Systemic Functional Linguistic Theory is the brainchild of M.A.K. Halliday. Most importantly, it is a scientific theory, in as much as the architecture it proposes for language is entirely systematic, with all relations within that architecture precisely defined.
For example, the relation of realisation is precisely defined as an intensive (elaborating) identifying relation between a higher level Value and a lower level Token. It obtains:
- stratally, from context to semantics to lexicogrammar to phonology, and
- axially, between paradigmatic system and syntagmatic structure.
More generally, the relation of realisation obtains between content and expression, between meaning and form, and between signified and signifier.
Similarly, the relation of instantiation is precisely defined as an intensive (elaborating) attributive relation between a type (Attribute) and a token (Carrier) of the type. It obtains between potential and instance:
- contextually, between culture and situation, and
- linguistically, between language as system and language as text.
Relations obtaining throughout the architecture are precisely defined in terms of the logical semantic relations of expansion: elaboration, extension and enhancement. For example, in addition to realisation and instantiation being defined in terms of elaboration, the rank scale is defined in terms of extension: composition, and system networks are organised on the basis of all three types:
- delicacy is defined in terms of elaboration,
- disjunction is defined in terms of extension: alternation,
- conjunction is defined in terms of extension: addition,
- entry condition is defined in terms of enhancement: condition.
Because the model is precisely defined in this way, misunderstandings of the model can also be precisely defined.
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