TRANSITIVITY
PRESENTATION BASED ON
GEROT & WIGNELL; BLOOR &
BLOOR
TRANSITIVITY
The system or resource for construing
experiential meaning, i. e. meaning about the
world outside and inside the speaker.
It is the resource for construing (= interpreting
and expressing) events, happenings, goings-
on, mental states, sayings, behaviours and
relations of different kinds.
Process Meanings Examples
type
actions and He ran. The window broke. He
happenings (outside climbed the tree. She made a cake.
Material
world; observable) She broke the window. She gave him
a present.
perception, I saw a bird, I heard a sound. I saw
cognition and him cross the street.
affective processes I knew the answers. I believe/think he
Mental (inner world; not is wrong.
directly observable) I fear the outcome. I like the smell.
The woman scares me. The decision
pleased me.
human and animal He snored/coughed.
physiological He slept soundly.
Behaviour- behaviour; human He breathed heavily.
al verbal and mental
behaviour They shouted/cried/growled.
He pondered/reflected over the
problem.
Process Meanings Examples
type
saying (mental He told a lie. He told a story.
process that He said Hello. Im tired! he
Verbal exclaimed. He answered that he
becomes
observable) was unaware of the decision.
There is a bird on the tree. Ghosts
Existential existence
exist.
He is a (famous) scientist. He is
Relational being and having the head of the department. He
has blue eyes/a car.
Its 8 oclock. Its noon. Its windy.
Meteorolo- weather or time
Its raining/snowing.
gical processes
Distinctive
Process
Participants Subtypes Examples features/
type
Reactances
She is Presence of
-
famous. be or verbs
ATTRI-
CARRIER She is a comparable in
RELA- &
BUTIVE
scientist. meaning.
ATTRIBUTE She has
TION- blue eyes.
AL -No substitution
-
She is the by any verb
leader.
TOKEN The
& IDENTIFY-
(being ING
Aconca-
VALUE gua is the -S Present as
and
having) highest unmarked tense
beak in in Present.
America.
Distinctive
Process
Participants Subtypes Examples features/
type
Reactances
RELA- America is the
TIONAL beacon of
-Presence
(being INTEN- democracy. The
and TOKEN SIVE Aconcagua is the of definite
having) highest peak in NGp.
Identify- & America
ing an This is Neils. -- substitu-
POSSES-
entity by VALUE This belongs to tion by
SIVE
reference
Neil. represent
to some
other The time of the
entity. meeting is --Reversi-
CIRCUMS- Friday.
Mean- TANTIAL bility
ings of The cause for
symboliza his illness is
tion. stress.
PARTICIPANTS IN MENTAL PROCESSES
Token: The concrete entity that
embodies/ represents/ symbolizes a
value (Susan is the kindest salesperson
in the shop; He is the leader).
Value: A more abstract entity that can be
perceived only if represented by a more
concrete entity (Susan is the kindest
salesperson in the shop; He is the leader).
AMERICA IS THE BEACON OF DEMOCRACY
TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE
IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE
SUBJECT SUBJECT COMPLEMENT
THE BEACON OF DEMOCRACY IS AMERICA
VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN
IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE
SUBJECT SUBJECT COMPLEMENT
THE ACONCAGUA IS THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN AMERICA
TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE
IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE
THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN AMERICA IS THE ACONCAGUA
VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN
IDENTIFYING: INTENSIVE
THI S BOOK IS M ARYS
TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE
IDENTIFYING: POSSESSIVE
THI S BOOK BELONGS TO M ARY.
TOKEN RELATIONAL: VALUE
IDENTIFYING: POSSESSIVE
THE TIME OF THE MEETING IS FRIDAY
VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN
IDENTIFYING: CIRCUMSTANTIAL
THE CAUSE FOR HIS ILLNESS IS STRESS
VALUE RELATIONAL: TOKEN
IDENTIFYING: CIRCUMSTANTIAL
CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING VALUE AND TOKEN
TOKEN VALUE
More concrete entity Abstract notion,
America in America value
is the beacon of the beacon of
democracy democracy in same
clause
Subject in a clause with Complement in clause
the verb represent with represent
America represents See the beacon of
the beacon of democracy in other
democracy box
Distinctive
Process
Participants Subtypes Examples features/
type
Reactances
Senser He saw a -No substitution by
Phenomenon bird. I saw any verb
MEN- Perception him
TAL Macro-
cross/cross-
phenomenon ing the
(act- street. -S Present as
(percep- Perception) unmarked tense in
tions, He knows all
Metapheno- Present
cogni- Cognition the answers.
menon (fact-
tions, He believes
emotion)
affection - that you are
inner to blame. -Bidirectionality
world Meta
non- -phenomenon I like/fear
observ- (idea - Affection him. -Capacity to
able) cognition) He pleases/ project
scares me.
