Rational of the study
The most powerful human quality is the ability to effectively use, understand, and communicate through language Proficient language use enables precise communication of ideas, feelings, needs, and inquiries between individuals or groups Language is integral to human existence, leading prominent linguists to study its structure, commonly referred to as grammar.
Grammar can be understood through various lenses, with traditional grammar focusing on parts of speech such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives, while twentieth-century approaches lean towards formal and functional grammar However, Christie (1981) argues that relying solely on traditional grammar can restrict teachers and hinder students' understanding of language within its learning context, likening it to a "jail" for educators (Cope, 1993).
Formal grammar outlines the grammatical structures of a language as a set of rules, emphasizing the relationships between these structures While traditional and formal grammar were being taught, linguists sought to develop a more advanced approach known as systemic functional grammar (Halliday et al., cited in Cope, 1993) Many linguistic theories concentrate solely on the structural aspects of language, overlooking its functional uses In response, functional grammar emerged to address issues related to language use "in context" (Halliday, 2004) This approach provides an analytical framework for examining both the entire text and the grammatical features characteristic of specific text types.
In exploring functional grammar, Michael Halliday's intriguing question about the structure of language prompts reflection on its role in social communication As an English teacher, I seek effective methods to help my students grasp the language, and I've found that functional grammar offers a systematic approach to understanding the choices available in conveying human experiences through English clauses This perspective allows for a more dynamic study of English grammar Consequently, I have chosen to focus on the experiential meaning expressed through transitivity, using Oscar Wilde's short story "The Nightingale and the Rose" as a case study This fairy tale, despite its simple plot, imparts profound lessons about love and features engaging elements like talking animals and trees, making it accessible for readers to understand the transitivity system in functional grammar.
This thesis, titled “Transitivity and its Realization in the Short Story ‘The Nightingale and the Rose’ by Oscar Wilde,” aims to assist students in their understanding of English and serves as a valuable reference for researchers interested in exploring functional grammar as a theoretical framework.
Aim and objectives of the study
This study investigates the experimental meanings in Oscar Wilde's short story "The Nightingale and the Rose" through the lens of systemic functional grammar Key objectives are established to facilitate a deeper exploration of the text's meanings and structures.
- Exploring systemic functional grammar concepts to establish the framework for the transitivity analysis
In Oscar Wilde's "The Nightingale and the Rose," the analysis of transitivity highlights the various types of processes and accompanying circumstances that convey experiential meanings By examining the actions and interactions of characters, Wilde effectively illustrates the themes of love, sacrifice, and the complexities of human emotion The use of diverse processes enhances the narrative, revealing deeper insights into the characters' motivations and the overarching moral dilemmas they face This exploration of transitivity not only enriches the story but also invites readers to reflect on the profound impact of choices and consequences in the pursuit of love.
Scope of the study
This study focuses specifically on the aspect of transitivity within functional grammar, analyzing its implementation in Oscar Wilde's short story "The Nightingale and the Rose."
Methods of the study
This study aims to explore the concept of transitivity as it is manifested in Oscar Wilde's short story "The Nightingale and the Rose." Employing descriptive and analytical methods, the research will first outline key concepts from systemic functional linguistics and the transitivity system Subsequently, the analytical method will be applied to scrutinize the text, including statistical analysis to determine the frequency of various processes within the narrative The framework for this analysis is grounded in Halliday’s (1994) "An Introduction to Functional Grammar."
Design of the study
The study is structured into three main sections: Introduction, Development, and Conclusion The Introduction outlines the rationale, aims, objectives, scope, methods, and design of the research.
Part B of the thesis, titled "The Development," consists of three chapters Chapter 1 outlines the theoretical framework, focusing on systemic functional linguistics, its metafunctions, and the transitivity system, which sets the stage for the analysis in Chapter 2 In Chapter 2, the short story "The Nightingale and the Rose" is examined through the lens of transitivity Finally, Chapter 3 summarizes the various types of processes and circumstances present in the story, highlighting the significance of their application.
