- Room AG 415, 4/F
Department of English
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hung Hom, Kowloon
Hong Kong - +233 (0)24 67 36 64 6
Isaac N Mwinlaaru
University of Cape Coast, Department of English, Faculty Member
- Systemic Functional Linguistics, English for Specific Purposes, Literary Stylistics, Narratology, Post-Colonial Literature, Discourse Analysis, and 19 moreStylistics, English for Academic Purposes, African Literature, Grammaticalization, Language Typology, Systemic Functional Grammar, Academic Literacies, Sociolinguistics, Language Variation, Genre studies, Critical Discourse Analysis, Academic Writing, Literary Linguistics, Corpus Linguistics, English Grammar, Corpus Linguistics and Discourse Analysis, Chinua Achebe, Academic discourse, and Pragmaticsedit
- Isaac N. Mwinlaaru obtained his PhD degree from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and is Senior Lecturer at the Un... moreIsaac N. Mwinlaaru obtained his PhD degree from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and is Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He has papers in internationally recognised journals, including Journal of Pragmatics, Language Sciences, Journal of English for Academic Purposes, Functions of Language, Research in African Literatures, Sociolinguistic Studies, and Power & Education, and WORD. His research interest areas include Literary Stylistics, English for Specific/Academic Purposes, Systemic Functional Linguistics, language typology, grammaticalisation, (Critical) Discourse Studies.edit
- Professor Christian M. I. M. Matthiessen, Chair Professor of Language Sciences, Dr. Foong Ha Yap, Dr. Marvin Lamedit
Although the notion of finiteness has been much debated from different theoretical perspectives, little is known beyond Indo-European languages. The present study examines finiteness in the Lobr dialect of Dagaare (Niger-Congo: Mabia)... more
Although the notion of finiteness has been much debated from different theoretical perspectives, little is known beyond Indo-European languages. The present study examines finiteness in the Lobr dialect of Dagaare (Niger-Congo: Mabia) from a systemic functional typological point of view. The study contributes to debates on whether finiteness is a discrete system or a cline. The study first distinguishes between semantic and grammatical finiteness. The analysis then show that Dagaare has a grammaticalised binary system of finiteness in the verbal group, encoded by four kinds of finiteness markers: (i) tense-mood-polarity, (ii) modality, (iii) habitual tense, and (iv) remoteness particles. Also, the Dagaare verbal group embodies disassociated systems of tense, comprising futurity, habituality, and remoteness and choices from each of these systems result in multiple Finite elements in the verbal group. On the other hand, clausal finiteness in Dagaare is a semantic cline that depends on the system of freedom. Specifically, a clause is finite or less finite depending on whether it combines a finite verbal group with clause final negotiation or information focus. The article provides finer criteria for distinguishing between semantic and grammatical finiteness that can be used for the description and typology of finiteness across languages.
Research Interests: African Studies, Systemic Functional Linguistics, Africa Niger-Congo Linguistics, Tense and Aspect Systems, Tense aspect modality, and 9 moreTenses (semantics and Pragmatics), Finiteness, African Languages and linguistics, Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG), Verb Phrases, Epistemic Modality As Finiteness, Gur Linguisticts, Verbal Group, and African linguisttics
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The incorporation of corpus linguistics (CL) methods within critical discourse analysis (CDA) has increasingly gathered momentum in the last decade. This paper surveys studies using this triangulated framework, drawing on a database of... more
The incorporation of corpus linguistics (CL) methods within critical discourse analysis (CDA) has increasingly gathered momentum in the last decade. This paper surveys studies using this triangulated framework, drawing on a database of 121 studies collected from three citation indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index, Arts & Humanities Citation Index and Scopus. It presents a meta-analysis of these studies focusing on four variables, namely their chronological development, the domains of engagement, the issues that have been topicalized and the area/regional coverage of the studies. In particular, the paper accounts for the factors that have contributed to the popularity of corpus-based CDA in the last decade as an approach to discourse analysis, provides insights into the evolution of this eclectic approach, and anticipates the future of the framework by offering suggestions. The paper concludes that corpus-based CDA presents both discourse analysts and corpus linguists with a robus...
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espanolEste articulo describe y reflexiona sobre la tarea de desarrollar, disenar y evaluar un proyecto educativo para mejorar la competencia de lectura academica en ingles de los alumnos de primer curso de universidad en Ghana. El... more
espanolEste articulo describe y reflexiona sobre la tarea de desarrollar, disenar y evaluar un proyecto educativo para mejorar la competencia de lectura academica en ingles de los alumnos de primer curso de universidad en Ghana. El estudio, realizado en el marco de la investigacion de diseno educativo (EDR por sus siglas en ingles), describe el desarrollo de un proyecto en tres areas de conocimiento diferentes: Literatura, Quimica y Linguistica. El estudio demuestra que encontrar soluciones para los problemas identificados es un proceso altamente complejo que se esta fuertemente influenciado por factores contextuales como la motivacion de estudiantes y docentes, las instalaciones en las aulas o la calidad de los materiales docentes. Tras varios ciclos de evaluacion formativa, solo el diseno del curso de Linguistica fue totalmente efectivo en terminos de diseno, evaluacion y desarrollo experimental y produjo una mejora significativa de la competencia en lectura academica de los alumn...
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This chapter examines the mood systems of Niger-Congo languages. mood systems have been studied in language typology for the past four decades (e.g., Ultan, 1978; Chisholm et al., 1984; Sadock & Zwicky, 1985; Bybee et al., 1994:... more
This chapter examines the mood systems of Niger-Congo languages. mood systems have been studied in language typology for the past four decades (e.g., Ultan, 1978; Chisholm et al., 1984; Sadock & Zwicky, 1985; Bybee et al., 1994: Ch. 6; Palmer, 2001; König & Siemund, 2007), with certain properties of imperative and interrogative moods being included in the World Atlas of Language Structures (WALS) (Dryer & Haspelmath, 2013; see also the contributions in Nuyts & van der Auwera, 2016). In addition, systemic functional linguists have investigated the systemic organization of options in mood and of their modes of realization in grammar and phonology (e.g., Matthiessen, 2004; Teruya et al., 2007; Teruya & Matthiessen, 2015; Matthiessen, 2015). In our exploration of the typology of mood systems in Niger-Congo languages, we will draw on findings in systemic functional typology as a guide; these findings shed light on variation in mood systems in terms of three views (cf. Halliday, 1996; Matthiessen, 2007): Viewed “from above,” from the vantage point of the semantics of speech functions (speech acts): the organization of mood systems according to the nature of the exchange of meanings in dialogue. Viewed “from below,” from the vantage point of the grammatical and phonological resources used in realizing options in mood: the strong tendency for mood options to be realized either by phonological prosodies or by modal particles placed as juncture prosodies finally or initially in the clause, indicating its status as a dialogic move. Segments may also occur at a lower rank as modal affixes of the verb or particles within the verbal group. Viewed “from roundabout,” from the vantage point of the system of mood itself—what speech-functional distinctions are grammaticalized, but also from the vantage point of its systemic environment—other interpersonal systems (in particular, polarity), textual systems (e.g., whether the interrogative element of an elemental interrogative is given the status of Theme or of Focus) and experiential systems (e.g., which transitivity roles may be interrogated in an elemental interrogative clause).
