Why economics journals?
Since the 1960s and 1970s, the focus on global economic development has led to a significant increase in economics literature, including books, magazines, newspapers, and journals (Dudley-Evans & Henderson, 1990) English has emerged as the international language of economics, primarily due to its status as the native language of the United States, the dominant economic power in the post-war era.
Most academic resources, including textbooks and journals, are predominantly available in English As Vietnam strives for economic growth and integration into the global economy, the importance of studying economics literature, particularly specialized texts, has increased significantly This literature serves as a vital communication tool among economists, policymakers, educators, and students in the field of economics.
Understanding economics texts can be challenging for general readers, language students, and newcomers to the field (Henderson and Dudley-Evans, 1990) To address these challenges, a series of seminars were conducted in the English Language Research Department at the University of Birmingham during 1986-1987, focusing on the language of economics These seminars aimed to support adult students struggling with economics literature.
According to Halliday (2005), economic literature can be classified into three categories: high brow, middle brow, and low brow High brow encompasses scholarly journals, middle brow includes college textbooks, and low brow consists of magazines aimed at the general public Scholars from both scientific and linguistic fields have engaged in discussions about the characteristics of these economic discourses Notably, economist McCloskey has contributed to this discourse through his influential series, "The Rhetoric of Economics."
McCloskey's influential work in economics, particularly in the years 1983, 1986, and 1990, has sparked a series of seminars and reviews, highlighting the integration of literary criticism into economic theory This innovative approach, as noted by Henderson and Dudley-Evans, emphasizes the modern understanding of knowledge, metaphor, and the creation of fictional worlds By focusing on literary thinking, including stylistics and rhetorical analysis, McCloskey's contributions have significantly impacted not only economists but also education scholars and linguists.
Henderson and Dudley Evans emphasized the importance of analyzing economics discourse to understand the relationship between language and economics texts They posed the central question: “What can we say about economics and economics texts based on language understanding?” This analysis offers valuable insights from both linguistic and subject matter perspectives, helping experts assess the nature of economics writing at various levels Such insights are crucial for enhancing the reading and writing skills of both first and second language students entering the field of economics.
In their studies from 1989 and 1990, researchers focused on the exploration of lexical metaphor and the syntax used in economics They also examined how the Introduction section of economics research articles is structured, emphasizing the advanced level of knowledge as described by Halliday.
(2005) calls it – to find out the changes in economics writing
Mason (1990, 1991) likens the experience of engaging with economic literature to "dancing on air," emphasizing its ethereal quality She has made significant efforts to linguistically interpret visual information in economics, asserting that the language used in this field plays a crucial role in understanding complex concepts.
Economists often rely on mathematical language to convey their ideas, but ultimately, they must express their conclusions in natural language This highlights the important connection between visual and verbal texts in economic discourse, a topic that has not been thoroughly explored Royce (1999) affirms that all published economic discourses incorporate some form of visual communication, and readers of economics would benefit from discussions primarily presented in written or orthographic forms.
Jordan (1978, 1984, 1990) examined economics discourse through the lens of teaching materials and pedagogy, highlighting the linguistic challenges faced by students He identified difficulties related to the language of figures, symbols, and diagrams, which can hinder comprehension in the subject.
Students must recognize the significance of visual information in economics discourse and develop the linguistic skills necessary to engage with economics texts effectively Fisher (1990) highlighted the critical need for ESP teachers to understand economics discourse and assessed existing economics textbooks, pinpointing key areas for improvement, such as teacher preparation, target student needs, vocabulary, cultural context, and numeracy skills While substantial research has been conducted on the language of economics across various levels of complexity—ranging from 'high brow' to 'low brow'—most studies have primarily focused on the lexical aspects of economics language.
In summary, while previous studies have explored the language of economics from different angles, none have examined economics specialized journals through a systemic functional approach or investigated their experiential meanings.
An in-depth analysis of the language used in specialized economics journals is essential, particularly through the lens of systemic functional grammar.
Why systemic functional grammar?
Researchers can utilize various grammatical paradigms for their work, including traditional grammar, structural grammar, transformational generative grammar, reference grammar, pedagogical grammar, and functional grammar Within the functional grammar framework, numerous subtypes exist across different languages, exemplified by works such as Functional Grammar.
Dik‘s (1978), Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar by Li and
Thompson‘s (1981), Functional Sentence Perspective in Written and Spoken Communication by Firbas (1992) and other works by other scholars of the Prague
School linguistics, Tiếng Việt: Sơ thảo ngữ pháp chức năng (Vietnamese: An
Outline of Functional Grammar) by Cao Xuân Hạo (2004), and An Introduction to
This study adopts Halliday's systemic functional grammar as its theoretical framework for two primary reasons Firstly, Halliday emphasizes that the connection between language and meaning is not arbitrary; language serves a functional purpose, and merely analyzing language forms cannot fully capture systemic language use According to Halliday, while language use is unique, it can be systematically examined from a functional perspective, allowing us to understand how we create meaning through our word choices (Halliday, 1994: xiii) Secondly, Halliday's model distinguishes itself by asserting that language fulfills three strands of meaning, known as 'metafunctions': (1) the ideational metafunction, which aids in understanding the environment and includes the experiential and logical metafunctions; (2) the interpersonal metafunction, which facilitates interaction among individuals; and (3) the textual metafunction, which organizes and structures communication.
5 orientate the language used towards the phenomena created by language itself) (see Halliday, 1994, 1994: xiii; Matthiessen, 1995)
This research aims to examine specialized economics journals through a systemic functional approach It specifically analyzes research papers in both English and Vietnamese, utilizing Halliday’s transitivity model as the theoretical framework to uncover their experiential meanings The study ultimately seeks to identify the similarities and differences between the two data sets.
Aim, objectives, and research questions
This study aims to compare English and Vietnamese economic research articles published in specialized economics journals, utilizing Halliday's transitivity model as the theoretical framework The research sets specific objectives to achieve this comparative analysis.
1 Exploring what transitivity resources are employed to construct experiential meanings in the English specialised economics journal articles, and how they are employed
2 Exploring what transitivity resources are employed to construct experiential meanings in the Vietnamese specialised economics articles and how they are employed
3 Comparing the two data sets to establish the similarities and differences between them in terms of experiential meanings
To fulfill the above aim and the objectives, the following three questions are raised for exploration:
1 What transitivity resources are employed to construct experiential meanings in English economics research articles, and how are they employed?
