Distinctive features/ Reactances EXISTEN TIAL (EXIST- ENCE ) Existent Existential There are different species of whales. On the sofa was a cat Existential (+ some other meaning) Through the window, there came the sounds of Sydney. -No substitution by do - S. Present as unmarked tense in Pr. -presence of the unstressed There in S position.

PARTICIPANTS IN VERBAL PROCESSES For some, the non-stressed “there” has no experiential role in the clause. It is just a dummy Subject, a place-holder for Subject. For others, it encodes the process together with “be”. When the clause starts with a Circumsatance it can be omitted. It can be marked together with the verb “be” Existent: it is the participant that the process introduces as existing, as having existence.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF WHALES EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT TRHOUGH THE WINDOW, THERE CAME THE SOUNDS OF SYDNEY CIR: SPATIAL LOCATION EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT THERE IS A UNICORN IN THE GARDEN. EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT CIR: SPATIAL LOCATION ON THE MATINEE JACKET WAS A BLOOD –STAIN. CIR: SPATIAL LOCATION EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT GHOSTS EXIST. EXISTENT EXISTENTIAL

Process type ParticipantsSubtypesExamples Distinctive features/ Reactances BEHA- VIOUR- AL (physiolo gical, mental and para- verbal beha- viour ) BEHAVER (behaviour) Range, Matter, Target Physiolo- gical (para) Verbal Mental Behaviour he slept soundly. He snored. He breathed. He pondered /meditated over the matter. He watched TV. He listened to the news He babbled/ granted/ sang a song. He cried/laughed/ giggled. They talked. -No substitution by do - S. Present as unmarked tense in Pr. -no projection

PARTICIPANTS IN BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES Range: in very few cases in which the process takes a second participant that is not a behaviour and that is different in nature from the process itself: he watched a movie; they observed the stranger; they discussed/debated the problem. Behaver: person or animal having the behaviour, usually endowed with consciousness. Most behavioural processes ONLY have a single participant, and that’s the Behaver. Behaviour: found in very few cases in which the behaviour usually repeats the behavioural process with some added attribute (he breathed a deep breath; he dreamt a strange dream)

PARTICIPANTS IN BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES Target: used with verbal behavioural processes expressing insult, offence, criticism (They criticized his manners. He insulted him.) Both “his manners” and “him” in these sentences are the Target of the insult or the criticism. Matter: used with verbal behavioural and mental behavioural processes (They talked about the problem; They reflected/pondered over the problem).

THE Y TALKED ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: MATTER VERBAL WE WATCHED A MOVIE BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: RANGE MENTAL HE REFLECTED OVER THE PROBLEM BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL MATTER MENTAL: SHE CRITICIZED HIS MANNERS BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: TARGET VERBAL HE SLEPT SOUNDLY BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: A:cir PHYSIOLOGICAL HE SNEEZED BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: PHYSIOLOGICAL

BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES: A TRANSITION CATEGORY Behavioural processes are said to be located between material processes, on the one hand, and mental or verbal processes, on the other. This is particularly true of the verbal behavioural and the mental behavioural processes. They are not properly verbal or mental because THEY CANNOT PROJECT and, in the case of mental ones, because THEY INVOLVE VOLITION. So they are more “saying” and “thinking” or “perceiving” as BEHAVIOUR.

Their transitional character can be perceived in the following examples: He said that he was ill He thought that he was ill are properly verbal and mental because they can project (a locution and an idea respectively). He talked about his illness He reflected on/over his illness are not properly verbal or mental because there is no saying in the first one and no idea being brought into existence in the second one. They are saying and thinking as behaviour. BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES: A TRANSITION CATEGORY