1. prof. francien herlen tomasowa, ph.d.
SEMANTICS MEETING 4
prof. francien herlen tomasowa, ph.d.

2. INTERPERSONAL MEANING
CLAUSE AS EXCHANGE

3. CLAUSE AS EXCHANGE Types of speech role: GIVING [inviting to receive]
Simultaneously with its organization as a message, the clause is also organized as an interactive event involving speaker/ writer, and audience.
Types of speech role: GIVING [inviting to receive]
DEMANDING [inviting to give]
Thus an act of speaking might ppropriately be called AN INTERACT in which ”giving” implies receiving and “demanding” implies giving in response.

4. TWO VARIABLES DEFINING THE FOUR PRIMARY SPEECH FUNCTIONS OFFER, COMMAND, STATEMENT, QUESTION
If you say something with the aim of getting someone to do something for you, the exchange commodity is strictly NON VERBAL.
What is being demanded is an OBJECT or an ACTION, and language is brought in to help the process along.
If you say something with the aim of getting someone to tell you something, what is being demanded is INFORMATION
INFORMATION
GOODS & SERVICES

5. PRIMARY SPEECH FUNCTIONS
commodity
exchanged
role in goods & services information
exchange
“offer” “statement”
giving would you like he’s giving her the this teapot? teapot
“command” “question”
demanding give me that teapot! what is he giving her?

6. SPEECH FUNCTIONS & RESPONSES
initiation expected discretionary
response alternative
goods & services
give offer acceptance rejection
demand command undertaking refusal
information:
give statement acknowledgement contradiction
demand question answer disclaimer

7. SEMANTIC FUNCTION OF A CLAUSE
IN THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION
IN THE EXCHANGE OF GOODS & SERVICES
PROPOSAL
PROPOSITION

8. M O O D E L E M E N T S
May be any nominal group.
If it is a personal pronoun, it is simply repeated each time.
If it is anything else, then after the first occurence it is replaced by the personal pronoun corresponding to it.
One of a small number of verbal operators expressing TENSE or MODALITY.
In some instances, the Finite element and the lexical verb are “fused” into a single word.
This happens when the verb is in simple past or simple present (tense), active (voice), positive (polarity) and neutral (contrast).
SUBJECT
FINITE

9. SUBJECT and FINITE IN THE BODY OF THE CLAUSE AND THE TAG example
the duke has given away that teapot hasn’t he
the duke is giving away that teapot isn’t he
the duke did give away that teapot didn’t he
the duke didn’t give away that teapot did he

10. MOOD STRUCTURE DECLARATIVE
the duke has given that teapot away Subject Finite Mood Residue

11. MOOD STRUCTURE YES / NO INTERROGATIVE
has the duke given that teapot away Finite Subject Mood Residue

12. FINITE VERBAL OPERATORS
PAST did, was had, used to PRESENT does, is has FUTURE will, shall would, should
LOW can, may could, might MEDIAN will,would, should is to, was to HIGH must, ought to need, has to, had to
FINITE VERBAL OPERATORS
TEMPORAL
MODAL

13. VARIATION of SUBJECT in DECLARATIVE CLAUSES
the duke has given my aunt that teapot hasn’t he my aunt has been given that teapot by the duke hasn’t she that teapot has been given my aunt by the duke hasn’t it Subject Finite Finite Subject Mood Residue Mood tag
VARIATION of SUBJECT in DECLARATIVE CLAUSES

14. STRUCTURE OF THE RESIDUE
Sister Susie ‘s sewing shirts for soldiers. Subject Finite Predicator Complement Adjunct Mood Residue
STRUCTURE OF THE RESIDUE

15. The function of the Predicator is fourfold. It specifies: 1
The function of the Predicator is fourfold. It specifies: 1. time reference 2. various other aspects and phases like seeming, trying, hoping 3. the voice (active/ passive) 4. the process (action, event, material, mental, relation)
PREDICATOR

16. A Complement is an element within the Residue that has the potential of being Subject but is not. It is typically realized by a nominal group. the duke gave my aunt that teapot Predicator Complement 1 Complement 2 Mood Residue
COMPLEMENT