Part C, the Conclusion, offers a summary of what has been studied, points out the limitations of the study, presents educational implications and gives some suggestions for further studies.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
An overview of systemic functional grammar
Systemic functional grammar, developed by Michael Halliday and his colleagues, significantly influences language study by viewing language as interconnected options for meaning-making This approach distinguishes itself from traditional grammar models by establishing a clear connection between linguistic functions and grammatical systems (Halliday, 1994).
Functional linguists examine texts, both spoken and written, through a functional lens, emphasizing that a text is "a harmonious collection of meaning appropriate to its context" (Butt et al., 2000) Understanding a text requires considering the context in which it exists, which can be analyzed from two perspectives: the context of culture and the context of situation The context of culture encompasses the broader sociocultural environment, including ideology, social conventions, and institutions, while the context of situation pertains to specific circumstances within that environment (Droga & Humphrey, 2002).
Language is deeply influenced by its situational context, which can be analyzed through three key aspects identified by Halliday & Hasan (1989): field, tenor, and mode These elements help to clarify the various situational differences that arise between different texts.
The field of social action encompasses the context in which grammar is applied, including the ongoing discussions and shared knowledge among participants within a specific time and place Tenor represents the relationship dynamics between participants, ranging from casual to formal interactions Additionally, mode pertains to the role of language in communication, whether spoken or written, exemplified by a recipe in a cookbook.
- Field: cooking (ingredients and process of preparing food)
- Tenor: expert writer to a learner, learner is beneficiary of the advice
- Mode: written, prepared Text often read as part of process of cooking
The three metafunctions of language, as described by Halliday (1994), are ideational, interpersonal, and textual, each reflecting the core functions of communication influenced by register variables The ideational function represents experiences through transitivity patterns in grammar, shaping our understanding and logical connections (Hoang Van Van, 2006: 28) The interpersonal function encodes interaction and builds relationships, with the speaker's meaning expressed through grammatical choices that intrude into the context Lastly, the textual function organizes information into coherent discourse, realized through thematic grammar patterns Changes in word choice or grammatical structure can alter meaning, emphasizing that these metafunctions operate simultaneously within a text, particularly within individual clauses (Eggins, 1994: 78; Halliday, 1981: 42).
This study aims to analyze the transitivity in Oscar Wilde's "The Nightingale and the Rose." To establish a solid framework for this analysis, Chapter 2 will provide an overview of transitivity theory.
This section examines clauses through their experiential function, which represents patterns of experience in language Language reflects external reality through Processes, which denote happenings and states; Participants, which are the entities involved; and Circumstances, which provide context for these occurrences (White, 2000:4) According to Halliday (1994:107), our strongest perception of experience is that it comprises these elements.
The concept of "goings-on" encompasses various aspects of existence, including actions, perceptions, meanings, and transformations In this context, the clause serves a pivotal role in articulating and embodying a fundamental principle for modeling experiences, which are fundamentally processes These processes reveal what we refer to as "states of affairs" or "representations." Language operates through three metafunctions, with transitivity specifically addressing the ideational metafunction, which comprises both experiential and logical dimensions When analyzing the experiential function of a clause, it can be deconstructed into three key components: participant, process, and circumstance.
The concept of process is fundamental, as it encompasses various activities and experiences such as doing, happening, feeling, and being According to Halliday (1994: 106-107), the transitivity system in English language captures these processes, which are articulated through clause structure Beyond their structural meaning, clauses also convey experiential aspects known as transitivity Processes can be categorized into six types: material, relational, mental, verbal, behavioral, and existential.
- Participants: Can be a person, place or object and they are usually realized by nominal group They are all to answer the questions: Who? Which? What? To Whom?
For Whom? about the process
- Circumstances: they are the background against which the process takes place, usually realized through a prepositional phrase, adverbial group, or even noun group For example:
I played football in the garden
Participant Process: material Participant Circumstance
Analyzing processes and participants in text unveils how language users shape their perceptions of reality (Bloor & Bloor, 1995:107) Halliday's concept of the "transitivity network" illustrates the connections between processes, participants, and their contexts To gain a deeper understanding of the transitivity system, the following section will explore six distinct types of processes in detail.
