Arfan Ramanda

20220410007
PBI-3B

1. Development of SFL: Systems Functional Linguistics (SFL) was developed by

Michael Halliday in the mid-20th century. It was inspired by thinkers such as J.R.
Firth and influenced by sociologists such as Malinowski and Bernstein. View of
Language: SFL views language as a tool for making meaning. It views language as
consisting of systemic choices. There are four main layers to language according to
SFL: phonology (sounds and writing), lexicogrammar (words and grammar),
discursive semantics (meaning), and context (genre and register). Metafunction: In
SFL, texts convey three different kinds of meaning simultaneously: ideational
(experience and logic), interpersonal (social relations), and textual (flow and
organization of information). Halliday's Influence: Halliday taught at the University
of Sydney and has been a major influence on many linguistics. His book,
"Introduction to Functional Grammar," published in 1985, was the starting point of
interest in SFL. Further Developments: Many linguists have subsequently developed
ideas from SFL, particularly in education and genre analysis, which aim to help
students understand the features of academic language. SFL and Semiotics: SFL has
also been influential in the fields of social semiotics and multimodal analysis, which
look at how visual and audio texts can be analysed within an SFL framework.
Situation in the United States: Although SFL is dominant in Australia, it still has a
weak connection with English studies in the US, although the concept of
multimodality is gaining popularity.

2. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols, including their use and interpretation.
The term originates from the Greek word semeion (meaning "sign" or "signal") and
was historically used in medicine to refer to diagnosis. In modern times, semiotics has
been developed through two main approaches: Charles Sanders Peirce's Semiotics
(American tradition) – A triadic model where signs consist of: Representamen (the
form of the sign), Object (what the sign refers to), Interpretant (the meaning created
in the mind of the observer)

Ferdinand de Saussure's Semiology (European tradition) – A diadic model based

on linguistics: Langue (the system of signs and rules in a language), Parole (how
people use those signs in communication Over time, Saussure’s linguistic-based
theory was extended into non-linguistic domains of communication.

3. Multimodality means using different ways to communicate at the same time. Kress
and van Leeuwen (1996, 2001) say that multimodality is when people use many
signs (modes) together in communication. These signs can support, complete, or
organize each other. Iedema (2003) says that multimodality means we use different
types of meaning (not just words, but also pictures, gestures, sounds, colors, etc.) to
communicate. In simple words, multimodality means that communication is not only
about words. It also includes images, sounds, and other things to help share meaning.

4. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) is a way to study language. It looks at how power,
ideas, and social differences appear in texts and speech. CDA believes that language
is not neutral. People use language to influence, control, and shape how others think.
Arfan Ramanda
20220410007
PBI-3B

CDA is often used to study politics, media, and social issues. Famous researchers in
CDA are Norman Fairclough, Teun A. van Dijk, and Ruth Wodak. They study how
language shows and keeps power in society.

5. Genre Pedagogy is a way of teaching language that focuses on different types of texts
and their purpose. It helps students learn how texts are structured based on their goal,
like a story, a report, or an argument.

6. Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a technology that helps computers understand

and use human language (like English, Spanish, or Chinese). NLP is used in chatbots,
translation apps, voice assistants (like Siri), and spell checkers. It helps computers
read, write, and talk like humans.

7. Instantiation means making an idea real or creating an example of something. For

example, in language, a general rule can have different examples. In programming,
instantiation means creating an object from a class.

8. Metafunctions are the three main purposes of language in Systemic Functional

Linguistics (SFL) by Michael Halliday. Ideational Function – Language is used to
express ideas and talk about the world. Interpersonal Function – Language is used
to communicate with others and show relationships. Textual Function – Language
is used to organize sentences so they make sense.

9. Semiotic resource is a term used in social semiotics and other disciplines to refer to a
means for meaning making.

10. Language stratification means that language has different levels or layers. In
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), language has four levels: Context – The
situation where language is used. Semantics – The meaning of words and sentences.
Lexico-grammar – The vocabulary and grammar used. Phonology/Graphology –
The sounds (speech) or writing system (text).

11. Metalanguage is language used to talk about language. For example, words like
noun, verb, sentence, meaning, grammar are metalanguage because they help us
describe how language works. Teachers and linguists use metalanguage to explain
language rules and structure.

12. Syntagmatic vs. Paradigmatic Dimensions are two ways to understand how words
relate in language. Syntagmatic relation – Words are put together in a sentence
(horizontal relationship). Example: "I drink coffee." (You cannot say "I eat coffee"
because "drink" fits better.). Paradigmatic relation – Words can be replaced with
similar words (vertical relationship). Example: "I drink coffee." → You can change
"drink" to "like" or "prefer."

13. Aspects of Competence are different skills needed to use a language well. Linguistic
Competence – Knowing grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Sociolinguistic
Competence – Using language correctly in different social situations. Discourse
Arfan Ramanda
20220410007
PBI-3B

Competence – Connecting sentences to make clear and logical meaning. Strategic

Competence – Solving problems in communication, like using gestures or asking for
help

14. - Language as a Social Semiotics: SFL considers language to be fundamentally

social, highlighting the connection between linguistic practices and social structures,
and viewing culture as a significant factor within this social framework.

Language as a Resource for Making Meaning: Instead of regarding language as a

strict set of rules, SFL interprets it as a flexible tool that enables individuals to create
meaning by making various choices.

Focus on Text Over Sentence: SFL emphasizes the importance of analyzing whole
texts as the primary units through which meaning is established, framing grammar as
a reflection of discourse rather than focusing solely on individual sentences.

Connection Between Texts and Social Contexts: SFL stresses the significance of
understanding the relationship between texts and their social contexts, rejecting the
notion of texts as isolated structural entities.

15. Functional grammar is different from traditional grammar because it focuses on

how people use language in real life. It looks at meaning, not just sentence rules.
Instead of studying single sentences, it analyzes whole texts to see how meaning is
created. Functional grammar sees language as a tool for expressing ideas and
feelings, not just a strict set of rules. It also considers context—the situation and
culture where language is used—while traditional grammar ignores this. In short,
functional grammar is about real-life language use, while traditional grammar
focuses on sentence rules.

16. In Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), language has three metafunctions that
work together in communication. Ideational metafunction represents reality by
describing events, people, and situations, like in the sentence "The dog chased the
cat." Interpersonal metafunction builds relationships between speakers using
statements, questions, or commands, such as "Are you coming to the party?"
Textual metafunction organizes information to make language clear and connected,
as seen in "Once upon a time..." in storytelling. Insummary, ideational expresses
meaning, interpersonal creates interaction, and textual organizes ideas.

17. The connection between context, meanings, and words shows how language works
in different social and cultural situations. Context affects meaning, and words help
express that meaning. Understanding this helps us see how language fits the
situation, making communication clearer and more effective.
Arfan Ramanda
20220410007
PBI-3B

18. Theme-Rheme in sentences:

1. "The recent study (Theme) shows important results (Rheme)."

o Theme: "The recent study" (what the sentence is about).
o Rheme: "shows important results" (new information).
2. "My brother (Theme) plays the guitar well (Rheme)."
o Theme: "My brother" (who the sentence is about).
o Rheme: "plays the guitar well" (extra details).
3. "On weekends (Theme), we go hiking (Rheme)."
o Theme: "On weekends" (when it happens).
o Rheme: "we go hiking" (what happens).

Theme introduces the topic, and Rheme gives more information about it.

19. References:
https://journal.isi.ac.id/index.php/IJCAS/article/view/1574/379
https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/BS_JPBSP/article/view/756/549