2 What transitivity resources are employed to construct experiential meanings in Vietnamese economics research artciles, and how are they employed?
3 What are the similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese economics research articles in terms of experiential meanings?
Scope of the study
This study focuses on examining and contrasting the experiential meanings found in specialized economics journals in both English and Vietnamese To analyze the two datasets, the research utilizes the transitivity model from Halliday’s systemic functional grammar framework.
Systemic functional grammar conceptualizes a clause as an integration of three key meanings: experiential, interpersonal, and textual, all expressed within a single wording While the study may reference interpersonal and textual meanings at times, the primary emphasis remains on the experiential aspect.
Economics encompasses a wide array of topics, analyzing economies at regional, national, and international levels To conduct a comprehensive contrastive analysis of research papers in this field, it is essential to gather a substantial number of relevant studies For this research, a total of 20 articles were selected, comprising 10 in English and 10 in Vietnamese Notably, all articles in the English corpus are recent, having been published from 2014 onward.
2020, and the Vietnamese counterparts are published from 2008 to 2020 All the 20 research articles have Introduction – Method – Results – Discussion structures Detail of these research articles will be presented in Chapter 2.
Methods of the study
This study aims to compare the construction of experiential meanings in specialized economics journal articles written in English and Vietnamese The primary research method employed is a comparative approach, which identifies the similarities and differences in experiential meanings between the two sets of research articles.
This study utilizes quantitative, qualitative, and descriptive methods to analyze data effectively The quantitative approach employs computational tools for data storage, calculation, and analysis Meanwhile, the qualitative method focuses on exploring the processes, participants, and circumstances that convey experiential meanings in the journals of the two languages.
The descriptive method is utilized to illustrate how processes, participants, and circumstances are employed to convey experiential meanings in the journals of both languages.
This analysis utilizes theoretical frameworks from English experiential grammar as outlined by Halliday (1985, 1994) and Vietnamese experiential grammar as presented by Hoàng Văn Vân (2012) While Hoàng Văn Vân's work is based on Halliday's Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG), it is essential to recognize that they pertain to different languages; Halliday's framework serves as a "global framework" for English, whereas Hoàng Văn Vân focuses specifically on the intricacies of Vietnamese grammar.
The organization of the study
The thesis is organised around five chapters:
Chapter 1 – Literature review – provides an overview of the concepts of genre and research genre, and systemic functional approach, and the transitivity model – the chosen framework for the research
Chapter 2 – Methodology outlines the research design and approach, detailing the specific methods employed in the study It also describes the corpora used and the computational tools that facilitate the storage and analysis of the data.
Chapter 3 explores the use of transitivity resources by authors in specialized English economics journals, addressing the research question of how these resources contribute to the construction of experiential meanings in economics research articles.
Chapter 4 explores the use of transitivity resources by authors in Vietnamese specialized economics journals, addressing research question 2 It examines how these resources contribute to constructing experiential meanings in English-language economics research articles.
Chapter 5 - Similarities and Differences between the Ways the Experiential Meanings are Expressed in Specialised Economics Journals in English and
Vietnamese – answers research question 3 Particulary, the chapter pinpoints the similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese economics research articles in terms of how experiential meanings are construed
LITERATURE REVIEW
Genre and research genre
Genre, as defined by Swale (1990, 2001), refers to a class of communicative events that share specific purposes recognized by experts within a discourse community These purposes not only justify the genre but also shape its structure and influence content and style choices The communicative purpose serves as a key criterion that maintains a focused scope on similar rhetorical actions Additionally, genre exemplars display patterns of similarity in structure, style, content, and audience When high expectations are met, an exemplar is considered prototypical by the discourse community Genre names are created and adopted by discourse communities, serving as valuable ethnographic communication, though they often require further validation.
According to Swales (1990), genre is defined as a recognizable communicative event that is characterized by the members of a professional or academic community These genres are structured and conventionalized, possessing specific intents, forms, and functional values that are most effectively utilized by members of the discourse community.
Swales (1981, 2001, 2005) explored the evolving nature of research articles (RAs) in English, concluding that they are dynamic genres His pioneering analysis focused on the construction of genre within RAs, particularly examining the introduction section, which laid the groundwork for subsequent studies on the rhetorical moves used to develop arguments in research articles.
Research on genre in scientific English has examined various aspects of verb forms, as seen in Huddleston's (1971) work, which aims to provide a descriptive account of distributional frequency This research serves as a foundation for prioritizing teaching items in specialized English as a second language (ESL) materials Additional studies have explored tense usage, such as Oster (1981) and Malcolm (1987), while Henderson and Hewing (1990) focused on lexical frequency Furthermore, the use of reporting verbs has been analyzed by Thomas (1991) and Thompson and Yiyun (1991), along with the impersonality of verbs investigated by Martinez (2001).
ESP-type analyses have explored various directions, categorizing texts as scientific, medical, legal, or journalistic in English However, Swale argued that these labels can be misleading and often overlook the essential aspects of communication, such as the relationships between the addresser and addressee, as well as genre conventions He emphasized the need to refine the textual scope, suggesting that this can lead to a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the text A notable example of this approach is the research conducted by Tarone et al.
In her 1981 study, Tarone examined the rhetorical choices influencing the use of "We + active verb" versus passive constructions in astrophysics papers Additionally, genre studies on research articles have been explored by Heslot (1982), Hopkins and Dudley Evans (1988), and Swale (1981), focusing on various sections of research papers.
Research articles (RAs) have been analyzed in various studies, such as those by Dudley Evans (1993) and De Bolivar (1985), which focus on their distinct structures and editorial moves Dudley Evans emphasizes that the organization of these moves is influenced by linguistic evidence and the expectations of both the general audience and the discourse community Furthermore, Bruce (1983) proposed the IMRD (Introduction-Method-Results-Discussion) format, which aligns with the logical cycle of inductive inquiry, highlighting the macro-structure of research articles Overall, the study of RA structures reveals a systematic approach to academic writing.
11 from different angles, but as Swale (2005) confirmed, there are cases that show that
RA are rarely simple narratives of investigations but complexly distanced reconstructions of research activities
In her doctoral dissertation (2001, cited by Swale, 2005), Noguchi analyzed the genre of review articles, categorizing them into four distinct types: (1) History, which presents a historical perspective on a specific aspect of the field; (2) Status quo, which describes the current state of affairs within the discipline; (3) Theory/Model, which proposes a theory or model aimed at addressing particular issues; and (4) Issue, which highlights significant concerns within the field.