In the transitivity system, there are six types of process, namely: material, mental, relational, behavioral, verbal, and existential We can see the processes at the table below:
Process type Category meaning Participants
Token, Value Carrier, Attribute Identified, Identifier
Table 1: Process types in English (Halliday, 1985: 131)
Material processes, as defined by Halliday (1985:110), represent our external experiences through actions and events such as running or beating These processes involve one or more participants; when there is a single participant, referred to as the Actor, they perform the action (e.g., "He was coming") In cases with two participants, the dynamics of the interaction become more complex, illustrating the relationship between the Actor and the action.
Actor and Goal (one that is affected by the action), e.g The mechanic (Actor) repaired
(Process: material) my car (Goal); and when it has three participants, these roles are referred to Actor, Goal, and Receiver (one that benefit from the process), e.g I
(Actor) gave (Process: material) her (Receiver) a flower (Goal)
The representation of a material process can come either in active voice (e.g He kicked the dog) or passive voice (e.g The dog was kicked by him)
Mental processes are those that express our inner experiences Mental clause construes processes of perception, cognition and affection such as thinking, loving
Mental processes involve two entities – two participants: a Senser (the conscious being that feels, sees or thinks) and a Phenomenon (which is sensed, felt, thought or seen)
E.g Mary (Senser) liked (Process: mental) the gift (Phenomenon)
Mental processes are divided into four main categories: perception, which includes the senses of seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, and smelling; affection, encompassing emotions such as liking, loving, admiring, fearing, and hating; cognition, involving thoughts like knowing, believing, remembering, and doubting; and desideration, which relates to the feelings of wanting, desiring, and wishing.
Relational processes serve to link our experiences, encompassing the concepts of being, having, and existing (Hoang Van Van, 2006:50) In relational clauses, two entities are connected through the notion of "being," where one is defined as something else, establishing a relationship between them.
The Relational process in English operates with three main types:
+ (2) circumstantial: “x is at a” (Where “is at” stands for is at, in, on, for, with,…) + (3) possessive: “x has a”
The relational process encompasses two modes: attribution and identification, leading to two distinct types of relational clauses Attributive clauses consist of Carrier and Attributive roles, while identifying clauses involve Identified and Identifier roles.
In attribute mode, an entity possesses a specific quality known as the Attribute, while the entity that holds this quality is referred to as the Carrier.
Judy seemed so nervous before the interview
The transitivity system
In the transitivity system, there are six types of process, namely: material, mental, relational, behavioral, verbal, and existential We can see the processes at the table below:
Process type Category meaning Participants
Token, Value Carrier, Attribute Identified, Identifier
Table 1: Process types in English (Halliday, 1985: 131)
Material processes, as defined by Halliday (1985:110), represent our external experiences through actions and events like running and beating These processes involve one or more participants; when there is a single entity, it is referred to as the Actor, exemplified by the sentence "He (Actor) was coming (Process: material)." In cases with two participants, the dynamics of the action become more complex.
Actor and Goal (one that is affected by the action), e.g The mechanic (Actor) repaired
(Process: material) my car (Goal); and when it has three participants, these roles are referred to Actor, Goal, and Receiver (one that benefit from the process), e.g I
(Actor) gave (Process: material) her (Receiver) a flower (Goal)
The representation of a material process can come either in active voice (e.g He kicked the dog) or passive voice (e.g The dog was kicked by him)
Mental processes are those that express our inner experiences Mental clause construes processes of perception, cognition and affection such as thinking, loving
Mental processes involve two entities – two participants: a Senser (the conscious being that feels, sees or thinks) and a Phenomenon (which is sensed, felt, thought or seen)
E.g Mary (Senser) liked (Process: mental) the gift (Phenomenon)
Mental processes are divided into four main categories: perception, which includes the senses of seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, and smelling; affection, encompassing emotions such as liking, loving, and fearing; cognition, involving thoughts like knowing, believing, and remembering; and desideration, which relates to wanting and wishing.
