Paradigmatic vs.

Syntagmatic

Ferdinand de Saussure
(1916)
 it c
a .. .
i gm
a d c e
r i
pa o
c h
.. .
... c h a i n ...
syntagmatic
... c h o i c e ...

... c h a i n ...
[b t] bat

b a t
[kat] [bIt] [bap]
[pat] [bEt] [bad]
 Phonemes / Phonology: contrastive units
... c h o i c e ...

... c h a i n ...
/b t/
b a t
k I p
p E d
choice is meaningful .. .
paradigmatic c e
o i
c h
.. .
... c h a i n ...
syntagmatic
 Phonemes / Phonology: contrastive units
... c h o i c e ...

... c h a i n ...
/b t/
b a
phonemes are the minimal t
k I
units of phonology
p
p
that you change d
means E
changing a phoneme
the
word!
 A clause analysis
process

The lion chased the tourist lazily through the bush

participants circumstances
how
where
 Box representation of clause in
terms of Process, Participants and
Circumstances

The lion chased the tourist lazily through

the bush

Participant: Process Participant: Cir- Circum-

Actor Goal cum- stance
stance
 Box representation of clause in terms of
Process, Participants and Circumstances

... c h a i n ...
The lion chased the tourist lazily through
the bush

Participant: Process Participant: Cir- Circum-

Actor Goal cum- stance
stance

syntagmatic
 Box representation of clause in
terms of Process, Participants and
Circumstances

The tourist thought this was very unfair

Participant: Process Participant:

Senser Phenomenon
Box representation of clause in terms of
Process, Participants and Circumstances

... c h a i n ...
The tourist thought this was very unfair

Participant: Process Participant:

Sensor Phenomenon

syntagmatic
 Paradigmatic: clauses
... c h o i c e ...

material
Participant: Process Participant: Circum- Circum-
Actor Goal stance stance

mental
Participant: Process Participant:
Sensor Phenomenon
Paradigmatic: clauses

material Participant: Participant:

Actor Goal

relational Participant: Participant:

Carrier Attribute

verbal Participant: Participant:

Sayer Verbiage

mental
Participant: Participant:
Sensor Phenomenon
Paradigmatic: clauses

material
Participant: Participant:
Carrier Attribute

attributive
relational
identifying
verbal Participant: Participant:
Token Value

mental
Participant: Participant:
Sensor Phenomenon
 feature
feature
feature
 What about effective/middle?

... c h a i n ...
The lion chased the tourist lazily through
the bush

Participant: Participant: Cir- Circum-

Actor Process Goal cum- stance
Agent Medium stance
 Interpersonal:
Orientation and Manifestation
 Modality:
overview

(proposition)

(proposal)
 Modality:
overview

(proposition)

(proposal)
 Three kinds of meaning:
three metafunctions
Textual meaning: how is
Theme message is
Interpersonal meaning: organised
Subject
relationship
Finite
between
Polarity / Probability
speakers
Ideational/Experiential meaning:
Process
Participants whats
Circumstances going on
 The contexts of text: what bits of
language have what effects
whats
whats
going
goingon
on

how is
language
being
transmitted
whats the
relationship
between the
speakers