PARTICIPANTS IN MENTAL PROCESSES
Senser: an entity endowed with higher or lower consciousness,
like a human being and, for some processes, an animal. It can be
Subject (I like fruit) or Complement (Fruit appeals to/pleases me);
Phenomenon: a thing (person, object, place, etc.) that can be
perceived, known or that can be the object of an emotion of some
kind. It is a participant in the mental clause and it is always a Ngp
(He saw the animal; he knew the animal; He loves animals);
Macro-phenomenon: an event or happening or doing in the
material world that can be perceived; only used with processes of
perception. It is an embedded clause that is a participant in the
mental clause (he saw [[him help the old lady/him helping the old
lady]]; he heard [[him shout his name/him shouting his name]]).
PARTICIPANTS IN MENTAL PROCESSES
Meta-phenomenon: fact: an abstract, non-material, semiotic
entity that pre-exists the emotions it triggers; only used with
processes of emotion and an embedded participant element in
the clause.
I regretted (the fact) [[that I had not had the courage to speak to
her]].
I liked (the fact) [[that she was black]].
[[That she was so young]] surprised me.
Meta-phenomenon: idea: abstract but not pre-existing the
process; rather brought into existence by it. Not really a
participant in the clause but a separate clause:
I understood // that it was futile.
I knew // that it was of no use.
HE SAW A BIRD
SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON
PERCEPTION
HE HEARD TIM THREATENING BOB
SENSER MENTAL: MACRO-PHENOMENON:
PERCEPTION act (embedded cl.)
HE KNOWS ALL THE ANSWERS
SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON
COGNITION
HE BELIEVES THAT YOURE TO BLAME
SENSER MENTAL: METAPHENOMENON: idea
COGNITION (hypotactic cl.)
HE REGRETS (THE FACT ) [[THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO HELP]].
SENSER MENTAL: META-PHENOMENON :FACT (embedded clause)
AFFECTION
(THE FACT ) [[THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO HELP]] SURPRISES ME.
META-PHENOMENON :FACT (embedded clause) MENTAL: SENSER
AFFECTION
SHE PLEASES ME
PHENOMENON MENTAL: SENSER
AFFECTION
HE LOVES YOU
SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON
AFFECTION
MENTAL PROCESSES: BIDIRECTIONALITY
I FEAR THE OUTCOME
SENSER MENTAL: PHENOMENON
AFFECTION
THE OUTCOME SCARES ME
PHENOMENON MENTAL: SENSER
AFFECTION
I DONT UNDERSTAND THIS STUFF
SENSER MENTAL: COGNITION PHENOMENON
THIS STUFF BAFFLES ME
PHENOMENON MENTAL: COGNITION SENSER
Distinctive
Process
Participants Subtypes Examples features/
type
Reactances
He told (us) -Presence of
a lie/a story. receiver
VERBAL Sayer
Locution:
(SAYING) Im tired -No substitution by
Quoting
Verbiage he said do
Locution:
Reporting He said (to S. Present as
-
Receiver unmarked tense in
me) he was
tired. Pr.
Locution -projection
PARTICIPANTS IN VERBAL PROCESSES
Sayer: The person or thing (dictionary, sign, article,
newspaper, etc.) that says sth.
Receiver: the addressee; the person to whom sth is said
Verbiage: the content of what is said, always expressed by
a Ngp
Processes of saying or verbal processes can project
another clause that expresses the content of what was said
(locution). It can project it verbatim (quotation) or
parapharse it in line with the here and now of the speaker
(report). The locution IS NOT a Participant in the verbal
clause but a separate clause projected by it
HE SAID HE WAS TIRED
SAYER VERBAL LOCUTION
REPORTING (Hypotactic cl.)