Swale (2001) concluded from Noguchi's study that the traditional IMRD structure can feel somewhat "frozen," highlighting a shift towards diverse genres beyond this standard format He emphasized that the rise of electronic communications, especially the advent of e-journals, has significantly influenced the evolution of academic genres.
The selected economics articles for the thesis adhere to the IMRD structure, which includes distinct sections: Abstract, Introduction, Literature, Method, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion, each serving a specific purpose The Abstract provides a concise summary of the research, while the Introduction outlines the research topic, reviews relevant literature, and highlights the research methods and findings The Literature section identifies gaps in previous studies, establishing a foundation for the current research The Method section details the research process, allowing readers to assess the validity and reliability of the findings The Results synthesize the collected data, and the Discussion interprets this data in relation to the research problem.
The conclusion of the research serves as a summary of key findings, highlights the significance of the study, addresses gaps in existing literature, and offers predictions for future research According to Noguchi's observations, there is a lack of consistency among participants in how they prioritize content in the Abstract section, leading to various organizational structures used by researchers His study identified several schematic structures for abstracts, including chronological, general-specific, problem-solution, and method- or result-based frameworks (2005: 211).
In the Literature Review (LR) section of a research article, Swale noted that it does not lend itself to the move-step analysis effective in other sections like Introductions and Discussions He observed a lack of preferred ordering within this part and emphasized that its success is contingent upon different factors.
According to Swale (2005), the presence of an organizing mind is evident in the writing of literature reviews His preliminary evidence suggests that significant differences in research articles are primarily found in the Method and Results sections, rather than in the Introductions and Discussions Additionally, Smith (1982, as cited in Swale 1990) noted that research article structures vary across disciplines, particularly in terms of standardization and the use of nominalized impersonal styles.
Genre theory, rooted in systemic functional linguistics (SFL), focuses on text as a structured, goal-oriented social process It emphasizes the integration of field, tenor, and mode choices, known as register variables, as defined by Martin, which interact in predictable patterns.
Genre is a structured process that requires writers to navigate multiple steps to achieve their objectives, making it goal-oriented, as they often experience dissatisfaction if they fail to complete the final step Additionally, genre is social in nature, as writers tailor their texts to meet the expectations of specific audiences (Martin and Rose, 2008).
In functional linguistic terms, as confirmed by Martin and Rose (2008), genres are
Systemic functional approach
The historical influences that shaped the development of the systemic functional approach are examined, highlighting its significance as a crucial analytical framework for research This approach is explored in depth, emphasizing its relevance in contemporary studies.
Systemic functional linguistics is a model of language which was developed by
M.A.K Halliday His linguistic theory draws on work by a number of eminent linguists such as Ferdinand de Saussure (1913, 1983), Hjelmsev (1961),
Halliday‘s linguistics concerns cover wide areas including semantics, grammar, children‘s language development, discourse analysis, register analysis and the
Halliday's Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) offers a unique perspective on the application of linguistics in education, particularly in teaching children's language and translation Unlike other linguistic approaches, SFL emphasizes the social dimensions of language, viewing linguistics as a tool for action rather than merely a repository of knowledge It differentiates between potential and actual linguistic behaviors and uses concepts that highlight variations within the same linguistic phenomena Central to SFL is the notion of System, which underpins its theoretical framework (Nguyễn Thiện Giáp, 2001, in Halliday).
The concept of systemic, introduced by Firth, pertains to the functional paradigm that forms a network of theoretical relations, while Halliday emphasizes that system is integral to the grammar of any language He distinguishes between structures, which represent patterns and regularities, and systems, which denote alternatives and abstract representations across the paradigmatic axis In Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), structure reflects the external manifestation of systemic choices rather than merely defining language characteristics Consequently, system should not be viewed as a mere collection of structures; rather, it represents a cohesive whole Therefore, any aspect of language must be understood in relation to the broader context rather than in isolation.
SFG prioritizes paradigmatic relations, interpreting language as a network of interconnected options for meaning rather than merely a set of structures These options are defined by abstract features, with structure serving as the means to realize them (Halliday, 1994: 15-16).
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) perceives language as a collection of choices that facilitate meaning-making, encompassing semantics, grammar, and phonetics Language users navigate these options, starting from a broad perspective and gradually honing in on specific meanings Furthermore, from any chosen point within the linguistic system, users can explore alternative pathways, accessing different sets of options and reaching various other points of meaning.
We define system as a set of options together with an entry condition, such that if the entry condition is satisfied one option from the set must be selected (Halliday, 1972)
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) reveals the intricate relationships within language, emphasizing its stratification and the choices made in communication By utilizing text-based grammar tools, SFL allows for a deeper exploration of meaning in language Analyzing a text involves examining its functional structure and the significant choices made, as well as considering the meanings that could have been conveyed but were not.
The functional aspect of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) emphasizes the role of language in shaping our ecological and social environments According to Halliday (2004), language serves two primary functions: to make sense of our experiences and to navigate social relationships It employs lexico-grammatical resources to convey meanings through three meta-functions: the ideational meta-function, which includes experiential and logical components; the interpersonal meta-function, which reflects personal and social interactions; and the textual meta-function, which ensures cohesion and continuity in discourse These meta-functions operate simultaneously within each clause, allowing SFL to effectively explore the meanings and interactions present in language.
Figure 1.1: Meta-functions in SFL
Metafunctions in SFL (Halliday and Matthiessen, 2014: 31)
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) conceptualizes the linguistic system as consisting of three interconnected strata: sound (phonology), wording or lexico-grammar (encompassing morphology, lexis, and syntax), and meaning (semantics), with all choices made being contextualized The term "meta-function" highlights the essential role of function within the overarching theory (Halliday and Matthiessen, 2014: 31) This article will further explore the relationship between language and context, as well as delve deeper into the language strata proposed by Halliday.
The transitivity model
This research aims to compare the experiential meanings found in specialized economics articles in English and Vietnamese through the lens of transitivity resources To effectively compare these two data sets, it is essential to explore and establish a common theoretical framework, specifically the transitivity model To begin this process, we will reference Figure 1.2 from Hoàng Văn Vân.