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Research Interests: Cognitive Science, Philosophy, Pragmatics, Discourse Markers, Deixis, and 15 moreGrammaticalization, Linguistics, Indexicality, African Linguistics, Nominal Group Structure, Interpersonal Deixis, Article, Determiners, Pragmaticalization and Grammaticalization, Definiteness, African Languages and linguistics, Demonstratives, Dagaare, Constructionalization, and morphosyntax of Gur languages
The incorporation of corpus linguistics (CL) methods within critical discourse analysis (CDA) has increasingly gathered momentum over the last decade. This paper surveys studies using this triangulated framework, drawing on a database of... more
The incorporation of corpus linguistics (CL) methods within critical discourse analysis (CDA) has increasingly gathered momentum over the last decade. This paper surveys studies using this triangulated framework, drawing on a database of 121 studies collected from three citation indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index, Arts and Humanities Citation Index, and Scopus. It presents a meta-analysis of these studies focussing on four variables, namely their chronological development, the domains of engagement, the issues that have been topicalised, and the area/regional coverage of the studies. In particular, the paper accounts for the factors that have contributed to the popularity of corpus-based CDA in the last decade as an approach to discourse analysis, provides insights into the evolution of this eclectic approach, and anticipates the future of the framework by offering suggestions. The paper concludes that corpus-based CDA presents both discourse analysts and corpus linguists with ...
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Christian M.I.M. Matthiessen is a leading scholar in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). Together with William C. Mann and Sandra A. Thompson, he developed Rhetorical Structure Theory, a discourse analytical framework which he has... more
Christian M.I.M. Matthiessen is a leading scholar in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). Together with William C. Mann and Sandra A. Thompson, he developed Rhetorical Structure Theory, a discourse analytical framework which he has continued to expand and extend using insights from the architecture of SFL. Some of his other contributions are in the area of functional language typology, theoretical modelling of the dimensions of language and comprehensive paradigmatic description of English lexicogrammatical systems. In this interview, he discusses his early experience in linguistics and his motivations for working with Systemic Functional Linguistics. The interview also sheds light on the interaction between SFL and other linguistic schools in the European and American linguistic traditions, and indicates the distinctive contributions of SFL to linguistic science. The discussion contributes to the history of linguistics and the debates on the meta-theory of language.
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This paper reports on a cross-linguistic corpus-based investigation of linguistic strategies of quoting and reporting of speech and thought across six genetically unrelated languages (Arabic, English, Dagaare, Hindi, Spanish and... more
This paper reports on a cross-linguistic corpus-based investigation of linguistic strategies of quoting and reporting of speech and thought across six genetically unrelated languages (Arabic, English, Dagaare, Hindi, Spanish and Japanese). Specifically, the study draws on Michael Halliday's concept of projection that covers the traditional categories of quoting and reporting as a type of logico-semantic relation. The study also examines projection “trinocularly”, by viewing quoting and reporting from three viewpoints, namely their semantics, their lexicogrammatical realizations and the structural configuration they display. The use of projection as a unified domain of inquiry and the trinocular perspective ensures a systematic accounting of the generality and specificity of projection across the languages. Section 1 specifies our investigation, relating it to the traditional account of quoting and reporting. Section 2 describes our corpus data. Section 3 introduces the theoretical and descriptive categories used to describe verbal and mental projection as a type of logico-semantic relation, using English for illustration. Section 4 presents a crosslinguistic discussion of the data from the six languages. Finally, Section 5 compares and contrasts the results of this study, discusses the general and language-specific features of projection and concludes by commenting on how our approach to quoting and reporting extends previous approaches.
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Abstract This essay examines an instance of the use of folklore by writers in postcolonial African societies to problematize postcolonial systems in fiction. The essay discusses how Benjamin Kwakye exploits the trickster character as a... more
Abstract This essay examines an instance of the use of folklore by writers in postcolonial African societies to problematize postcolonial systems in fiction. The essay discusses how Benjamin Kwakye exploits the trickster character as a semiotic figure to construe the themes of survival and social and economic insecurity in The Clothes of Nakedness. The features of the trickster deployed include the spider imagery and his webbing across geographical margins, the use of trickery and manipulation as survival and power-building strategies, and the role of the trickster as a “hero-scamp” and villain. Towards the end of the narrative, the trickster is removed from focalization, and villainous events he engineers are construed as happening in spite of him. He remerges at the end as the ubiquitous spider in whom all mysteries make sense. These strategies are related to postcolonial issues of corruption, socioeconomic marginalization, and international aid.
Research Interests: History, African Studies, Aesthetics, Art, Narrative, and 11 morePostcolonial Studies, Literary Stylistics, Postcolonial Literature, African Literatures, African oral literature in contemporary contexts, Trickster, Orality and Literacy, Commonwealth and Postcolonial Literature, Oral Tadition in African Literature, Literature and Aesthetics, and Orality and Writing
This study explores the benefits of a synergy between ESP research on genre and theoretical dimensions of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). It models genre on SFL dimensions and employs this model to analyse 200 biodata written by... more
This study explores the benefits of a synergy between ESP research on genre and theoretical dimensions of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). It models genre on SFL dimensions and employs this model to analyse 200 biodata written by Applied Linguistics scholars, 100 each from research articles and seminar posters. Data were analysed from contextual, logico-semantic and lexicogrammatical perspectives. The findings reveal five generic stages in biodata. The frequency distribution of these stages and the phases that realise them shows variation between research article bios and seminar bios. The most frequent logico-semantic (or rhetorical) relations identified among stages and phases are of the expansion type, namely addition and elaboration, Further, collocational frameworks are used in organising some generic phases into waves of meaning and in construing different identities. Finally, evaluative resources, in the form of lexical bundles, modification and circumstantial elements ...
