Transitivity

Transitivity is a simply the study of what people are depicted as doing and refers
broadly to who does what to whom, who/what=is=what/who, when, where,
why, or how function!
In transitivity we must pay attention in three aspects of meaning, that is:

 Circumstances : detailing where, when, and how something occured.

(adverbial groups and prepositional phrases)
 Circumstances of place
 Circumstances of time
 Circumstances of manner (tell how)
Means: tells by what means and is probed by what with? e.g. He
goes by taxi.
 Quality: tells how and is probed by how? e.g. He loved her
madly, deeply, truly!
 Comparison: tells like what and is probed by what like? e.g. He
was jumping around like a monkey on a roof
 Cause: tells why
 Reason: tells what causes the Process and is probed by why? or
how?
e.g. The sheep died of thirst.
 Purpose: tells the purpose and is probed by what for? e.g. He
went to the shop for cigarettes.
 Behalf: tells for whose sake and is probed by for whom? e.g. He
went to the shop for his mother.
 Accompaniment: tells with(out) who or what and is probed by
who or what else?
e.g. I left work without my briefcase.
 Matter: tells about what or with reference to what and is probed
by what about?
e.g. This book is talking about functional grammar.
 Role: tells what as and is probed by as what? e.g. He lived a quiet
life as a bee keeper.
 Procesess
Processes includes verbs, verbal group, what kind of event, state is being
described.
Processes of type in English can be categorised into six:
1. Material process (dapat dilihat, dialami dan dirasakan)
In material process the work can be seen and have an existence.
 Participants: Actor, goal, recipient, beneficiary
 the Beneficiary is either the Recipient or the Client. Recipient is the one to
whom goods are given. The Client is the one for whom.
services are provided.
Example:

Kevin Studied Mathematics In the class

Participant: Material Participant: Circumstances:
Actor Goal Place

Jake Gave Dewi A cake

Participant: Material Participant: Participant:
Actor Recipient Goal

2. Mental process (wujudnya tidak terlihat namun dapat dialami dan

dirasakan)
This process can be experienced and felt.
There are three types of mental process: affective or reactive
(feeling), cognitive (thinking), and perceptive (perceiving through the
five senses)
 Senser: the one who does the mental action.
 Phenomenon: the thing that is perceive, thought, and
aprreciated. Or The Phenomenon is that which is sensed: felt,
thought or seen.
Example:

I Met Irene Two days ago At the park

Sense Mental: Phenomenon Circumstances: Circumstances:
Perceiving Time Places

Mark Likes New clothes

Sense Mental: affect Phenomenon

I Dont understand This material

Sense Mental: Phenomenon
Cognitive
 Furthermore, in mental process it can be potentially followed by
“that”. For example:
I remembered that ....
She know that....
I trust that....
In mental process also usually use a simple tense rather than a
progressive (continues)

3. Verbal process (process of communication)

 Sayer: the one who communicate/ the projecting clause
encodes a signal source
 Adresser/Target: the one receiving a message. (insulted,
complimented, etc)
 Verbiage/ range: a name of verbalisation itself.
Example:
Jennie praised Roseane to Nancy in the office.
Sayer verbal target receiver circumtances: places

John Told Jennie A rude joke

Sayer Verbal Receiver Verbiage

Keating Slurred Howard

Sayer verbal Target

4. Relational process
 Expressing possession, equivalence, and attributes.
Consist: circumstansial, intensive, possesive

5. Behavioural process
Behavioural Processes are Processes of physiological and
psychological behavior, like breathing, dreaming, snoring, smiling,
hiccuping, looking, watching, listening, and pondering.
Behaver : is a conscious being. Like a sense.
Example:

The silly girl Yelled At the prince

Behaver Behavioural Behaviour

He Snores Loudly
Behaver Behavioural Circumstancial:
Manner

He Heaved A great sigh

Behaver Behavioural Range

Range specifies the range or scope of the Process, defining its

coordinates or domain. Range appears in several guises, so we shall
return to it below. But in Behaviour Processes, Range names the
behaviour enacted.
 6. Existential process
Only one participant in an existential process
- the existent is simply that whic is constructed existentially.
Example:
Three years ago there was a beautiful lady
Circumstances:time existential existent

 Participants :
1. People
2. Actor
3. Things
4. Sayer
5. Senser : The Senser is by definition of a conscious being, for only
those who are conscious can feel, think or see.