SFL, or Systemic Functional Linguistics, is a comprehensive model of language in context that encompasses four levels: context, semantics, lexicogrammar, and phonology/phonetics For our research, we will concentrate on three key levels: context, semantics, and lexicogrammar, with a particular emphasis on the transitivity system within lexicogrammar This framework will guide our comparative analysis of English and Vietnamese clauses, while the phonological level will not be addressed in this study.
As aforementioned, language is not simply mono-stratum itself but a semiotic system with various levels Halliday views language strata as tri-strata system
18 including the ‗context‘ stratum, the ‗content‘ stratum and ‗expression‘ stratum Let us now look into the outermost stratum – the context before going in depth into other linguistic strata
Social context, defined by Halliday (1978: 5) as "the total context in which a text unfolds," plays a crucial role in understanding discourse Malinowski (as cited by Bloor and Bloor, 2004: 244) initially introduced this concept, highlighting two distinct levels: "the context of situation" and the broader social environment.
Understanding an utterance requires placing it within the intricate social details surrounding it, as emphasized by Malinowski Meaning is constructed through the events, participants, social contexts, and societal assumptions that influence communication Malinowski introduced the concept of 'situation,' referring to the ongoing events and actions occurring during conversations He also highlighted how spoken language grammar is systematically organized to relate to these contexts These contexts encompass both the traditional sense of community culture and the specific situational context in which communication takes place.
Halliday explained the context of culture and context of situation as follows:
Language functions as a system of lexical items and grammatical categories that must be connected to its cultural context Additionally, specific texts and their elements should be understood in relation to their situational context Both cultural and situational contexts exist beyond the language itself.
The cultural context serves as a framework for a community's potential for meaning, encompassing various semiotic systems such as language, gestures, facial expressions, and voice quality In contrast, the situational context pertains to specific instances of language use, providing the backdrop for communication as an active process.
The following figure shows the relations between language and context, system and instance:
The chart illustrates Halliday's concept of instantiation, where moving from the potential pole to the instance pole reveals that a system is manifested in text, making a situation an instance of culture Language operates through text, establishing that the context of a particular instance is linked to the context of the situation, which in turn reflects cultural elements The context behind any text is rooted in the context of the situation, and each situation is underpinned by cultural context Language embodies culture similarly to how meaning is expressed through lexico-grammatical structures Consequently, culture and situation are considered sub-systems along the system axis, while situation and text types are categorized as instance types along the instance axis.
Halliday emphasizes the interconnectedness of language and context, highlighting that text and context coalesce to shape culture and situations through language This relationship is not causal but rather a semiotic one, representing an "interlocking system of meaning." He asserts that the context of culture and the context of situation are essentially the same, viewed from different observational depths The culture of speakers and writers is reflected in the various situations they engage in, which in turn manifest as evolving texts Consequently, the social organization patterns of a culture can be symbolized through the patterns of social interaction present in each context.
20 situation; and in turns, the context of situation are realised as patterns of discourse in each text
Halliday connects the context of situation to three key social functions of language: first, it illustrates the relationships between speakers; second, it helps to express their experiences of social activities; and third, it integrates these elements to create coherent and meaningful discourse.
Accordingly, the context of situation will be varied with the three dimensions, and
Halliday identifies three key situational dimensions: field, tenor, and mode, which form the foundation for developing a taxonomy of both situations and texts within specific contexts This framework is supported by the work of Halliday and Matthiessen.
(2014: 35), semantic, lexicogrammatical consideration should align them with contextual consideration to keep the taxonomy ‗on the right track‘
The Field of discourse encompasses the ongoing social actions and interactions among participants, highlighting the context in which they are engaged Language plays a crucial role as an essential component in these interactions, shaping the nature of the discourse.
The Tenor of discourse encompasses the participants involved in a conversation, highlighting their roles, statuses, and the nature of their relationships It examines both the permanent and temporary dynamics among participants, including the specific speech roles they adopt during dialogue, as well as the broader socially significant relationships that influence the interaction.
The mode of discourse encompasses the role of language in communication, highlighting participants' expectations and the text's symbolic organization It examines the status and function of the text within its context, including whether it is spoken, written, or a combination of both Additionally, it considers the rhetorical mode, focusing on the text's purpose in categories such as persuasive, expository, or didactic.
According to Halliday and Hasan (1985: 12), the three dimensions of a situation are expressed through the functional dimensions of language, known as metafunctions These include the interpersonal metafunction, which establishes relationships; the ideational metafunction, which represents experiences; and the textual metafunction, which organizes discourse effectively.
As can be seen in figure 1.3, within the context, the two strata are the ‗content‘ and
The 'content' stratum encompasses both semantics and lexicogrammar, facilitating the expansion of a language's meaning potential Semantics focuses on the organization of text as a system of meanings, while grammar pertains to the structural composition of clauses into units of words or phrases This interplay between semantics and grammar enhances the expressive power of language.
The transitivity system in English
Our experience of the world is shaped by a continuous flow of events, which can be broken down into distinct changes through the grammatical structure known as TRANSITIVITY This structure consists of three key components: (1) processes that unfold over time, (2) participants engaged in these processes, and (3) accompanying circumstances Each of these elements represents a quantum of change, illustrating the various figures of happening, doing, sensing, saying, being, or having (Halliday and Matthiessen, 1999).
From what is described by Halliday, transitivity figure, which also shows transitivity resources can be seen in the Figure 1.4 below:
The transitivity system developed by Halliday recognizes three main process types: material, mental, and relational, along with three subsidiary types: behavioural, verbal, and existential This framework also encompasses the participants involved in these processes and the circumstances surrounding them, providing a comprehensive understanding of how actions and interactions are structured in language.
This article provides a comprehensive review of various process types, detailing the roles of participants and the specific circumstances associated with each Additionally, a dedicated section examines the different types of incumbent circumstances relevant to these processes.
Halliday (1973, 1994, 2004) identifies three primary types of processes: material processes that pertain to external experiences, mental processes that relate to our inner consciousness, and relational processes that classify and identify the things around us Additionally, there are processes that exhibit characteristics of both categories, existing at their intersections.