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Systemic functional theory embodies a multilingual perspective to language from its earliest formulation. However, it was not until the last two decades that descriptions of languages other than English, particularly in the light of... more
Systemic functional theory embodies a multilingual perspective to language from its earliest formulation. However, it was not until the last two decades that descriptions of languages other than English, particularly in the light of language typology, garnered much interest among scholars working with systemic theory. The objective of the present study is to survey the growing literature in this field. The survey consists of two main parts. The first part discusses theoretical developments in relation to language description and typology. The second part presents a meta-analysis of empirical studies in the field. The meta-analysis examines the historical progress in systemic typology and description of non-Anglo languages, the coverage of descriptions in terms of areal and genetic language families, mode of publication and, finally, methodological procedures employed by the studies. Challenges arising from these analytical decisions are also examined. The motivation for the study is...
Research Interests: History of Linguistics, Computer Science, Languages and Linguistics, Systemic Functional Linguistics, Metatheory, and 10 moreLinguistics, History of Linguistic Thought, Functional Linguistics, Language Typology, Systemic Functional Typology, Metatheory of linguistics, Systemic Functional Grammar, Article, Systemic Functional Language Typology, and Meta Analysis and Systematic Review
"Abstract Affiliation is a relatively new theory developed within the Systemic Functional Linguistic framework. It is a theory of communal identity as it is discursively negotiated in text; a social process of aligning into... more
"Abstract Affiliation is a relatively new theory developed within the Systemic Functional Linguistic framework. It is a theory of communal identity as it is discursively negotiated in text; a social process of aligning into communities around shared values and shared meanings. The theory has mainly been applied to analysing conversational humour (e.g. Knight, 2009, 2010), popular culture in television and film (e.g. Bednarek, 2010) and rap music (e.g. Caldwell, 2010). The present study extends it to examine a narrative text as a semiotic space for the development of bonds and the construction of group identity. Specifically, the study uses the theory to examine communal identity and social cohesion in Chinua Achebe’s Anthills of the Savannah (1987). It demonstrates that the polarization of discourse and the development of bonds in interactions among particular characters identify two social groups in the novel: the elite typified by Chris, Ikem, and Beatrice; and the less educated citizens, including Elewa and the taxi drivers. This group polarisation realises Achebe’s criticism of the detachment of the elite from the plights of the ordinary people. At the end of the novel, we meet a multi-social group whose interaction neutralises the polarised discourses and values, and the key role Beatrice plays here indicates Achebe’s call for the elite to connect with the ordinary citizens in a way that will make their knowledge useful to the less privileged."
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Following the work of Hyland (2003, 2004), several studies have investigated the structural, linguistic, and socio-cultural features of dissertation acknowledgements (DAs). This research explores the interface between identity... more
Following the work of Hyland (2003, 2004), several studies have investigated the structural, linguistic, and socio-cultural features of dissertation acknowledgements (DAs). This research explores the interface between identity construction and the linguistic features of a Master’s DA, written by a student of Literary Studies, using a two-pronged analytical framework. Three key findings emerged from the analysis. First, the paper observed a two-move generic structure adopted in the text under study. The paper also demonstrates that the writer of the acknowledgement systematically varies linguistic choices at the lexical, grammatical, and discoursal levels, in order to construct varying and different identities. The third point concerns the hybridization of the DA in terms of the incorporation of formal and informal linguistic elements. Based on these findings, it can be said that the paper has implications for the identity theory, academic (thesis) writing, and further research on DA.
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Studies have revealed differences and similarities in the generic structure and the linguistic encoding of gratitude in dissertation acknowledgements (DAs) in different socio-cultural settings. Whereas some studies have highlighted the... more
Studies have revealed differences and similarities in the generic structure and the linguistic encoding of gratitude in dissertation acknowledgements (DAs) in different socio-cultural settings. Whereas some studies have highlighted the role of disciplinarity, not all disciplines have been given equal attention. This study explores disciplinarity in the rhetoric of the acknowledgement section of Master's degree dissertations in three sub-disciplines of Education, namely, Guidance and Counselling, Educational Administration and Management, and Science and Mathematics Education. The study adapts Hyland's (2004) model of rhetorical analysis to examine 20 DAs form each of the three sub-disciplines. The findings show a linear three-move-structure, consisting of an initial optional reflecting move, an obligatory thanking move, and an optional concluding move, across the three sub-disciplines. Second, there are some differences in the frequency of occurrence of moves and steps acros...
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In spite of the democratic arrangements that have been made to ensure students' participation in decision-making in the administration of Ghana's school system, it is not uncommon to hear of students' strikes and... more
In spite of the democratic arrangements that have been made to ensure students' participation in decision-making in the administration of Ghana's school system, it is not uncommon to hear of students' strikes and demonstrations which often result in the destruction of public property and closure of schools. Studies that observe the power dynamics between students and educators as they engage in decision-making and negotiation may contribute to our understanding of conflicts in schools, as well as the need to find solutions to these conflicts. This study applied Critical Discourse Analysis in analysing a 13-minute segment of a meeting between members of staff and student leaders in a Ghanaian senior high school. The study reveals discursive features through which social power and domination are reproduced and enacted in the discourse. Also, school authorities employ both positive self-representation and negative other-representation in cognitively controlling the minds of student leaders. The study has significant implications for power and domination in educational practice.
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ABSTRACT Address terms and reference terms are common but key naming behaviours that are enacted in various social interactions. Thus, unsurprisingly, they have received much attention in sociolinguistic research since the 1960s. The use... more
ABSTRACT Address terms and reference terms are common but key naming behaviours that are enacted in various social interactions. Thus, unsurprisingly, they have received much attention in sociolinguistic research since the 1960s. The use of these two communicative acts in the academic setting, however, seems under-researched. This study, therefore, investigated address terms and reference terms students used for faculty in a public university in Ghana, utilizing Scott’s (1990) sociological theory on resistance to domination. An ethnographic as well as a triangulated approach, comprising participant and non-participant observations, semi-structured interview and introspection, was used in the study. Analysis of the data revealed three major findings. First, students used three principal forms of address, namely titles, kinship terms and nicknames for faculty. Second, students used titles, personal names and nicknames as the major reference terms for faculty. Finally, address terms and reference terms functioned as symbols of domination and resistance to domination as well as markers of identities which were co-constructed by students. The study has implications for theory, intercultural communication and further research.
