The Functional Analysis of English: A Hallidayan Approach

The Functional Analysis of English is an introduction to the analysis and description of English, based on the principles of systemic functional linguistics. It sets out the tools and analytic techniques of Hallidayan grammar with clear explanations of terminology and illustrates these with examples from a variety of texts, including science, travel, history and literary sources. This revised third edition incorporates references to recent research, better explanations of complex problems, and additional exercises.

Key features:

• an updated overview of applications to real world issues
• revised sections on the current historical position of systemic functional grammar
• simple introductions to agnation, grammatical metaphor, and information structure
• chapter summaries, suggestions for further reading, exercises with answers and a glossary of terms
• a companion website with additional activities, exercises and supplementary readings for students and instructors

This third edition is an indispensable introduction to systemic functional linguistics, which can be used independently or in preparation for M.A.K. Halliday and C.M.I.M. Matthiessen’s Introduction to Functional Grammar. The book is an ideal text for students of linguistics, applied linguistics and grammar- those new to the field, or who have a background in traditional grammar, as well as teachers of English language.