17. An Adjunct is an element that has not got the potential of being Subject. It is typically realized by an adverbial group or a prepositional phrase. e.g.: my aunt was given that teapot yesterday by the duke adverbial prepositional group phrase Adjunct
ADJUNCT

18. A Conjunctive Adjunct tends to occur at points in the clause which are significant for textual organization , which means at some boundary or other: 1. clause initial [part of the textual theme]: However, such men don’t make good husbands. 2. clause final [afterthought]: Such men don’t make good husbands, however. 3. between Theme and Rheme: Such men, however, don’t make good husbands. 4. between Mood and Residue: Such men don’t, however, make good husbands. Conjunctive Adjuncts have no function in the ckause as exchange.
CONJUNCTIVE ADJUNCT

19. MODAL ADJUNCTS
There are 2 groups of Modal Adjuncts in terms of their place in the mood structure: 1. MOOD ADJUNCTS specifically relating to the finite verbal operators, expressing probability, usuality, obligation, inclination or time, and intensity. 2. COMMENT ADJUNCTS which tend to occur thematically, finally, between the Theme and Rheme, or between Mood and Residue; and when medial, they are typically associated with a boundary between information units.

20. They typically occur: a. next to the Finite. b. before the Finite. c
They typically occur: a. next to the Finite. b. before the Finite. c. after the Finite. Examples: She probably hasn’t arrived. He doesn’t always hear. You certainly must go. I’d gladly help. She’s already arrived.
MOOD ADJUNCTS

21. Principal Items Functioning as Mood Adjuncts
probability/
obligation
usuality
presumption
inclination
time
degree
intensity
certainly, surely, probably, perhaps, maybe, possibly, definitely, positively always, often, usually, regularly, typically, occasionally, seldom, rarely, ever, never, once evidently, apparently, presumably, clearly, no doubt, obviously, of course gladly, willingly, readily yet, still, already, once, soon, just quite, almost, nearly, totally, entirely, utterly, completely, literally, absolutely, scarcely, hardly just, simply, ever, only, really, actually
Principal Items Functioning as Mood Adjuncts

22. CLAUSE WITH CIRCUMSTANTIAL, MODAL AND CONJUNCTIVE ADJUNCTS
unfortunately however he can’t usually
Comment Conjunctive Subject Finite Mood
Adjunct Adjunct Adjunct
Mood
hear clearly on the telephone
presumption prep.phrase
Predicator Adjunct Adjunct
Residue
CLAUSE WITH CIRCUMSTANTIAL, MODAL AND CONJUNCTIVE ADJUNCTS

23. WH- INTERROGATIVE CLAUSE
who killed Cock Robin
Subject/ WH- (past) kill Complement
Finite Predicator
Mood Residue
WH- INTERROGATIVE CLAUSE
WH- element conflated with Subject

24. WH- INTERROGATIVE CLAUSE
whose little boy are you Complement / WH- Finite Subject Residue Mood
WH- INTERROGATIVE CLAUSE
WH- element
conflated with Complement

25. WH- INTERROGATIVE CLAUSE
what have the elephants done to the pier Complement/ WH- Finite Subject Predicator Adjunct Residue Mood
WH- INTERROGATIVE CLAUSE
WH- clause having question related to the process

26. how neatly he spreads his claws Adjunct / WH- Subject ‘[present] spread’ Complement Finite Predicator Residue Mood
EXCLAMATIVE CLAUSE

27. don’t you believe it Finite Subject Predicator Complement Mood Residue
IMPERATIVE CLAUSES
come into my parlour will you Predicator Adjunct Finite Subject Residue Mood tag
don’t you believe it Finite Subject Predicator Complement Mood Residue

28. POLARITY AND MODALITY MODALITY
POLARITY the choice between positive and negative: is – isn’t do – don’t does – doesn’t can – can’t has – hasn’t etc.
MODALITY
PROPOSITION information: statement question
PROPOSAL goods & services: offer command

29. God Bless you !