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In the last two and half decades, scholars and researchers in Applied Linguistics and other allied fields have shown an increasing interest in titles of academic publications. The place of style at the level of the individual language... more
In the last two and half decades, scholars and researchers in Applied Linguistics and other allied fields have shown an increasing interest in titles of academic publications. The place of style at the level of the individual language user has, however, been under-researched. This study, therefore, investigates the extent to which titles of conference papers vary according to individual authors’ preferences and disciplinary proclivities. A total of 78 conference paper titles of four scholars (two each from the disciplines of Education and Applied Linguistics) constituted the data set for the study. The titles of each scholar were analyzed, based on four variables, namely lexical density, length in words, structural organization, and syntactic encoding, using both quantitative and qualitative analytical approaches. The findings show that the titles of individual scholars within the same discipline vary considerably. Both similarities and differences between the two disciplines regard...
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Following the work of Hyland (2003, 2004), several studies have investigated the structural, linguistic, and socio-cultural features of dissertation acknowledgements (DAs). This research explores the interface between identity... more
Following the work of Hyland (2003, 2004), several studies have investigated the structural, linguistic, and socio-cultural features of dissertation acknowledgements (DAs). This research explores the interface between identity construction and the linguistic features of a Master’s DA, written by a student of Literary Studies, using a two-pronged analytical framework. Three key findings emerged from the analysis. First, the paper observed a two-move generic structure adopted in the text under study. The paper also demonstrates that the writer of the acknowledgement systematically varies linguistic choices at the lexical, grammatical, and discoursal levels, in order to construct varying and different identities. The third point concerns the hybridization of the DA in terms of the incorporation of formal and informal linguistic elements. Based on these findings, it can be said that the paper has implications for the identity theory, academic (thesis) writing, and further research on DA.
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ness in relation to the clause as a whole override this principle. Further, based on this single variable, the various process types cluster into two broad semantic types: concrete and abstract clauses. Regarding the system of AGENCY,... more
ness in relation to the clause as a whole override this principle. Further, based on this single variable, the various process types cluster into two broad semantic types: concrete and abstract clauses. Regarding the system of AGENCY, clauses divide into middle or effective, depending on whether or not they embody the feature of agency. Middle clauses represent the process as being self-engendered while effective clauses represent it as being caused by an external participant, the Agent. The study contributes to systemic functional theory and the general meta-theory of language, functional language typology and African linguistics. The description is also appliable for the purposes of language education, translation, orthography, discourse studies and other practical settings where the Dagaare language is in focus.
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Research Interests: English for Academic Purposes, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Linguistics, Academic Literacies, and 9 moreEnglish/Language for Academic Purposes, English language teaching, Vocabulary Knowledge, English Proficiency, Relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension, English Language Teaching, IELTS Writing and Reading, Morphological Awareness, and Ielts reading
Research has shown that demonstratives are used beyond their basic meanings to encode various extended discourse functions. Based on data from the Lobr dialect of Dagaare (Niger-Congo: Gur/Mabia), the present study hypothesises that the... more
Research has shown that demonstratives are used beyond their basic meanings to encode various extended discourse functions. Based on data from the Lobr dialect of Dagaare (Niger-Congo: Gur/Mabia), the present study hypothesises that the syntactic position of demonstratives and their ‘qualitative features’ (i.e. non-deictic semantic features) influence the discourse uses they are likely to play. The study examines the extended discourse uses of two distal demonstratives, nɛ̀, a demonstrative determiner that identifies lower order ontological entities (i.e. material phenomena, including humans), and lɛ̀, a demonstrative pronoun that refers to higher order ontological entities (i.e. phenomena such as locutions, ideas and actions). The study shows that the demonstrative determiner nɛ̀ extends its uses within the nominal domain to encode speaker attitude towards referents and to express a range of stances and presuppositions that contribute to the management of interpersonal relations among interactants, such as establishing common ground and focus reinforcement. The free-standing demonstrative pronoun lɛ̀, on the other hand, extends its uses beyond the nominal domain to serve discourse organization functions such as a frame signalling device and textual cohesion. The study shows how demonstratives extend their domain of discourse uses from spatio-temporal deixis to textual and psycho-social deixis.
Research Interests: Discourse Markers, Deixis, Grammaticalization, Africa Niger-Congo Linguistics, Indexicality, and 15 moreAfrican Linguistics, Nominal Group Structure, Interpersonal Deixis, Spatial deixis, Article, Determiners, Social Deixis, West african languages, Pragmaticalization and Grammaticalization, Definiteness, African Languages and linguistics, Demonstratives, Dagaare, Constructionalization, and morphosyntax of Gur languages
After four decades of contemporary genre research, genre scholars still do not agree on what genre is and how it should be studied. This chapter shows that genre is a multidimensional variety of language in context and that a fuller... more
After four decades of contemporary genre research, genre scholars still do not agree on what genre is and how it should be studied. This chapter shows that genre is a multidimensional variety of language in context and that a fuller conceptualisation of genre must be placed within a general meta-theory of language. The chapter uses the architecture of language provided by systemic functional meta-theory to shed light on current debates on genre and on approaches developed for genre research since the 1980s. The chapter first provides an overview of the theoretical landscape of genre studies. It then discusses genre as a variety of language in context, using insights from different schools of genre studies. In addition, it conceptualises genre as a hierarchy of meaning relations, showing that it is a social semiotic process that permeates all layers of language, comprising context, semantics, lexicogrammar, and phonology. Finally, it examines genre in relation to different systemic orders of analysis, characterising it as a semiotic construct that is socially motivated, biologically activated, and physically realised. The chapter reveals that whereas genre research has contributed to our knowledge of the interaction between language and social context, little attention has been given to the semantic structure of texts.