Relational processes establish connections between our experiences, defined as the processes of being, having, and being at (Hoang Van Van, 2006:50) These processes involve relational clauses, where one entity is described as "being" another, thereby creating a relationship between two distinct entities.
The Relational process in English operates with three main types:
+ (2) circumstantial: “x is at a” (Where “is at” stands for is at, in, on, for, with,…) + (3) possessive: “x has a”
The relational process encompasses two distinct modes: attribution and identification This leads to the formation of two types of relational clauses, each characterized by unique participant roles Attributive clauses consist of a Carrier and an Attributive, while identifying clauses are made up of an Identified and an Identifier.
In attribute mode, an entity is characterized by specific qualities known as Attributes, while the entity that possesses these qualities is referred to as the Carrier.
Judy seemed so nervous before the interview
In the identifying mode of a relational clause, two participants are equated through pairs of terms: Identified/Identifier and Token/Value, highlighting the relationship between them in relation to time.
The clever one is Alice
Identifier/Token Process: relational Identified/Value
The circumstantial process defines existence through elements like time, place, distance, and reason, where the relationship between participants is characterized as Carrier and Attribute In contrast, the possessive process conveys existence in terms of ownership, highlighting the connection between the two entities involved.
Possessor and Possessed but for generalization and convenience of analysis, they are still referred to Carrier and Attribute (Hoang Van Van, 2006:50)
Carrier: Possessor Process: relational Attribute: Possessed
Behavioral processes encompass both physiological and psychological actions, including activities such as coughing, breathing, smiling, dreaming, and staring These processes bridge the gap between material and mental functions, highlighting the interconnectedness of physical and cognitive behaviors The individual engaging in these behaviors is often referred to as the participant.
Behaver, is typically a conscious being – Senser, but the process is grammatically more like one of doing E.g She (Behaver) is smiling (Process: behavioral)
The distinction between behavioral, material, and mental processes is often unclear, yet we can identify several typical types First, processes of consciousness, which are closely related to mental activities, include behaviors such as watching, staring, listening, thinking, and dreaming Second, verbal processes that reflect behavior encompass actions like chatting, grumbling, and talking Third, physiological processes that reveal states of consciousness include crying, smiling, frowning, and sighing Additionally, other physiological processes such as coughing and sleeping are noteworthy Lastly, bodily postures and activities related to material processes involve actions like singing, dancing, lying down, and sitting.
Verb processes encompass various forms of communication, including telling, insulting, praising, and promising, and they reflect symbolic relationships shaped by human consciousness through language These processes involve four key components: the Sayer, who emits the signal; the Target, who is the focus of the verbalization; the Receiver, who benefits from the communication; and the Verbiage, which refers to the actual words used.
They complained about Peggy to the principal
Sayer Process: verbal Target Receiver
Existential clauses are similar to relational clauses in that they describe a participant involved in a process of existence; however, they differ by featuring only one participant, known as the Existent Often, existential clauses include a specific circumstantial element related to time or place In English, the word "there" serves as the subject of these clauses, although it carries no experiential meaning.
Participant functions in a process involve the entities that perform actions, experience sensations, or exist within a context, along with complementary roles that receive these actions In English clauses, there are additional participant functions specific to each process type, including the beneficiary, which refers to the individual or entity for whom the process occurs This role is commonly found in material and verbal processes, and occasionally in relational processes.
- In a material process: The beneficiary is either Recipient or Client The Recipient is one that goods are given to; the Client is one that services are done for
The preposition is “to” with Recipient and “for” with Client E.g She gave the parcel to John; He painted a picture for John
- In a verbal process: The Beneficiary is the one who is being addressed (the Receiver) E.g John told Mary a story
- In a relational process: There are also a few relational (attributive) processes containing a Beneficiary We shall just refer to this a Beneficiary E.g She makes him a good wife
Circumstances provide the contextual backdrop for processes, encompassing factors such as temporal and physical settings and the methods of implementation Typically expressed through adverbial groups, prepositional phrases, and nominal groups, these elements are prevalent across various process types According to Halliday (1994), there are nine primary categories of Circumstance elements, as outlined in Table 2.
