The Functional Analysis of English: A Hallidayan Approach

By Meriel Bloor, Thomas Bloor, Thomas; Bloor Meriel Bloor

Book Overview

The Functional Analysis of English is an introduction to the analysis and description of English, based on the principles of systemic functional linguistics. It sets out the tools and analytic techniques of Hallidayan grammar with clear explanations of terminology and illustrates these with examples from a variety of texts, including science, travel, history and literary sources. This revised third edition incorporates references to recent research, better explanations of complex problems, and additional exercises.

Key features:

an updated overview of applications to real world issues

revised sections on the current historical position of systemic functional grammar

simple introductions to agnation, grammatical metaphor, and information structure

chapter summaries, suggestions for further reading, exercises with answers and a glossary of terms

a companion website with additional activities, exercises and supplementary readings for students and instructors

This third edition is an indispensable introduction to systemic functional linguistics, which can be used independently or in preparation for M.A.K. Halliday and C.M.I.M. Matthiessen's Introduction to Functional Grammar. The book is an ideal text for students of linguistics, applied linguistics and grammar- those new to the field, or who have a background in traditional grammar, as well as teachers of English language.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1444156659
• ISBN13: 9781444156652
• Release Date: February 2013
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

An excellent introduction to functional grammar

Halliday's functional grammar is a unique way of describing how language is actually used in a social situation. This is not a grammar of rules, but rather an analysis of language and its functions. Tom and Meriel Bloor's book is the best introduction to this grammar. Written as a course textbook, with a clear, methodical presentation and exercises, it can also be read as a general introduction for the curious. It is complete and highly readable, and the grammatical theories it presents and explains can be useful to anyone who works with language, to better understand how language works. Language is not examined here out of context - in fact, context is one of the key factors in Halliday's grammar - rather, Bloor and Bloor show how isolated bits of text fit in with the larger perspective of language as a whole.