1、Transforming Spoken Language into Academic Written Language,Cassi Fawcett MA TESOL, MA Applied Linguistics, PhD Candidate Applied Linguistics The University of Sydney / ELIC In cooperation with Harbin Institute of Technology,Overview,In this workshop well examine the key language tools necessary to

2、transform ordinary, everyday, spoken language into valued academic texts. Knowledge of these tools will empower students to read and write texts in advanced learning environments. Writing instruction typically focuses on what students are doing wrong. Its time to move beyond error correction and pro

3、vide students the tools necessary to do it right.,Reflection,What problems do you face in your academic writing? What kind of comments do teachers usually make on your papers? “too spoken” “too wordy” “too informal” “disorganized”,Theoretical Framework,Systemic Functional Linguistics Systemic Functi

4、onal Linguistics (SFL), developed by Michael Halliday and his colleagues beginning in the 1970s, is a theory of language that views linguistic processes through the lens of a social order (1979:3) rather than a formal system of language based on idealized native speakers and contexts. SFL focuses on

5、 the choices learners make, viewing grammar as functional rather than a set of rules to apply, thus foregrounding the idea that language is fundamentally about making meaning. It conceives of language as functionally diversified into three components called metafunctions: ideational, interpersonal a

6、nd textual.,SFL: Theory of Language,Context of Situation,Context of Culture,SFL: Theory of Language,Lexico-Grammar,Discourse Semantics,Semiotic Choices,Paradigmatic Choices,Syntagmatic Choices,SFL: Theory of Language,Register (Lexico-Grammar),Genre (Discourse Semantics),Lexico-Grammar: Transitivity,

7、WHO? Participants (made up of nominal groups) DOING WHAT? Processes (made of up verbal groups) WHEN? WHERE? HOW? Circumstances (made up of prepositional physiological and psychological behaviour: the doing version of mental or verbal processes (e.g. laugh, sleep, watch, cry, etc.) She laughed. She c

8、ried bitter tears. The volcano slept.,Types of Processes,Mental: functions to construe thought, perception, inclination or affect (like/dislike). (thought, know, like, prefer, wonder) I thought about you. He knows the answer. She likes ice-cream. Verbal: functions to construe saying; bringing the in

9、side outside: saying something. (said, ask, told, praise, etc.) I asked the question. Chris said that. He praised her efforts,Types of Processes,Existential: functions to construe existence (there is/has/are) There were four children in the family. Theres a problem Relational: functions to construe

10、relationships of description (attributive: to characterize or assign membership to a class) or relationships of identification and equation (identifying: to decode known meanings and encode new meanings). (is, seems, looks, represents, signifies, etc.) Their office is huge. The bookcase looks very h

11、eavy. Their office is the room on the left. My bookcase is the heavy one,Practice Time,Identify the types of Processes in each of the clauses. e.g.,Types of Processes,The water damaged the carpet. Annie knows the answer. The chair collapsed under him. Everyone loves the Gelato from Italy. She rememb

12、ered his name. Betty cried bitter tears. Stop! The cat sleeps on the back veranda. He answered the question correctly. John is a leader. Mary is the teacher in this classroom. Theres a strange smell out there.,Types of Processes,Types of Processes,Application: Why does it matter? (1),CanberraJune 17

13、,2010: Family first senator Steve Fielding has defended his controversial remarks linking Labors paid parental leave scheme with abortion. The senator was roundly criticised for suggesting some women might rort the scheme by deliberately falling pregnant and then having a late-term abortion. “All I

14、was trying to do was close that loophole.” Senator Fielding told ABC Television today, adding his approach was “fair and reasonable.” (Others said it first: Fielding defends abortion loophole remark. Sydney Morning Herald, June 17, 2010),Application: Why does it matter?,CanberraJune 17,2010: Family

15、first senator Steve Fielding has defended his controversial remarks linking Labors paid parental leave scheme with abortion. The senator was roundly criticised for suggesting some women might rort the scheme by deliberately falling pregnant and then having a late-term abortion. “All I was trying to

16、do was close that loophole.” Senator Fielding told ABC Television today, adding his approach was “fair and reasonable.” MaterialVerbalRelational-Attributive,Application: Why does it matter? (2),On Friday we went to the Blue Mountains. We stayed at David bold CF),SpokenWritten Continuum,Spoken,Writte

17、n,Written/Academic Language,Lexically dense constructions: Lexically dense vs. Grammatically intricate (LD:GI) Grammar words Pronouns, Prepositions, Determiners, auxiliary/helping Verbs, conjunctions Lexical words Nouns, Main Verb, Adjective, Adverb, Practice: find the ratio in the following sentenc

18、es,PracticeL:G ratio,Systemic functional linguists have undertaken interesting research into the roles different types of people play in interactions. 12:5 Linguists who use the systemic functional framework have done a lot of interesting research into all the different types of roles that people pl

19、ay when they are interacting with one another. 15:16,Practice: LD:GI Ratio,Systemic functional linguists have undertaken interesting research (into the roles different types of people play in interactions). Number of clauses: 1 Number of Lexical Words: 12 Ratio: 12:1,S-W Continuum pt.2,Spoken,Writte

20、n,Academic/Written Language,Authoritative and Objective interaction: Spoken language invokes personal voice and subjective evaluation: I think these results are correct. In academic writing, authors are interacting with the readers to negotiate the space of certainty. Academic language invokes an im

21、personal voice and objective evaluation: It is clear these results are correct.,S-W Continuum pt.3,Spoken,Written,Academic/Written Language,Relationally-Oriented Relational processes of identification because the cause Conjunction Quality of Thing Because resulting action,Types of GM,Interpersonal:

22、extracts the modulation from within the clause to form an affixed clause. Subjective: This must be important I think this is important. Objective: This must be important It is clear that this is important. You should study very hard for the test It is imperative to study very hard for this test.,GM

23、Notes:,Logical Metaphor rarely occurs without experiential metaphor. My sickness led to the late submission of my paper Students typically overuse subjective interpersonal metaphor; it is imperative to teach them objective alternatives. Chinese students tend to frequently use the metaphor “As we all

24、 know” which unfortunately contracts the space for negotiation.,GM Practice,I think that because people all over the world communicate more and in improved ways, the world is more globally connected. I think ? People all over the world ? Communicate more ? Communicate in improved ways ? The world is

25、 more globally connected ? Because ?,GM Practice,Because people all over the world communicate more and in improved ways, the world is more globally connected. The increase and improvement of international communication has led to globalization. Globalization is a result of the increase and improvem

26、ent of international communication.,Language Variation,SFL: Theory of Language,Register (Lexico-Grammar),Genre (Discourse Semantics),Cohesion that is, they are unmarked. Participants normally function as theme in English. These types of themes are considered unmarked. In English, normally Participan

27、ts function as theme, creating an unmarked theme pattern. Marked=Salient; Unmarked=Non-salient When Processes or Circumstances function as theme, they are more salient or marked. Thus we pay more attention to their clauses; we are drawn to what they are telling us.,Practice: Identify the theme in ea

28、ch of the following clauses,Heres some advice (for kids who are just learning to surf). Use a light, small, fiberglass board with a leg rope and a wetsuit if its cold. Find a safe, uncrowded spot on the beach. The water should be not too choppy so that you will get a clean ride. Dont go out too far

29、if you havent surfed before. Wait until you see a small wave then lie on your surfboard. (When the wave is close), start paddling furiously. (If you are more experienced), you could try kneeling (on the board) (once you are on the wave). The most important thing is to keep your balance or else you w

30、ill end up falling off the board!,Theme Practice: Procedure Text,HEREs some advice (for kids who are just learning to surf). USE a light, small, fiberglass board with a leg rope and a wetsuit if its cold. FIND a safe, uncrowded spot on the beach. THE WATER should be not too choppy so that YOU will g

31、et a clean ride. DONT GO OUT too far if you havent surfed before. WAIT until you see a small wave then lie on your surfboard. (WHEN THE WAVE IS CLOSE), start paddling furiously. (IF YOU ARE MORE EXPERIENCED), you could try kneeling (on the board) (once you are on the wave). THE MOST IMPORTANT THING

32、is to keep your balance or else you will end up falling off the board!,Application: Why does it matter?,Certain types of themes can accumulate to make meanings necessary to accomplish a genre. RecountsCircumstances of time frequently function as theme (In the beginning, before the battle, after the

33、war, etc.) RecipeProcesses often in theme position to focus on the necessary action (bake, roll, knead, mix, stir, etc.),Application: Why does it matter?,Instructors often tell Ss to use the passive voice in academic writing. Using the concept of theme/rheme and specifically theme as salient (stress

34、ed) to explain why they make this suggestion? The slow extension of pre-existing cracks precedes many failures. Many failures are preceded by the slow extension of pre-existing cracks.,Given-New Prosody,Given: What we already know New: What we dont know yet,Given-New Prosody,The example discussed in

35、 the last section was of course contrived. But it was contrived on the model of what is in many ways the favourite grammatical pattern in modern scientific English. In this pattern, (1) a sequence of two figures is construed as a single clause, typically a relational clause of the intensive or circu

36、mstantial type; (2) each figure is construed as a nominal group, and (3) the logical-semantic relation between them is construed as a verbal group. (Halliday, Things and relations, p.193),Given-New Prosody,The example discussed in the last section was of course CONTRIVED. But it was contrived on the

37、 model of what is in many ways THE FAVOURITE GRAMMATICAL PATTERN in modern scientific English. In this pattern, (1) A SEQUENCE of two figures is construed as a single clause, typically a relational clause of the intensive or circumstantial type; (2) EACH FIGURE is construed as a nominal group, and (

38、3) THE LOGICAL-SEMANTIC RELATION between them is construed as a verbal group. (Halliday, Things and relations, p.193),Prosodic Wave of Cohesion,Given-New Prosody,Contrived Example,Favourite grammatical pattern,Favourite grammatical pattern,(1) A sequence (2) each figure (3) the logical-semantic,Give

39、n-New Prosody,We find out something New about what is Given and then our New becomes our Given and we learn something new about itthis is COHESION.,Cohesion, Prosody & GM,In the past three decades, China has developed its economy, technology and international trade. It developed its economy so much

40、that China has become the second largest economy in the world. The technology has developed a lot too. China is now a world leader in discovering scientific things and producing technological devices and techniques. China is also very involved in international trade and so it is connected with the e

41、ntire world. All of these ways China has developed means Chinas GDP and the quality of life for everyday Chinese citizens have improved significantly.,Cohesion, Prosody & GM,In the past three decades, China has developed its economy, technology and international trade. Economic development has now p

42、ushed China to become the second largest economy in the world. Technological development means China is a world leader in scientific discovery and production. The development of international trade has connected China to the entire world. These advances have significantly increased Chinas GDP and the quality of life for everyday Chinese citizens.,Cohesion, Prosody & GM,In the past three decades, China has developed its economy, technology and international trade. It developed its economy so much that China has beco