An Introduction to Functional Grammar

by M.A.K. Halliday, Christian M.I.M. Matthiessen (Revised by)

In this extensively revised third edition, Halliday and Matthiessen retain the organization and topical coverage of the earlier editions, while incorporating a considerable amount of new material. They give greater emphasis to the systemic perspective, in which grammaticalization is understood
in the context of an overall model of language. Their description of grammar is grounded in a comprehensive theory, but it is a theory which evolves in the process of being applied.

Genres: Linguistics, Nonfiction, Language, Reference, Theory, Semiotics

700 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Michael Alexander Kirkwood Halliday is a British-born Australian linguist who developed the internationally influential systemic functional linguistic model of language.

Reviews

[Nick]

A grammar book? Are you kidding? You want me to read a grammar book?
Do I? Well, maybe not read it all!!
What does 'grammar' mean to you? Lists of rules about what you can and cannot say? Tree diagrams and obscure logical symbols? An explanation of how patterns of language mean? Well, this last one is what you can expect from Halliday and Matthiessen's 3rd Edition of Introduction to Functional Grammar (IFG). This volume is the core text for an approach to language analysis called Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) /Grammar (SFG), and is frequently used for (critical) discourse analysis, corpus linguistics, multimodal studies and other fields of functional grammar. I cannot attempt to summarise all of the amazing facts and details that this book provides. (That's the job of the book itself - it's still just an introduction even at 600+ pages.) However, this is unlike most modern books about grammar. For a start, the idea that language is to communicate ideas is just a part of the story. Language does much more than transfer ideas. It also binds people together and establishes their roles and relationships with each other, as well as operating within a constantly-evolving relevant context. This books explains how all of this is managed by the amazing resource for making meaning that we know as language. While this is not an easy theory to learn from scratch, as it comes with a wide range of functional terms for what language does, its reward is the power it offers to analysts working with real language in real contexts.

[J-Lynn Van Pelt]

This textbook is brutal. The authors start off the book by telling the readers that they will not coddle us and plan on writing the topics on their level of understanding. And they do. Most of the chapters are inaccessible unless read multiple times. However, this is one of very few books written about functional linguistics and definitely the most inclusive. So, if you are working in the field, I would still recommend it--just plan on spending a long time on each subject and be sure to have a room with complete silence.

[Ronhsoru]

I have to admit that the only reason I now understand SFG is because I have an MA in Applied Linguistics and I was forced to learn it under the penalty of not doing well on the looming exam, but now that I have learnt it, I must say it is extremely humbling. That is, I've seen blog posts on SFG where people admit that, even though they are EFL teachers or trainers, the stuff is a bit above their heads. So, to realize that something like this is possible when you've been teaching the subject for years is humbling, and puts everything in perspective. There is always something new to learn, even if you imagine you are an expert on some subject.

[Lucas Gili]

This book is useful as spare tinder, or a large, weighty doorstop.

I can't see how this unintuitive theory is useful for anyone other than some professors and their students.

I've missed the point as to what use this theory would have in the real world, and how this theory would help you once you have learnt it, unlike standard grammar or logic this seems abstract and useless other than helping to create more university coursework.

[Tsvetomila]

my favourite grammar :-)

[Guilherme Nunes]

O livro é brutal! Nunca mais verei a linguagem da mesma forma.

[Jolie]

can i read this, please? Thanks

[Theo]

"A text is meaningful because it is an actualization of the potential that constitutes the linguistic system; it is for this reason that the study of discourse (‘text linguistics’) cannot properly be separated from the study of the grammar that lies behind it."

Já vi que vou ter que reler pelo menos uma vez a cada uns cinco anos... (não é uma reclamação rs)

[Donald Hardy]

"Functional Grammar" is a scientifically valid approach to both the lexicon and syntax. This book is an overrated mess of incomprehensible distinctions in both form and meaning.

[Lenaros]

την πτυχιακή μου μέσα γαμω

[Kev Nickells]

This one was dry and long and difficult to follow. At some point I thought he was re-constructing English with more complex case system but he is, in fact, attempting something like a taxonomy of English grammar based on function. So there's a majority of the book talking about clauses, and the litany of 'stuff' that helps with analysing the make-up of bits of text.

I've been wanting to read this for yonks but it made me realise that I'm actually happy enough with a very superficial understanding of grammar. I'm not an English teacher. I would recommend this book if you're interested but also don't blame me if it's more dessicant than those things at the bottom of packages that you're not meant to eat.

[Dee Basar]

A very helpful book for those who are learning linguistics and translation studies.

[Ivan]

Buku ini menyelamatkanku dari Chomsky. Bukannya mau meremehkan, tapi sepertinya Halliday lebih 'memberi bekal untuk hidup dalam masyarakat' alias down to earth daripada Chomsky...

[Aidi]

ideational

[Melody Violine]

I quit reading halfway when I found the 4th edition

[Ms.]

It is very useful material to who teach/read Applied Linguistics .Thanks to Michael A. K. Halliday The author of An Intoduction to Functional Grammar.

[Agus Wu]

Is there anyway to read this book for free

[Yulia Ainsani]

we will have discussion about this book.. *lalaalayeeee

[Muhamad Ridwan]

The main theory I am using for my undergraduate thesis. Very comprehensive!