Clause as Representative Part I

As we know from the previous meeting, grammar consists of three lines of meaning;
1. Textual line or the first line is about Clause as Message - talking about Theme
& Rheme (add more).
2. Interpersonal line or the second line is about Clause as Exchange – talking
about Modal & Residue (add more).
3. Experiential line or the second line – the material will be discussed.

The Experiential meta function, the grammar clause was seen as representation. With
the clause of exchange, there is one major system of grammatical choice involved in
this kind of meaning, the system of transitivity or process type.

Text 5-1 – casual conversation (spoken)

Dano : I don't want a shower, I had one yesterday
Father : Oh, I have one every day, Dano, every single day.
Dano : Every single day?
Father : Yeah. So does Mum. Don't you?
Mother : Usually.
Dano : Usually? See, Dad?
Father : Well, usually means mostly, doesn't it, Mary?
Mother : It means more often than not

According to the table above, we can analyze them in terms of the textual,
interpersonal, and experiential;

- Focusing in the experiential clause

In the example Well, usually means mostly, doesn’t it, Mary? – the clause
construes a relationship of signification between a word and its meaning; ‘usually’
represents ‘mostly’. Based on the table, In the existential clause, the formula is
Theme = Subject = Token

There are three elements of relationship clause:

1. Process – is realized in verbal groups, example: Last year Maria gave blood.
 2. Participants – is realized in nominal groups, example: Last year Maria gave
blood.
3. Circumstance – are realized through adverbial groups / prepositional phrase,
example: Last year Maria gave blood.

How can we explain the difference between participants and circumstances in

the configuration of process + participants + circumstances are the one way of
looking at the situation. The process is the most central element in the
configuration. Participants are close to the center; they are directly involved in the
process, bring about its occurrence or being affected by it in some way.

Type of Process:
The processes of the clause are related to the concept of transitivity. Transitivity
in a grammatical concept related to the number of participants involved in the clause. It
classifies verbs based on their valency (how many participants they require).
- The verbs can be intransitive (verb that only have one participant (the subject)
– Example: “She slept” – it doesn’t need an object.
- The verbs also can be transitive (verb require both a subject and a direct object)
– Example: “He kicked the ball).

To know the types of process we should pay attention to the ‘inner’ and ‘outer’
experience, about what happened ‘out there’ and about what we experience as going on
inside ourselves (such as perception, emotion, and imagination).
The ‘outer’ can be defined as a physical thing that can be observed bare eye (like
an actions and events).
The ‘inner’ can be defined as the reflection of the ‘outer’ experience, because the
‘inner’ experience cannot be observed. It is located inside of people’s mind (like a
thought, perceptions and emotions).

Look at these examples:

(i) I’m having a shower - Related to physical
(ii) You have so much money - Related to physical
(iii) I was fascinated - Related to mind
(iv) I don’t want a shower - Related to mind

The example (i) and (ii) can be defined as ‘outer’ experience, because they are
related to a physical thing.
The example (iii) and (iv) can be defined as ‘inner’ experience, because they are
not related to a physical thing – they are related to people’s mind (an emotion and an
opinion).
The type process can be differentiated into six types: Material Processes, Mental
Processes, Verbal Processes, Behavioral Processes, Relational Processes, and
Existential Processes.
In English transitivity system, the Material Processes, Mental Processes, and
Relational Processes became the main types of processes.

There is a brief of materials about the other types of processes:

 There are ‘Behavioral Processes’ between ‘Material’ and ‘Mental’ Processes, that
represent outer manifestations of inner workings, the acting out of processes of
consciousness, and psychological states. (For example: She sighed with despair, He
coughed loudly).
Between ‘Mental’ and ‘Relational’ Processes, there are ‘Verbal’ Processes. They
are a process of verbal action, like saying and meaning. Verbal processes contains three
participants, sayer, receiver and verbiage.
And there are ‘Existential’ Process between ‘Relational’ and ‘Material’. They are
a process concerned with existence, by which phenomena of all kinds are simply
recognized to be exist or to happen.

Focusing on Material Processes:

Look at these clauses:
- Aisya has donated blood 21 times.
- Aisya went to Paris.
- Aisya stayed up all night.
- The American men left their dinner.
- They gave Aisya a cup of tea.