I AM TIRED HE SAID
LOCUTION SAYER VERBAL
(Hypotactic cl.) QUOTING
HE TOLD US A LIE
SAYER VERBAL RECEIVER VERBIAGE
(NG)
SHE ASKED TOO MANY QUESTIONS
SAYER VERBAL VERBIAGE
(NG)
Distinctive
Process
Participant Subtypes Examples features/
type
Reactances
There are
different -No substitution by
EXISTEN
TIAL Existential species of do
whales. On
(EXIST- the sofa was
Existent -S. Present as
ENCE) a cat
unmarked tense in
Pr.
Existential Through the
(+ some window,
other there came -presence of the
unstressed There
meaning) the sounds
of Sydney. in S position.
PARTICIPANTS IN VERBAL PROCESSES
Existent: it is the participant that the
process introduces as existing, as
having existence.
For some, the non-stressed there has no
experiential role in the clause. It is just a dummy
Subject, a place-holder for Subject. For others, it
encodes the process together with be. When
the clause starts with a Circumsatance it can be
omitted. It can be marked together with the verb
be
THERE ARE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF WHALES
EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT
TRHOUGH THE WINDOW, THERE CAME THE SOUNDS
OF SYDNEY
CIR: SPATIAL LOCATION EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT
THERE IS A UNICORN IN THE GARDEN.
EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT CIR: SPATIAL LOCATION
ON THE MATINEE JACKET WAS A BLOOD STAIN.
CIR: SPATIAL LOCATION EXISTENTIAL EXISTENT
GHOSTS EXIST.
EXISTENT EXISTENTIAL
Distinctive
Process
Participants Subtypes Examples features/
type
Reactances
he slept
BEHA- BEHAVER Physiolo- soundly. He -No substitution
gical snored. He by do
VIOUR- breathed.
AL (behaviour) He babbled/
(physiolo
(para) granted/ sang
gical,
Verbal a song. He S. Present as
mental Range, cried/laughed/
-
and para- unmarked tense
giggled. They in Pr.
verbal
talked .
beha- Matter,
He pondered
viour)
/meditated over
Mental
the matter. He
Target Behaviour watched TV. He -no projection
listened to the
news
PARTICIPANTS IN BEHAVIOURAL
PROCESSES
Behaver: person or animal having the behaviour, usually
endowed with consciousness. Most behavioural
processes ONLY have a single participant, and thats the
Behaver.
Behaviour: found in very few cases in which the behaviour
usually repeats the behavioural process with some added
attribute (he breathed a deep breath; he dreamt a strange
dream)
Range: in very few cases in which the process takes a
second participant that is not a behaviour and that is
different in nature from the process itself: he watched a
movie; they observed the stranger; they
discussed/debated the problem.
PARTICIPANTS IN BEHAVIOURAL
PROCESSES
Matter: used with verbal behavioural and mental
behavioural processes (They talked about the
problem; They reflected/pondered over the
problem).
Target: used with verbal behavioural processes
expressing insult, offence, criticism (They
criticized his manners. He insulted him.) Both
his manners and him in these sentences are
the Target of the insult or the criticism.
THE Y TALKED ABOUT THE PROBLEM
BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: MATTER
VERBAL
SHE CRITICIZED HIS MANNERS
BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: TARGET
VERBAL
WE WATCHED A MOVIE
BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: RANGE
MENTAL
HE REFLECTED OVER THE PROBLEM
BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL MATTER
MENTAL:
HE SLEPT SOUNDLY HE SNEEZED
BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL: A:cir BEHAVER BEHAVIOURAL:
PHYSIOLOGICAL PHYSIOLOGICAL
BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES: A TRANSITION
CATEGORY
Behavioural processes are said to be located
between material processes, on the one
hand, and mental or verbal processes, on the
other. This is particularly true of the verbal
behavioural and the mental behavioural
processes. They are not properly verbal or
mental because THEY CANNOT PROJECT
and, in the case of mental ones, because
THEY INVOLVE VOLITION. So they are more
saying and thinking or perceiving as
BEHAVIOUR.
BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES: A TRANSITION
CATEGORY
Their transitional character can be perceived in the
following examples:
He said that he was ill
He thought that he was ill
are properly verbal and mental because they can
project (a locution and an idea respectively).
He talked about his illness
He reflected on/over his illness
are not properly verbal or mental because there is
no saying in the first one and no idea being brought
into existence in the second one. They are saying
and thinking as behaviour.