Location Temporal (when?) Get up at six o’clock
Spatial (where?) Work in the kitchen
Extent Temporal (for how long?) Stay (for) two hours
Spatial (how far?) Walk (for) seven miles
(how? what with? in what way? like what?)
The pig was beaten with a stick
Cause Reason (why?) I love her because she is rich
Purpose (what for?) She went out for lunch
Behalf (who for?) I am writing on behalf of Aunt Jane
Contingency Condition/ concession/ default (under what conditions?)
Despite the rain, the excursion was a great success
Fred came with/ without Tom Fred came instead of Tom
Role Guise (what as?) I came here as a friend
Product (what into?) Aren’t you growing into a big girl?
Matter (what about?) They talked of many things
Angle (from what point of view?) They are guilty in the eyes of the law
Table 2: Types of circumstance elements
Summary
This chapter has established the theoretical framework necessary for analyzing the selected data in the following chapter, focusing on various process types such as material, behavioral, mental, relational, verbal, and existential, along with their corresponding circumstances, including extent, location, manner, cause, contingency, accompaniment, role, matter, and angle With Chapter 1 complete, I now transition to Chapter 2, where I will delve into the experiential meanings of "The Nightingale and the Rose" using transitivity analysis.
CHAPTER 2: TRANSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF THE SHORT STORY
“THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE”
In this chapter, I will conduct a transitivity analysis of “The Nightingale and the Rose” using Halliday’s (1994) framework from An Introduction to Functional Grammar I will begin by providing context for the text to enhance understanding of the narrative Following this, I will break down the story into its fundamental clauses, which serve as the primary units for functional grammar analysis A comprehensive examination of these clauses and their components will be presented, as detailed in Appendix 2 Ultimately, this analysis will reveal the transitivity patterns present within the story.
2.1 The context of chosen text
Oscar Wilde is a pivotal figure in the aesthetic movement of the late 19th century in England, known for both his intriguing life and significant literary contributions One of his notable works, “The Nightingale and the Rose,” published in 1888, encapsulates these themes The story revolves around a student who desires to dance with a girl, who promises to do so if he brings her a red rose Unable to find one, a nightingale sacrifices itself to provide the rose, only for the girl to dismiss it the next day, leading the student to discard it The narrative employs various process types that reflect its thematic depth, warranting a closer examination of its content and structure.
This narrative story is characterized by a clear sequence of events and experiences, effectively guiding the reader from beginning to end The author skillfully establishes the setting, detailing the places and times where the events unfold Central to the plot are a young lover, a beautiful girl, a red rose, and a nightingale known for its sweet voice and gentle heart, all of which create a poignant love story These elements are crucial for understanding the author's meaning and intentions in crafting this touching tale.
2.2 The analysis of the story into clauses
To analyze the transitivity system in "The Nightingale and the Rose," I will break the story into smaller clauses for detailed examination Each clause will be scrutinized to understand how various elements of the transitivity system demonstrate language functions Subsequently, I will establish the transitivity pattern of the story based on the roles of these components.
The analysis of the story into clause will use the following notions: two vertical strokes “||… ||” represents clause boundary The number of clause will be marked as 1,
The clause analysis will be presented in a structured box format The first line outlines the components of the clauses, divided into smaller units based on their specific functions The second line details the configuration of functions for each component Due to space constraints, some functions will be abbreviated and highlighted in bold, while others will be fully written out where space allows Below are examples illustrating the presentation of clauses in relation to transitivity.