Research Interests: Rhetoric, Composition and Rhetoric, Genre, Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review, Systemic Functional Linguistics, and 10 moreGenre-based pedagogy, Genre Theory, Rhetorical Theory, Genre Analysis & Second Language Writing, Genre Analysis, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), English for academic purposes (EAP), SFL and Genre, Rhetorical Genre Studies, and Critical Genre Analysis
This essay examines an instance of the use of folklore by writers in postcolonial African societies to problematize postcolonial systems in fiction. The essay discusses how Benjamin Kwakye exploits the trickster character as a semiotic... more
This essay examines an instance of the use of folklore by writers in postcolonial African societies to problematize postcolonial systems in fiction. The essay discusses how Benjamin Kwakye exploits the trickster character as a semiotic figure to construe the themes of survival and social and economic insecurity in The Clothes of Nakedness. The features of the trickster deployed include the spider imagery and his webbing across geographical margins, the use of trickery and manipulation as survival and power-building strategies, and the role of the trickster as a “hero-scamp” and villain. Towards the end of the narrative, the trickster is removed from focalization, and villainous events he engineers are construed as happening in spite of him. He remerges at the end as the ubiquitous spider in whom all mysteries make sense. These strategies are related to postcolonial issues of corruption, socioeconomic marginalization, and international aid.
Research Interests: African Studies, Narrative, Postcolonial Studies, Literary Stylistics, Postcolonial Literature, and 8 moreAfrican Literatures, African oral literature in contemporary contexts, Trickster, Orality and Literacy, Commonwealth and Postcolonial Literature, Oral Tadition in African Literature, Literature and Aesthetics, and Orality and Writing
Christian M.I.M. Matthiessen is a leading scholar in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). Together with William C. Mann and Sandra A. Thompson, he developed Rhetorical Structure Theory, a discourse analytical framework which he has... more
Christian M.I.M. Matthiessen is a leading scholar in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). Together with William C. Mann and Sandra A. Thompson, he developed Rhetorical Structure Theory, a discourse analytical framework which he has continued to expand and extend using insights from the architecture of SFL. Some of his other contributions are in the area of functional language typology, theoretical modelling of the dimensions of language and comprehensive paradigmatic description of English lexicogrammatical systems. In this interview, he discusses his early experience in linguistics and his motivations for working with Systemic Functional Linguistics. The interview also sheds light on the interaction between SFL and other linguistic schools in the European and American linguistic traditions, and indicates the distinctive contributions of SFL to linguistic science. The discussion contributes to the history of linguistics and the debates on the meta-theory of language.
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This chapter examines the mood systems of Niger-Congo languages. mood systems have been studied in language typology for the past four decades (e.g., Ultan, 1978; Chisholm et al., 1984; Sadock & Zwicky, 1985; Bybee et al., 1994: Ch. 6;... more
This chapter examines the mood systems of Niger-Congo languages. mood systems have been studied in language typology for the past four decades (e.g., Ultan, 1978; Chisholm et al., 1984; Sadock & Zwicky, 1985; Bybee et al., 1994: Ch. 6; Palmer, 2001; König & Siemund, 2007), with certain properties of imperative and interrogative moods being included in the World Atlas of Language Structures (WALS) (Dryer & Haspelmath, 2013; see also the contributions in Nuyts & van der Auwera, 2016). In addition, systemic functional linguists have investigated the systemic organization of options in mood and of their modes of realization in grammar and phonology (e.g., Matthiessen, 2004; Teruya et al., 2007; Teruya & Matthiessen, 2015; Matthiessen, 2015). In our exploration of the typology of mood systems in Niger-Congo languages, we will draw on findings in systemic functional typology as a guide; these findings shed light on variation in mood systems in terms of three views (cf. Halliday, 1996; Matthiessen, 2007):
Viewed “from above,” from the vantage point of the semantics of speech functions (speech acts): the organization of mood systems according to the nature of the exchange of meanings in dialogue.
Viewed “from below,” from the vantage point of the grammatical and phonological resources used in realizing options in mood: the strong tendency for mood options to be realized either by phonological prosodies or by modal particles placed as juncture prosodies finally or initially in the clause, indicating its status as a dialogic move. Segments may also occur at a lower rank as modal affixes of the verb or particles within the verbal group.
Viewed “from roundabout,” from the vantage point of the system of mood itself—what speech-functional distinctions are grammaticalized, but also from the vantage point of its systemic environment—other interpersonal systems (in particular, polarity), textual systems (e.g., whether the interrogative element of an elemental interrogative is given the status of Theme or of Focus) and experiential systems (e.g., which transitivity roles may be interrogated in an elemental interrogative clause).
Viewed “from above,” from the vantage point of the semantics of speech functions (speech acts): the organization of mood systems according to the nature of the exchange of meanings in dialogue.
Viewed “from below,” from the vantage point of the grammatical and phonological resources used in realizing options in mood: the strong tendency for mood options to be realized either by phonological prosodies or by modal particles placed as juncture prosodies finally or initially in the clause, indicating its status as a dialogic move. Segments may also occur at a lower rank as modal affixes of the verb or particles within the verbal group.
Viewed “from roundabout,” from the vantage point of the system of mood itself—what speech-functional distinctions are grammaticalized, but also from the vantage point of its systemic environment—other interpersonal systems (in particular, polarity), textual systems (e.g., whether the interrogative element of an elemental interrogative is given the status of Theme or of Focus) and experiential systems (e.g., which transitivity roles may be interrogated in an elemental interrogative clause).
Research Interests:
This study takes a holistic and systemic approach to clause initial and final particles in Dagaare (Niger-Congo: Gur), and argues that this approach is the basis for a systematic typology of clause juncture particles across languages. The... more
This study takes a holistic and systemic approach to clause initial and final particles in Dagaare (Niger-Congo: Gur), and argues that this approach is the basis for a systematic typology of clause juncture particles across languages. The study first examines the role of these particles in the structure of the clause and then gives a profile of eighteen unique particles, identifying the various attitudinal meanings they enact in exchange and their systemic relationship with one another. It then considers how the same particle realises different meanings across indicative and imperative clauses and discusses the interaction between clause initial and final positions in hosting speakers’ prosodic cues.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
"Metafunctional Profile and the Rhetoric of National Anthems of Anglophone Africa: A Preliminary Exploration Isaac N. Mwinlaaru Department of English University of Cape Coast, Ghana nuokyaaire@yahoo.com Abstract National... more
"Metafunctional Profile and the Rhetoric of National Anthems of Anglophone Africa: A Preliminary Exploration
Isaac N. Mwinlaaru
Department of English
University of Cape Coast, Ghana
nuokyaaire@yahoo.com
Abstract
National anthems are one of the prominent national discourses of modern nations. They are emblems of national consciousness, nationhood, and the vision of a nation. Surprisingly, however, it is not until quite recently that anthems have received the attention of scholars in Applied Linguistics. A few studies have investigated the content, the generic structure, and lexicogrammatical choices in the anthems of several countries. This paper presents preliminary findings on an exploration of the anthems of English-speaking countries in Africa. This preliminary analysis is based on the anthems of the four English-speaking countries in West Africa, namely, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia. The main objective of the study is to draw on systemic functional linguistic theory to examine the metafunctional profile of the anthems at the micro textual organization level. Lexico-grammatical resources of transitivity, mood and theme are employed in analyzing the data. The analysis reveals a number of issues. Three process types, namely, material, verbal and causative processes are most frequently used in the anthems. Entities, comprising God, countrymen/women and the nation, are assigned varying participant roles in the transitivity patterns to charge appropriate or preferred emotions and attitudes in audience. The preferred mood choices are declarative and imperative moods, with declarative as the most frequent mood. These mood choices are made to declare allegiance, exalt, express desideration, and to call countrymen/women to action and to collaborate. And finally, theme choices are influenced by the need to maintain a poetic and musical tone in the anthems. These findings contribute to the emerging body of literature on the discursive construction of anthems and have implications for further research.