Animate/inanimate Doer, Be-er, Sayers, Sensor, Existent, Behavior
Cause, Contingency, Accompaniment, Matter, Extent, Stance/Angle
28 having attributes of their own These three other include behavioural, verbal and existential process The following diagram summarises the process types
Figure 1.5(i): The grammar experience: Types of process in English
This semiotic space can also be interpreted systemically as a system of networks below And like any other networks, this one construes a continuous semiotic space
There are a number of systems such as system of agency and system of process types, and so on The system of process types is discussed immediately below
Figure 1.5(ii): Transitivity presented as system network
The process type system illustrated in Figure 1.5(i) encompasses a comprehensive space, with various terms denoting interconnected areas This system consists of six distinct processes: material, behavioral, mental, verbal, relational, and existential Each term serves as a relational entry point, leading to more intricate aspects of the network that delineate the grammar specific to each process type.
Material process is the process of doing, construing doings and happenings A material clause is characterised by structural configurations Actor, Goal/Recipients
+ Process and Circumstances which are related to time, place, manner and condition…
The process serves as the core element in configuration, where participants engage directly in transient processes, while maintaining a sense of permanence to facilitate significant changes.
Let‘s examine the following clause:
Small firms provided 51% of private sector output
The clause highlights a material process where small firms act as the Actor, driving 51% of private sector output as the Goal This transitive process encompasses both the doer and the recipient of the action, illustrating the significant role of small businesses in the economy.
It is also noted about the assumption that lies behind the notion of Actor and Goal
If the process has a Goal or Actor, then the representation may come in two forms, either Operative (active) or Receptive (passive)
In a number of doing clauses, there are additional participants including Client, Attribute, Role, Recipients or Places or Scope (process or entity) in intransitive processes, as in the following examples:
Food is produced in rural areas
An increase in tradable sector productivity pulls labor in from other sectors
The mental process, often referred to as sensing, is a conscious and internalized mechanism that encompasses cognition, perception, and affection This process involves various activities such as sensing, perceiving, thinking, and feeling, which are integral to our understanding and emotional responses Key examples of this mental process include actions like expect, observe, understand, believe, remember, and feel, highlighting its complexity and significance in human experience (Halliday and Matthiessen, 2014: 257).
Mental process is configured as Process + Senser + Phenomenon
The Senser, often described as a "conscious being," typically refers to individuals or groups such as the public, government, or global community It embodies the essence of human consciousness, represented through various forms like films, reports, studies, and research, all produced by a collective that signifies a powerful entity.
Let‘s take a look at this mental clause as an example:
- The Hispanic males felt they needed less assistance in the areas of finance and accounting than the females did
In the clause, the mental process is felt, the Senser is The Hispanic males, and the
Phenomenon is they needed less assistance in the areas of finance and accounting than the females did
The phenomenon encompasses what is felt, thought, perceived, or desired, serving as the focal point of consciousness Importantly, in mental processes, a phenomenon can include a broader spectrum of elements, extending beyond mere objects to encompass facts and actions, as illustrated in the examples provided.
The enterprises saw that tax increase affected their productivity [an act]
The companies expected (the fact) that tax break was a priority to those in agriculture [a fact]
An act or fact expressed within a clause, as illustrated in the examples, is classified as an embedded or rank-shifted clause.
The relational process focuses on describing, certifying, and characterizing entities, and can be categorized into intensive, attributive, identifying, circumstantial, and possessive types It interprets our experiences as 'having' or 'being' rather than 'doing' This process is expressed through two modes: 'Attribute' and 'Identifying'.
The growth rate of women-owned firms, 9.4%, is more than double that of
Carrier Proc: relational Attribute male-owned firms, 43%
The Carrier is The growth rate of women-owned firms, Process: relational is is and the Attribute to the Carrier is more than double that of male-owned firms, 43%
When examining clauses from a lower perspective, they may appear similar due to the use of the verb "be" in either simple or past forms; however, they differ in whether the second participant is a non-specific or specific nominal group This perspective allows us to understand how relational processes are expressed By looking at these clauses from a broader viewpoint, we can explore other systemic variations and ultimately analyze the type of experiences they convey.
The principal property of relational clause derives from its nature of configuration being, but this being is not existing In Relational clauses, there are two parts – two
‗Be-ers‘ - in which one is said to be the second part
Relational processes are categorized into two modes: identifying and attributive In the identifying mode, the two elements can be interchanged, whereas in the attributive mode, they cannot be reversed This distinction is crucial for understanding the nature of relational processes.
Inflation is the increase in the general price level [Identifying mode] Identified Proc: rel Identifier
This kinked point is salient [Attributive mode]
In the first example, we can reverse the two paricipants by saying An increase in general price level is inflation making An increase in general price level function as
Identifier and inflation as Identified They can also be assigned the roles of Token and Value repsectively
In the second example, the term "salient" cannot be equated with "kinked point," as it merely represents one attribute of the kinked point This relationship can be described as that of a Carrier and Attribute, where the kinked point serves as the Carrier and "salient" is the corresponding Attribute.
The transitivity system in Vietnamese
Despite numerous studies on traditional and non-systemic functional grammars of Vietnamese, research on systemic functional grammars remains limited A review of the literature reveals only two notable studies in this area, highlighting the scarcity of systemic functional grammar research specific to the Vietnamese language.
Thái Minh Đức's "Interpretation of Vietnamese Grammar" (1998) explores the three systems of the Vietnamese clause: Theme, Mood, and Transitivity In contrast, Hoàng Văn Vân's "An Experiential Grammar of the Vietnamese Clause" (2012) focuses exclusively on the Transitivity system Citing Halliday (1994), Hoàng Văn Vân emphasizes that each language possesses its unique semantic code, indicating that grammatical aspects in English may not align with those in other languages Consequently, he adopts Halliday's transitivity framework for his analysis of Vietnamese grammar.
This article examines the concept of 'metatheory' and its application in interpreting the transitivity system of the Vietnamese language Additionally, it highlights Hoàng Văn Vân's research on experiential grammar within economic research articles A dedicated section will be included to further explore Vân's contributions to this field.
Hoàng Vân Vân (2012), following the Hallidayan SFG framework, also recognises six process types in the Vietnamese clause But unlike Halliday (1985, 1994) and
Halliday and Matthiessen (2014) categorize process types into three superordinate terms: Doing, Projecting, and Being, rather than distinguishing them as 'principal' or 'subsidiary' features The Doing category includes material and behavioral processes, Projecting encompasses mental and verbal processes, while Being covers relational and existential processes Each process type is associated with specific participant roles, which will be summarized in the following sections For further details, refer to Hoàng Văn Vân's works from 2002 to 2018.