(1) ||| The young student was still lying on the grass, (2)|| where she had left him, (3)|| and the tears were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes.|||
This text consists of three clauses Each clause will be divided into different components and classified into different types of process For example:
(1) The young student was still lying on the grass,
TRAN Behaver Process: behavioral Circ: Location
(2) where she had left him,
TRAN Circ: Location Actor Process: material Goal
(3) and the tears were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes
TRAN Carrier Process: relational Attribute Circ: Location
2.3 The Transitivity analysis of the short story “The Nightingale and the Rose” 2.3.1 The Transitivity pattern of the text
This section provides a detailed examination of the Transitivity system, highlighting its various components and their functions (refer to Appendix 2) Out of the 351 clauses analyzed in the story, 150 are identified as material processes.
In this article, we explore various actions and concepts, such as how certain items are brought in and filled, and the importance of dependencies We discuss the significance of what people have read and written, as well as the emotional resonance of songs sung The article emphasizes that certain values are set and give meaning to our experiences We highlight the idea that while some things may be brought in or held, others will lean towards change and may pass by without notice Additionally, we touch upon the limitations of what cannot be bought or purchased, stressing that some items can only be weighed out or played with, while others remain untouched.
In the vibrant scene, a multitude will throng, while others give in to the moment The atmosphere is alive as colors flung in the air and feelings buried deep within resonate As the day ran on, the energy was fluttering about, spreading joy and excitement Hopes soared high, and memories passed like ships that sailed through time The sky was a canvas where dreams flew over, lit by aspirations that give in to the heart's desires Melodies will sing, shaking the air with life, while nature grows and blooms around us In this dynamic tapestry, we will give in to the beauty of the present, as moments fly over us, growing ever richer.
The process of growth is continuous, as it comes in waves and evolves over time It can chill or nip at opportunities, breaking through barriers that may arise To achieve success, one must build a strong foundation, pierce through challenges, and ensure that ideas flow freely It's essential to pay attention to details and not hide from obstacles, as they can blow away potential.
In recent years, the number of achievements has spread significantly, soaring to new heights This progress has swept across various sectors, leaving a lasting impact As we build on these accomplishments, it’s essential to recognize the stains of challenges faced along the way These experiences are documented and have built a foundation for future success The journey has had its ups and downs, but we cannot deny the resilience shown as we walked away from setbacks and pulled in valuable lessons.
204; would not sacrifice in 209; must be admitted in 213; do in 217; went in 218; lay down in 219; began to think of in 220; shone in 222; flew in 223; set in 224; went in
In a world where emotions ebb and flow, the essence of life is captured in moments that blossom and linger As the press of time unfolds, we find ourselves touched by experiences that sang of love and longing Though challenges may choke our spirit, we awaken to the beauty that floats around us, carried by the winds of change Each heartbeat marks a journey, where we lean down to pluck the fruits of our labor, embracing the crimson hues of passion Ultimately, as we look forward, we realize that what is finished paves the way for new beginnings, reminding us that life is a continuous cycle of growth and renewal.
315; has sent in 319; threw in 324; fell in 325; went over in 326; got up in 334; went in 335; walked away in 338; are not going to happen in 342; shall go in 347; study in
The text clearly illustrates that all the verbs employed are focused on depicting the physical actions of the characters, highlighting their movements and interactions.
The article highlights the significance of verbs that express perception, affection, feeling, and cognition in character development, identifying 27 distinct mental processes Key verbs include "heard" (6 instances), "knew" (19 instances), "see" (21 instances), "suffers" (43 instances), "understood" (76, 188 instances), "thought" (78 instances), "saw" (84 instances), and "want." These verbs contribute to a deeper understanding of characters' internal experiences and emotional landscapes.
96,111, 126, 137; watch in 152; could not understand in 184; knew in 186; felt in 189, 273; thinks in 210; knows in 211; heard in 276, 279; forgot in 277; have never seen in
295; love in 314; knows in 320; don’t believe in 331; making believe in 343)
50 clauses of the text are behavioral processes which show the physiological and psychological behavior of the characters (would dance in 2, 307; cried in 4, 9, 73,
The article highlights various emotional states and actions, including looking and wondering, as well as dancing, singing, and weeping Key moments include a character who will dance at specific times, while another will not dance The narrative also captures instances of laughter and sitting, illustrating a range of experiences and emotions throughout.