"
Isaac N. Mwinlaaru
Department of English
University of Cape Coast, Ghana
nuokyaaire@yahoo.com
Abstract
National anthems are one of the prominent national discourses of modern nations. They are emblems of national consciousness, nationhood, and the vision of a nation. Surprisingly, however, it is not until quite recently that anthems have received the attention of scholars in Applied Linguistics. A few studies have investigated the content, the generic structure, and lexicogrammatical choices in the anthems of several countries. This paper presents preliminary findings on an exploration of the anthems of English-speaking countries in Africa. This preliminary analysis is based on the anthems of the four English-speaking countries in West Africa, namely, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia. The main objective of the study is to draw on systemic functional linguistic theory to examine the metafunctional profile of the anthems at the micro textual organization level. Lexico-grammatical resources of transitivity, mood and theme are employed in analyzing the data. The analysis reveals a number of issues. Three process types, namely, material, verbal and causative processes are most frequently used in the anthems. Entities, comprising God, countrymen/women and the nation, are assigned varying participant roles in the transitivity patterns to charge appropriate or preferred emotions and attitudes in audience. The preferred mood choices are declarative and imperative moods, with declarative as the most frequent mood. These mood choices are made to declare allegiance, exalt, express desideration, and to call countrymen/women to action and to collaborate. And finally, theme choices are influenced by the need to maintain a poetic and musical tone in the anthems. These findings contribute to the emerging body of literature on the discursive construction of anthems and have implications for further research.
"
Research Interests:
Abstract Following insights from stylistic studies on European literature and a few earlier attempts on the stylistic analysis of African literature, there has been a recent growing interest in the stylistic analysis of the African... more
Abstract
Following insights from stylistic studies on European literature and a few earlier attempts on the stylistic analysis of African literature, there has been a recent growing interest in the stylistic analysis of the African novel. The present study is meant to contribute to this growing body of studies by using transitivity, a Systemic Functional Linguistic framework, to explore Achebe’s Anthills of the Savannah. Since Halliday (1971) applied transitivity to Golding’s The Inheritors, it has been used to explore characterisation, power relations in texts, the generic features of texts, and the pragmatic organisation of narrative discourse. While many of these studies are based on European and American literature, only few attempts have been made on African literature. The present study first examines what foregrounded transitivity patterns associated with six characters in Anthills reveal about these characters and the thematic concern of the novel. In addition, the study investigates the relationship between point of view and the transitivity patterns in which a character is inscribed. The study demonstrates that five of the six characters, namely, Sam, Beatrice, Ikem, Elewa, and Agatha are stereotypes of key social actors in post-independence West Africa. These stereotype characters create a world that serves as a background for Achebe to foreground his socio-political ideology through his characterisation of Chris, the only dynamic character of the six. Through systematic changes in the transitivity patterns Chris is associated with, Achebe apparently urges the enlightened but apathetic citizen to rise up and transform his society through struggle, however, feeble it would be. The study also reveals interlocking power relations especially in relation to gender. Regarding point of view, the study shows that metanarrative functions are particularly performed by narrators in the first person point of view and that the process types used to realise these functions are mental, behavioural and verbal processes. It also reveals variations in the frequency of particular processes and participant roles associated with characters depending on whether they are narrators or not, thus, leading to different types of modality in the narrative. The findings of the study generally have implications for the Systemic Functional Linguistic theory, Narratology, explorations on the interface between language and literature, in general, and stylistic explorations on transitivity, in particular.
Following insights from stylistic studies on European literature and a few earlier attempts on the stylistic analysis of African literature, there has been a recent growing interest in the stylistic analysis of the African novel. The present study is meant to contribute to this growing body of studies by using transitivity, a Systemic Functional Linguistic framework, to explore Achebe’s Anthills of the Savannah. Since Halliday (1971) applied transitivity to Golding’s The Inheritors, it has been used to explore characterisation, power relations in texts, the generic features of texts, and the pragmatic organisation of narrative discourse. While many of these studies are based on European and American literature, only few attempts have been made on African literature. The present study first examines what foregrounded transitivity patterns associated with six characters in Anthills reveal about these characters and the thematic concern of the novel. In addition, the study investigates the relationship between point of view and the transitivity patterns in which a character is inscribed. The study demonstrates that five of the six characters, namely, Sam, Beatrice, Ikem, Elewa, and Agatha are stereotypes of key social actors in post-independence West Africa. These stereotype characters create a world that serves as a background for Achebe to foreground his socio-political ideology through his characterisation of Chris, the only dynamic character of the six. Through systematic changes in the transitivity patterns Chris is associated with, Achebe apparently urges the enlightened but apathetic citizen to rise up and transform his society through struggle, however, feeble it would be. The study also reveals interlocking power relations especially in relation to gender. Regarding point of view, the study shows that metanarrative functions are particularly performed by narrators in the first person point of view and that the process types used to realise these functions are mental, behavioural and verbal processes. It also reveals variations in the frequency of particular processes and participant roles associated with characters depending on whether they are narrators or not, thus, leading to different types of modality in the narrative. The findings of the study generally have implications for the Systemic Functional Linguistic theory, Narratology, explorations on the interface between language and literature, in general, and stylistic explorations on transitivity, in particular.