The material process involves actions and events such as buying, selling, increasing, decreasing, transferring, and affecting It can include one to three participants, with a single participant in a material process being referred to as the actor.
Actor (one that does the deed) as in Thu nhập bình quân đầu người ( income per capita)- (Actor) tăng (increase)- (Process: material) nhanh (rapidly)
In linguistic terms, a circumstance with two participants involves an Actor and a Goal, where the Actor performs an action that affects the Goal For example, in the sentence "The business bought modern equipment," the business acts as the Actor and the modern equipment is the Goal When the situation involves three participants, the roles expand to include an Actor, a Goal, and a Receiver, where the Receiver benefits from the action An example of this is "The company transferred," where the company is the Actor, the transferred item is the Goal, and the beneficiary is the Receiver.
In the transitivity system, material processes can be expressed in various voices For instance, they may appear in the middle voice, as seen in "Per capita income increased rapidly," or in the effective voice, exemplified by "Many businesses are affected by Covid-19." Additionally, these processes can be articulated in active voice, such as "The company has transferred their equities to another investor," or in passive voice, demonstrated by "The equities have been transferred to another investor."
The behavioral process encompasses both physiological and psychological behaviors, such as worry, complaint, and blame In this context, a single participant, known as the Behaver, can be illustrated by employers who are expressing concern about an unhealthy competitive environment This highlights the interplay between the Behaver and the circumstances that influence their behavioral responses.
Economists have discovered new scientific results through behavioral processes Hoàng Văn Vân (2012) highlights that the behavioral process shares characteristics with three other types of processes: material, mental, and verbal.
He classifies behavioural process into six sub-groups based on the domain they share with other process types (for detail, see Hoàng Văn Vân, 2012: 171)
Mental process is the process of sensing such as nghĩ (think), thích (like), quan tâm
The process of concern and desire reflects human consciousness through the lens of sensation rather than action In Vietnamese mental processes, there are typically two key participants: the Senser, who embodies the one that senses, feels, thinks, or desires, and the Phenomenon, which represents the object of these sensations and feelings.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) businesses will pay increased attention to export costs and trade barriers.
The verbal process involves various forms of communication, including actions like confirming, stating, and concluding This category encompasses not only verbs related to speech but also any symbolic exchanges, such as showing, revealing, and indicating.
In Vietnamese, a verbal process often includes a participant known as the Sayer, who conveys information For instance, in the phrase "Kết quả nghiên cứu chỉ ra," the Sayer clearly indicates the research findings through the act of saying.
(Circumstance); two participants referred to respectively, depending on each particular subtype of verbal process, as Sayer and Target (one that the verbalisation
In the context of verbal communication, the Sayer conveys a message, as seen in the example where Ông (he) said to us, emphasizing the importance of investment structures This notion is further supported by Trần Kim Chung (2012), who confirmed the significance of investment, illustrating the role of both the Sayer and the Verbiage in effective communication.
In the sentence, "They spoke Russian to us," "they" serves as the Sayer, "spoke" represents the verbal process, "Russian" is the Target, and "to us" indicates the Recipient who benefits from the communication.
Impersonality
Among the various features of scientific research genre such as persuasive language, conscious and unconscious rhetorical decision (Basement, 1988) or impersonal components of language (Bloor and Bloor, 1993, Salager and Meyer,
1994) play a significant role Impersonality and objectivity are also significant in types of genre Meanwhile, the goals of research genre may be achieved through
45 impersonal constructions by which the writers can strategically distance themselves from their own reports (Martine, 2005)
Transitivity serves as a syntactic tool for representing participants within a clause, particularly highlighting the subject participant This representation facilitates explicit authority intervention or impersonal distancing, ultimately aiming to achieve a clearer understanding of the roles involved.
The concept of 'objectification' highlights how the removal of explicit agency contributes to a lack of rhetorical characteristics in writing (Halliday and Martin, 1993) This absence of agency can be achieved through various linguistic structures, including ergative constructions, passive voice, inanimate subjects, and nominalizations (Lyons, 1986; Synclair, 1990; Martinez, 2001; Master, 1991; Halliday, 1994) To better understand how transitivity resources and related aspects express experiential meanings in research articles, the author examines the use of ergative, passive, and animate/inanimate subject structures.
The concept of ergativity in English is often misunderstood, with Dixon (1991) labeling its application as a 'misuse.' Quirk et al (1985) avoid the term, preferring to focus on 'causation' and 'agency.' Traditionally, ergativity has been seen as a lexical phenomenon tied to specific words However, Halliday (1970, 1985) offers a broader semantic perspective, suggesting that ergativity reflects meaning conveyed through various lexico-grammatical choices, ultimately reinterpreting it in relation to the semantic concept of causation.
Let us examine the clauses below:
(2) The government increases tax rates
Clause (1) has only one participant tax rates while clause (2) has two participants
The distinction between clause (1) and clause (2) lies not only in the presence of a second participant but also in the specific role that participant plays, particularly as the external causer of the action In cases where the action primarily involves the participant tax, the government's role becomes significant as it facilitates the occurrence of the increase.
Halliday (1976) refers to the ergative model of transitivity, which, along with the transitive model, forms a comprehensive system of transitivity where both models complement each other Additionally, Halliday (2004) identifies tax rates as a participant in the process, designating them as the Medium.
In Halliday's framework, the distinction between the Medium as the Actor in a material process and as the Goal is significant, yet the boundary between these roles can be ambiguous For example, the transitive structure "the government increases the tax rate" is a fixed configuration, whereas the ergative construction "tax rates increase" allows for more flexibility and openness in expression.
Tax rates increase: - The government made the tax rates increase,
- The government got the tax rates to increase, or
- The government increases the tax rates
The increase in tax rates follows an ergative model, making it intransitive and impersonal, as it does not allow us to ask "By whom?" In contrast, the phrase "The tax rates are increased (by the government)" retains the ability to pose that question, highlighting the agent responsible for the action.
Halliday (2004, 2014) asserts that voice is expressed through tense, with the active voice lacking an explicit marker and the passive voice formed using "be/get" plus the passive participle He notes that passive voice functions as an additional secondary tense, and the development of passive tenses has not kept pace with active tenses (Halliday, 2014: 400).
Our detailed monthly bank-firm individual loan transaction-level data are collected by the BRSA
The BRSA has gathered our comprehensive monthly data on individual loan transactions between banks and firms, with the BRSA acting as the key entity in this process.
