Phasal And Experiential Realizations In Lecture Discourse, A Systemic Functional Analysis

The problems investigated in this study are (I) what are the phasal realisations of the lecture discourse (LD) with respect to the phase and sub-phase types and patterns, (2) what are the experiential semantic realisations of the LD with respect to the semantic representation, and (3) what arc the experiential lexieogrammatical realisations of the LD with respect to the transitivity system representation? This study is corpus-based in which materials were selected as corpora for investigation. The approach is qualitative/quantitative-descriptive in nature, and the method is observational. The spatial setting is the Faculty of Languages, University of Malaya, whereas the temporal setting is March and July 1995. The subject population is lecturers and students of the institution. The sample consists of 7 lecturers and 387 students that are selected by employing a random sampling technique. Of all the lectures that involve the sample, 7 lectures-in-texts are selected as data by applying the researcher's judgement sampling technique. The data arc collected by means of audio-visual recordings and transcriptions, and they are analysed by employing a complementary method of analysis that combines Young's model and Halliday's model. The primary instrument of this study is the researcher herself, whereas the secondary instruments arc (I) classification schemes of the semiotic aspects that are in focus, (2) data sheets that contain 7 lectures-in-texts, and (3) notes on each lecture-in-text. The findings reveal that the Lfr-in-text as a whole is typically realised and characterised by the following: (I) the Substantiation (SU) as the most prominent macro-function and the Consent (CT) as the least prominent, (2) the Definition (DE) as the most prominent micro-function and the Aside (AS) as the least prominent, (3) the Being as the most prominent semantic field and the Existing as the least prominent, and (4) the Relational as the most prominent transitivity process type and the Existential as the least prominent. The macro-function patterns display dynamic variations, and the micro-function patterns demonstrate greatly dynamic variations. Furthermore, the findings also show the following: (I) the Carrier as the most prominent participant function and the Target as the least prominent, and (2) the Non-human as the more prominent participant type than the Human. In addition, the Location circumstantial type is the most prominent, whereas the Contigency is the least prominent. Based on the main findings, there is strong evidence to suggest that the 'semiotic behaviour' of the Llr-in-text as a whole is motivated by the goal-oriented need, and the goal to achieve has tended to be more academic-oriented than socialoriented, In this, the lecturers as the primary speakers of the lecture room interactions have tended to focus on the transformation of intellectual values (academic knowledge/skills) with the least social values involved therein. The most prominently occurring SU macro-function, DE micro-function and Being and Relational processes arc clear indicators of this endeavour. IV Tengku Silvana Sinar: Phasal And Experiential Realizations In lecture Discourse:A Systemic Functional Analysis, 2002 USU e-Repository © 2008 • • . The scope and objectives of this study have been delimited to investigating LD phenomena at the levels of phase, sub-phase, experiential semantics and transitivity grammar. To provide a comprehensive account of LD phenomena at the given Malaysian institution in particular, it is suggested that further research of this kind with a wider scope needs to be earned out, as such that it includes all relevant aspects and dimensions of all the semiotic levels in the overall semiotic space of language-in-context complex .