Research Interests:
Abstract Affiliation is a relatively new theory developed within the Systemic Functional Linguistic framework. It is a theory of communal identity as it is discursively negotiated in text; a social process of aligning into communities... more
Abstract
Affiliation is a relatively new theory developed within the Systemic Functional Linguistic framework. It is a theory of communal identity as it is discursively negotiated in text; a social process of aligning into communities around shared values and shared meanings. The theory has mainly been applied to analysing conversational humour (e.g. Knight, 2009, 2010), popular culture in television and film (e.g. Bednarek, 2010) and rap music (e.g. Caldwell, 2010). The present study extends it to examine a narrative text as a semiotic space for the development of bonds and the construction of group identity. Specifically, the study uses the theory to examine communal identity and social cohesion in Chinua Achebe’s Anthills of the Savannah (1987). It demonstrates that the polarization of discourse and the development of bonds in interactions among particular characters identify two social groups in the novel: the elite typified by Chris, Ikem, and Beatrice; and the less educated citizens, including Elewa and the taxi drivers. This group polarisation realises Achebe’s criticism of the detachment of the elite from the plights of the ordinary people. At the end of the novel, we meet a multi-social group whose interaction neutralises the polarised discourses and values, and the key role Beatrice plays here indicates Achebe’s call for the elite to connect with the ordinary citizens in a way that will make their knowledge useful to the less privileged.
Affiliation is a relatively new theory developed within the Systemic Functional Linguistic framework. It is a theory of communal identity as it is discursively negotiated in text; a social process of aligning into communities around shared values and shared meanings. The theory has mainly been applied to analysing conversational humour (e.g. Knight, 2009, 2010), popular culture in television and film (e.g. Bednarek, 2010) and rap music (e.g. Caldwell, 2010). The present study extends it to examine a narrative text as a semiotic space for the development of bonds and the construction of group identity. Specifically, the study uses the theory to examine communal identity and social cohesion in Chinua Achebe’s Anthills of the Savannah (1987). It demonstrates that the polarization of discourse and the development of bonds in interactions among particular characters identify two social groups in the novel: the elite typified by Chris, Ikem, and Beatrice; and the less educated citizens, including Elewa and the taxi drivers. This group polarisation realises Achebe’s criticism of the detachment of the elite from the plights of the ordinary people. At the end of the novel, we meet a multi-social group whose interaction neutralises the polarised discourses and values, and the key role Beatrice plays here indicates Achebe’s call for the elite to connect with the ordinary citizens in a way that will make their knowledge useful to the less privileged.
Research Interests:
Abstract Several studies have revealed differences and similarities in the generic structure and the linguistic encoding of gratitude in dissertation acknowledgements in different socio-cultural settings. Whereas some studies have... more
Abstract
Several studies have revealed differences and similarities in the generic structure and the linguistic encoding of gratitude in dissertation acknowledgements in different socio-cultural settings. Whereas some studies have highlighted the role of disciplinarity, not all disciplines have been given equal attention. The present study explores disciplinarity and sub-disciplinary variation in the rhetoric of the acknowledgement section of Masters’ Degree dissertations in three sub-disciplines of Education, namely, Guidance and Counselling, Educational Administration and Management, and Science and Mathematics Education. The findings show a linear three-tier move-structure, consisting of an optional reflecting move, an obligatory thanking move and an optional concluding move, across the three sub-disciplines. Second, there are some differences in the frequency of occurrence of moves and steps across the three sub-disciplines. Finally, the thanking move is assigned much textual space in all DAs, and there seems not to be considerable sub-disciplinary variation in the textual space allocated to the three moves across the sub-disciplines. The study has implications for the scholarship on disciplinarity and disciplinary variation, and further research.
Key words: dissertation acknowledgement, disciplinarity, education, genre, rhetoric
Several studies have revealed differences and similarities in the generic structure and the linguistic encoding of gratitude in dissertation acknowledgements in different socio-cultural settings. Whereas some studies have highlighted the role of disciplinarity, not all disciplines have been given equal attention. The present study explores disciplinarity and sub-disciplinary variation in the rhetoric of the acknowledgement section of Masters’ Degree dissertations in three sub-disciplines of Education, namely, Guidance and Counselling, Educational Administration and Management, and Science and Mathematics Education. The findings show a linear three-tier move-structure, consisting of an optional reflecting move, an obligatory thanking move and an optional concluding move, across the three sub-disciplines. Second, there are some differences in the frequency of occurrence of moves and steps across the three sub-disciplines. Finally, the thanking move is assigned much textual space in all DAs, and there seems not to be considerable sub-disciplinary variation in the textual space allocated to the three moves across the sub-disciplines. The study has implications for the scholarship on disciplinarity and disciplinary variation, and further research.
Key words: dissertation acknowledgement, disciplinarity, education, genre, rhetoric
Research Interests:
Abstract Following insights from stylistic studies on European and American literature as well as few earlier attempts on African literature, there has been a recent growing interest in the stylistic analysis of the African novel. The... more
Abstract
Following insights from stylistic studies on European and American literature as well as few earlier attempts on African literature, there has been a recent growing interest in the stylistic analysis of the African novel. The present study is meant to contribute to this growing literature by exploring Achebe’s Anthills of the Savannah from a functional-semantic perspective. Critics of the novel have emphasised that it represents Achebe’s most articulate ideology on the socio-political situation of post-colonial Africa, in general, and Nigeria, in particular. The present study sheds new meaning on the ideological import of the novel by exploring the interaction between transitivity patterning, the characterisation of Chris (one of the protagonists) and the theme of struggle. The study demonstrates that through systematic variation in the transitivity patterns Chris is associated with across three key passages in the plot of the narrative, Achebe apparently urges the enlightened but apathetic citizen to rise up and transform his society through struggle. The study has implications for studies on Anthills of the Savannah, stylistic analysis, and further research.
Keywords: African literature, Anthills of the Savannah, character, Chinua Achebe, functional-
semantics, ideology, post-colonial literature, stylistics, theme of struggle, transitivity
Following insights from stylistic studies on European and American literature as well as few earlier attempts on African literature, there has been a recent growing interest in the stylistic analysis of the African novel. The present study is meant to contribute to this growing literature by exploring Achebe’s Anthills of the Savannah from a functional-semantic perspective. Critics of the novel have emphasised that it represents Achebe’s most articulate ideology on the socio-political situation of post-colonial Africa, in general, and Nigeria, in particular. The present study sheds new meaning on the ideological import of the novel by exploring the interaction between transitivity patterning, the characterisation of Chris (one of the protagonists) and the theme of struggle. The study demonstrates that through systematic variation in the transitivity patterns Chris is associated with across three key passages in the plot of the narrative, Achebe apparently urges the enlightened but apathetic citizen to rise up and transform his society through struggle. The study has implications for studies on Anthills of the Savannah, stylistic analysis, and further research.