All of these clauses describe processes of doing or what we called a ‘material

process’. The basic meaning of material process is realized by doing an action.
So, material processes are processes about doing or action. Actions involve
actors or participants, which are realized by nominal groups. There are 3 types of
participants, actor, goal, beneficiary (recipient and client), and circumstances. The
actor is the core component of the clause, who do the action.
When the material cluse has only one participant and is active, the participant
will be called an Actor and it will represent a happening. Moreover, goal is that
participant at whom the process is directed, to whom the action is extended or can be
called as direct object and it will represent a doing– which related to transitive and
intransitive concept.

Transitive in ‘Material’ Clause Intransitive in ‘Material’ Clause

- Need an object
- Example: I bought a car
- As an Actor
- Represent what is doing
- Cannot have an object
- Example: She slept; the baby
walked
- As a Goal
- Represent what is happening

(a)
The lion sprang
Actor Process
nominal group verbal group

(b)
the lion caught the tourist
Actor Process Goal
nominal group verbal group nominal group
 In both clauses, the lion is construed as ‘doing’ something, the lion
would be in a nominative (the noun comes before the verb), the tourist would
be accusative (show the ‘direct object’ that can be find by asking “what” and
“whom”). The noun of the clauses (the lion and the tourist) can be changed
using a personal noun, like he or she. For example: He sprang; He caught him.
Material clauses construe figure of doing and happening. They express
the notion that some entity ‘does’ something. We can ask about processes, like
a What did the lion do? What did the lion do to the tourist? From the tourist’s
point of view.
The form can be done in two, either operative (active) ex: the lion
caught the tourist or receptive (passive) ex: the tourist caught by the lion. Both
of the clauses contain Actor + Process + Goal too.

Example of Operative Transitive Material Clause (Active)

The lion caught the tourist
Actor Process: active Goal
Subject Finite Predicator Complement
Mood Residue
Theme Rheme

In the operative (active) clause, the Actor is mapped on to the Subject, and also
become Theme of the clause. The Goal become a complement on the clause.

Example of Receptive Transitive Material Clause (Passive)

The tourist was caught by the lion
Goal Process: Actor
passive
Subject Finite Predicator Adjunct
Mood Residue
Theme Rheme

In the receptive (passive), the Goal is mapped on to the Subject, and the Actor become
an Adjunct.

The other participant that may occur in a material process clause is the beneficiary.
There are two kinds of beneficiary: a recipient and a client.

1. Recipient: to whom something is given

My daughter was given blood
Recipient Material Process Range

2. Client: for whom something is done.

Blood was given to my daughter
Range Material Process Recipient
The last is participant is Circumstances, divided into 7 types:
1. Circumstantial of extent = to ask duration, like how far? how long?
I ‘ve given blood 36 times
Actor Process: material Goal Circ: extent

2. Circumstantial of location = to ask for when and where question.

They rang me up On Saturday
night
Actor Proc: material Beneficiary Proc: material Circ: location

3. Circumstantial of manner = to ask comparison, like how? with what?

So they did the transfusion Through the umbilical artery
Circ: manner

4. Circumstantial of cause = to ask reason, like why? what for? Who?

My daughter Survived Thanks to the two
Swiss men
Actor Proc: material Circ: cause

5. Circumstantial of accompaniment = to ask with whom.

She got on the plane with her boyfriend
Circ: location Circ: accompaniment

6. Circumstantial of matter = to ask what about.

As for Greece, They give you nothing
Circ: matter

7. Circumstantial of role = to ask what as.

She was travelling to Indonesia as a tourist
Circ: location Circ: role

Type of doing and happening

(i) Creative material clauses involve processes related to creation, production, or
bringing something into existence. It highlights the innovative and productive
aspects of human activity.
The process is about a verb such as form, emerge, make, create, produce,
construct, build, design, write, compose, draw, paint, bake.

(ii) Transformative material clauses involve processes that change, modify, or

transform something. It highlights the shifts and adaptions that occur during
processes.
The ‘particle’ of a phrasal verb that may be indicated in transformative material
clause are shut down, turn on, start up, tie up, cut off, rub out, throw away, use up,
fill up.

Examples of verbs serving as Process in different material clause types