The representations of the process collect come in either form: the active or called operative and the passive or called receptive by Halliday and Matthiessien (2014:
The distinction between active and passive voice, specifically in transitive clauses, highlights the contrast between 'operative' and 'receptive' roles Despite this difference in voice, both types of clauses share a common experiential structure, represented by the configuration of Actor + Process.
+ Goal in material processes or Senser + Process + Phenomenon in mental processes
The difference is, according to Halliday and Matthiessen (2014: 227) the roles are mapped onto the interpersonal functions in the modal structure of the clause In the
The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) has gathered detailed monthly transaction-level data on individual loans between banks and firms In this process, BRSA serves as the central participant, emphasizing its role in overseeing and analyzing these transactions The collected data represents the goal of this initiative, providing valuable insights into the dynamics of bank-firm lending activities.
In the passive voice, our comprehensive monthly bank-firm individual loan transaction data is aligned with the Subject, which becomes the main focus of the clause This structure emphasizes the central participant while the Actor takes a secondary role.
The BRSA can function as an adjunct in a sentence, often remaining unexpressed or implicit, which contributes to the text's impersonality Despite the agent being implicit, it remains a crucial element in the clause, prompting us to consider questions such as "By whom?" or "By what?" to identify the underlying participant.
Review of previous studies on SFL and transitivity analysis
In Vietnam, the number of studies using SFL as the theoretical framework reaches some thousands, but the number of comparative studies using SFL as the framework
48 is scarce Within the related literature available, we find studies by Đỗ Tuấn Minh
(2007), Nguyễn Thị Thu Hạnh (2012), Nguyễn thị Minh Tâm (2013), Shuyuan et al
In his comparative study titled "Thematic Structure in English and Vietnamese from a Systemic Functional Perspective," Đỗ Tuấn Minh analyzes the thematic structures of clauses in both languages across various metafunctions and mood types Utilizing data from diverse genres such as novels, short stories, newspapers, and magazines, he concludes that Vietnamese clauses encompass all experiential, interpersonal, and textual themes, which largely align with those in English, with the notable exception of finite verbal operators as interpersonal themes in English Additionally, Minh examines declarative and non-declarative clauses to highlight the similarities and differences in thematic structures between English and Vietnamese.
Nguyễn Thu Hạnh (2012) analyzed transitivity in Hoa Pham's "Heroic Mother" to explore the character's personality and emotions In a subsequent study, she applied the SFL transitivity framework to examine femininity and female sexual desires in "The Lang Women" by Masters Through these analyses, Nguyễn Thu Hạnh (2018) demonstrated that transitivity patterns reveal significant personal and emotional dimensions of characters, highlighting their personality traits She also affirmed Halliday's (1971) assertion that a deep understanding of grammar, particularly transitivity, facilitates a more profound interpretation of literary texts.
Transitivity serves as a fundamental element in the semantic organization of experience Nguyễn Thị Minh Tâm's 2013 study, titled "Logico-semantic Relationship in English and Vietnamese Clause Complexes," explores the comparative logico-semantic relationships within clause complexes of both languages This research is a corpus-based comparative analysis, utilizing a dataset of 1,000 English clause complexes alongside 1,000 Vietnamese clause complexes The study employs Sysfan as a key tool in its examination.
The study utilizes a computational tool for storing, annotating, and analyzing a corpus comprised of comparable texts from ten different types of magazines and journals in both English and Vietnamese Nguyễn Thị Minh Tâm highlights the similarities and differences in the realization and functioning of logico-semantic relationships within clause complexes in English and Vietnamese.
Shuyuan et al (2014) conducted a functional stylistic analysis of transitivity in English-medium medical research articles, examining 25 complete articles Their findings highlighted the significance of the transitivity system in shaping the stylistic features of these research articles They noted that the use of various process types in different sections aligns with the specific purposes and style requirements of each section The study emphasized that appropriate application of process types is crucial for writers to produce stylistically effective medical research articles However, it is important to note that the analysis was limited to English-language articles, making it a study of analysis rather than a comparative investigation.
Võ Thị Bê‘s (2020) study entitled Đặc điểm tiếng Anh chuyên ngành dược học trong sự đối chiếu với tiếng Việt (Linguistic Features of English and Vietnamese
The article "Pharmaceutical Research Articles: A Contrastive Analysis" examines the linguistic features of pharmaceutical research articles in English and Vietnamese, utilizing a dataset of 25 articles from each language Conducted by Võ Thị Bê, the research employs Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) as its framework to highlight significant linguistic characteristics, focusing specifically on the dimensions of Field, Mode, and Tenor This comprehensive study addresses the unique aspects of pharmaceutical language, contributing valuable insights into the comparative analysis of research articles across these two languages.
Economics discourse
Economics discourse has been the subject matter of studies in a number of researches recently, especially to economists and to linguists as well as to educators
In fact, there have been researches into how economists (Mc Closkey, 1983, 1986; Henderson, 1987, 1990; Dudley Even and Henderson, 1990; Warren Samuel Ed,
1990) use language to express themselves and also the studies of how educators (Bramki and William, 1984; Hewings, 1989; Henderson and Hewings, 1987; Jordan
1878, 1984; Tadros, 1979, 1981, 1985; Royce, 1984, 1993, 1994) help their students deal with this kind of difficult specialised language at both lexico- grammatical level and discourse level
In 1986, McCloskey examined economic writings to establish a common ground between economists and linguists, emphasizing a new literary perspective on economic texts He highlighted the importance of communication methods among economists and introduced the concept of "The Rhetoric of Economics," illustrating how literary, methodological, and epistemological approaches are interconnected McCloskey urged economists to pay attention to specific knowledge, the role of metaphor, and the construction of fictional elements in their work He defined rhetoric as a means of promoting honesty and intellectual persuasiveness in scholarly discussions While he identified key rhetorical devices such as synecdoche, metonymy, metaphor, and irony as essential to economic writing, he did not clarify their significance Additionally, he faced the dilemma of adopting a general versus a specific approach to argumentation, similar to linguists Dudley Even and Henderson noted that McCloskey's criteria for "good economic writing" focus on sentence-level considerations, which may not hold validity outside the discourse community Ultimately, McCloskey's contributions extend beyond economists to those involved in education and applied discourse.