Keywords: African literature, Anthills of the Savannah, character, Chinua Achebe, functional-
semantics, ideology, post-colonial literature, stylistics, theme of struggle, transitivity
Research Interests:
Although the notion of finiteness has been much debated from different theoretical perspectives, little is known beyond Indo-European languages. The present study examines finiteness in the Lobr dialect of Dagaare (Niger-Congo: Mabia)... more
Although the notion of finiteness has been much debated from different theoretical perspectives, little is known beyond Indo-European languages. The present study examines finiteness in the Lobr dialect of Dagaare (Niger-Congo: Mabia) from a systemic functional typological point of view. The study contributes to debates on whether finiteness is a discrete system or a cline. The study first distinguishes between semantic and grammatical finiteness. The analysis then show that Dagaare has a grammaticalised binary system of FINITENESS in the verbal group, encoded by four kinds of finiteness markers: (i) tense-mood-polarity, (ii) modality, (iii) habitual tense, and (iv) remoteness particles. Also, the Dagaare verbal group embodies disassociated systems of TENSE, comprising FUTURITY, HABITUALITY, and REMOTENESS and choices from each of these systems result in multiple Finite elements in the verbal group. On the other hand, clausal finiteness in Dagaare is a semantic cline that depends on the system of FREEDOM. Specifically, a clause is finite or less finite depending on whether it combines a finite verbal group with clause final negotiation or information focus. The article provides finer criteria for distinguishing between semantic and grammatical finiteness that can be used for the description and typology of finiteness across languages.
Research Interests: African Studies, Modality, Systemic Functional Linguistics, Africa Niger-Congo Linguistics, Tense and Aspect Systems, and 14 moreAfricana Studies, Mood and Modality, African Linguistics, Systemic Functional Grammar, Tense, Tense aspect modality, African languages linguistics, Finiteness, African Languages and linguistics, Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG), Dagara, Dagaare, Niger-Congo, and Gur Linguisticts
The present study examines the lexicogrammar of Akan (Niger-Congo: Kwa) body part joy expressions using transitivity in Systemic Functional Linguistics and Conceptual Metaphor Theory. The study is based on discourse data, supplemented... more
The present study examines the lexicogrammar of Akan (Niger-Congo: Kwa) body part joy expressions using transitivity in Systemic Functional Linguistics and Conceptual Metaphor Theory. The study is based on discourse data, supplemented with data from secondary sources and elicited data from a focus group discussion. The findings show that body part terms associated with joy in Akan comprise ani “eyes”, ho “skin”, akoma “heart” and the non-corporal human components kra “soul” and honhom “spirit”. These body part emotion terms occur as nouns, possessives, compounds and nominal groups. Joy is conceptualized as a container, typically as SUBSTANCES CONTAINED IN A BODY PART, as AN OBJECT OR PRESENT and as A LIVING ORGANISM. Also, the transitivity configuration of body part joy expressions reveals three process types, comprising material process (“doing-&happening”), mental process (“sensing”), and relational process (“having-&-being”). Body part terms occupy various participant roles across these process types, namely Actor, Goal, Accompaniment, Phenomenon, Carrier, Attribute and Possessed. The study provides a finer analysis of the grammatical configuration of body part emotion expressions by showing that different domains of experience reveal unique patterns of configurations. It also illustrates a rewarding synergy between conceptual metaphor theory and systemic functional transitivity framework in metaphor analysis.
Research Interests: Emotion, African Studies, Conceptual Metaphor, Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Systemic Functional Linguistics, and 10 moreAfrica Niger-Congo Linguistics, Affect/Emotion, Cognition and Emotion, Africana Studies, Systemic Functional Grammar, Akan Studies, Akan Languages and Linguistics, Grammatical Metaphor, Body parts terms, and Body Parts
This paper reports on a cross-linguistic corpus-based investigation of linguistic strategies of quoting and reporting of speech and thought across six genetically unrelated languages (Arabic, English, Dagaare, Hindi, Spanish and... more
This paper reports on a cross-linguistic corpus-based investigation of linguistic strategies of quoting and reporting of speech and thought across six genetically unrelated languages (Arabic, English, Dagaare, Hindi, Spanish and Japanese). Specifically, the study draws on Michael Halliday’s concept of projection that covers the traditional categories of quoting and reporting as a type of logico- semantic relation. The study also examines projection “trinocularly”, by viewing quoting and reporting from three viewpoints, namely their semantics, their lexicogrammatical realizations and the structural configuration they display. The use of projection as a unified domain of inquiry and the trinocular perspective ensures a systematic accounting of the generality and specificity of projection across the languages. Section 1 specifies our investigation, relating it to the traditional account of quoting and reporting. Section 2 describes our corpus data. Section 3 introduces the theoretical and descriptive categories used to describe verbal and mental projection as a type of logico-semantic relation, using English for illustration. Section 4 examines data from each language in question. Finally, Section 5 compares and contrasts the results of this study, discusses the general and language-specific features of projection and concludes by commenting on how our approach to quoting and reporting extends previous approaches.
Research Interests:
The incorporation of corpus linguistics (CL) methods within critical discourse analysis (CDA) has increasingly gathered momentum in the last decade. This paper surveys studies using this triangulated framework, drawing on a database of... more
The incorporation of corpus linguistics (CL) methods within critical discourse analysis (CDA) has increasingly gathered momentum in the last decade. This paper surveys studies using this triangulated framework, drawing on a database of 121 studies collected from three citation indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index, Arts & Humanities Citation Index and Scopus. It presents a meta-analysis of these studies focusing on four variables, namely their chronological development, the domains of engagement, the issues that have been topicalized and the area/regional coverage of the studies. In particular, the paper accounts for the factors that have contributed to the popularity of corpus-based CDA in the last decade as an approach to discourse analysis, provides insights into the evolution of this eclectic approach, and anticipates the future of the framework by offering suggestions. The paper concludes that corpus-based CDA presents both discourse analysts and corpus linguists with a robust methodology to tackle research questions bordering on discursive reflections of social issues and to identify new sites of public discourse for systematic analysis.