Henderson (1982, 1987, 1990) expanded on McCloskey's concept of the abstract nature of economics writing as a simplification of reality, emphasizing the significance of verbs, particularly those indicating development, in this genre He analyzed the use of intransitive verbs and noun forms that often omit actors, allowing authors to focus on the technical aspects being discussed Echoing Halliday, Henderson argued that authors make deliberate grammatical and lexical choices to convey meaning, making it essential to examine these choices, especially in relation to the transitivity system and the gaps created by compound nouns and nominal groups His collaborative works with colleagues like Dudley Evan (1990, 1991, 1993) and Hewings (1987, 1990) have sparked increased interest in the study of economic language among applied linguists Additionally, Warren Samuels' edited volume (1990) highlights that economics writing, as discourse, should address the interplay between knowledge (truth) and language (discourse), requiring careful selection of words that effectively convey the meanings related to the subject matter.
Studies on economics discourse have focused on pedagogical strategies to enhance reading comprehension Bramki and Williams (1984) and Henderson and Hewings (1987b) emphasized the role of lexical familiarization in addressing students' difficulties Additionally, Mauren (1993) explored cross-cultural differences in economics writing, noting a balance between the uniformity required by academic genres and the cultural variations in rhetorical preferences among native and non-native speakers.
Concerning syntactic studies, which is another aspect of economic discourse studies among what Royce (1995) grouped and named ‗micro-studies‘ of economics
Spenser (1975, 1976) looked at specialised vocabulary, Johns looked at cohesive devices in business discourse, Mead and Henderson (1983) discussed the relationship between form and meanings in economics writing Tadros (1979, 1981,
In 1985, research focused on linguistic prediction within economics texts, while Mason's studies in 1990 and 1991 explored the abstract nature of economic discourse Mason identified several linguistic mechanisms that contribute to the abstraction of economic language, including changes in word class, the use of metaphor, personification, and passive voice.
From a macro perspective, research by Pindi and Bloor (1987) examines hedging and schematic structures in economic survey and forecasting texts, while Dudley Evans and Henderson (1990) conduct a genre analysis of introductions to economics articles on taxation published in the Economic Journal.
Pindi and Bloor developed a six-move model based on Swales' (1981) move approach, illustrating a typical pattern for constructing arguments in economic forecasting While this model is deemed student-friendly, it is primarily applicable to the specific context of the analyzed text rather than serving as a comprehensive framework for professional forecasting Similarly, Dudley Evan and Henderson's genre-based research focuses on the evolution of writing conventions in economics, particularly in article introductions, utilizing Swales' model The authors acknowledge that further development is necessary to effectively define the changing culture of the discipline through shifts in language use.
Royce (1993, 1995) examined the intersemiotic complementarity of visual and verbal elements in economics magazines, utilizing Halliday's Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) to analyze communication as a system of meaning His findings revealed that in representative texts from economics magazines, the visual and verbal modes work together semantically, creating a cohesive textual phenomenon characterized by inter-semiotic complementarity.
Based on the previous studies, it follows that economics discourse have some
The language of economics research articles exhibits unique characteristics, including specific genres and distinctive properties such as specialized terminology, lexical metaphors, rhetorical devices, and levels of abstractness, as well as grammatical metaphors Notably, there has been a lack of studies examining this language from Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) perspectives, and no comparative analyses have been conducted to explore these features.
1.8.2 Characteristic features of economics research articles
English specialized economics journals serve as research reports authored by economists and other professionals, featuring unique structures that set them apart from articles found in magazines or newspapers, as noted by Swale (1987, 2001, 2005) and Bhatia.
Exemplars within the same genre exhibit similar structures, styles, and content, targeting a common audience with shared communicative purposes The nature and construction of a genre are shaped by various factors, including content, form, and channel, but are primarily defined by their communicative objectives that establish an internal structure Additionally, members of professional or academic communities are typically recognized for defining the genre's structure, and writers must adhere to specific standard practices within the genre's boundaries Furthermore, specialists are more adept at navigating these constraints compared to non-specialists.
Economics research articles aim to communicate findings to fellow researchers, educators, and students who possess a foundational understanding of economic concepts and share an interest in economic issues This focus on knowledge dissemination is supported by the studies conducted by Swale (1987).
Economics research articles are considered "prototype" scientific reports, characterized by their unique structures that are culture-specific and purposeful These articles typically feature a distinct beginning, body, and conclusion, along with specific linguistic attributes that set them apart from other types of research.
In terms of linguistic features, economic language has specific features such as the abstract nature in writing, the use of ‗expert grammar‘ for reasoning (Halliday,
In academic discourse, the employment of abstract language such as metaphor, metonymy, personification, and nominalization can create ambiguities in communication (Mason, 1990) Additionally, the integration of specialized terminology and references to other semiotic systems, including mathematical modeling, enhances the depth of analysis (McCloskey, 1986) Furthermore, the use of visual-verbal intersemiotic complementarity enriches the overall understanding of complex concepts (Royce).
1993, 1995), the impersonality (Bloor and Bloor, 1993, Salager and Meyer, 1994), and the use of passive voice to create abstractness (Mason, 1990)
This research builds upon prior studies of the schematic structure of research articles, utilizing Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) to explore how experiential meanings—a key register variable reflecting the generic characteristics of research articles—are constructed through the transitivity system in both English and Vietnamese economics research articles.
Summary
This chapter examines the theory of genre and research genre, followed by an in-depth analysis of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and the transitivity model to establish the theoretical framework for the research It includes a concise overview of contexts, semantics, lexicogrammar, and clauses, leading to a comprehensive exploration of transitivity resources in both English and Vietnamese.
The analysis of English and Vietnamese corpora utilizes Halliday's transitivity framework and Hoàng Văn Vân's adaptations, highlighting both similarities and differences in their approaches to clause functions and transitivity resources While both frameworks share foundational concepts, they differ in the classification of processes and circumstances, particularly due to the distinct word orders of the two languages Hoàng Văn Vân's comprehensive guidelines for analyzing Vietnamese clauses and identifying transitivity resources are crucial for this research, as they streamline the subsequent analytical process Following the comparative review of transitivity resources in both languages, further exploration is warranted.
This chapter explores the role of voice and ergative structures in enhancing the impersonal features of research articles (R.As) It concludes with an examination of previous studies in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), transitivity, and economic discourse, highlighting the identified research gaps and underscoring the importance of the current study.
The next chapter is a detailed description of the research methodology, approach, specific methods and corpora as well as the computational tool that assisted the analysis of the English clause