英语政治演讲中的际功能分析5-23.docVIP

Chapter 2 Literature Review Systemic-Functional Grammar regards discourse as language which is functional or metafunctional construct, which means speakers use language to describe various experiences of the real world and the interpersonal relationship are realized through consistent discourse during communication. Halliday identifies three metafunctions of language, which are at the same level and of the same importance. The first is the ideational function, using language to talk about our experience of the world. The second is the interpersonal function, using language to interact with other people. The third is the textual function, using language to organize our messages. This thesis will make use of Hallidays Systemic-Functional Grammar as a theoretical framework to explore the general realization of the interpersonal function in the English Political Speeches. This chapter mainly intends to give a general account of the influential theories on the interpersonal function based on different linguists models as well as some influential theories related to English Political Speeches. 2.1 An Overview of Interpersonal Function Functional linguists take the main responsibility to define the interpersonal function of language. From their viewpoints, interpersonal function refers to people use language to interact with other people to establish and maintain social and personal relations, to influence their attitudes and behaviors, to show personal opersonal on things in the world. Interpersonal function of language can also be termed as interpersonal meaning. However, as Li Zhanzi (2002) proposed, interpersonal function is not merely confined to the framework of functional grammar. It actually has been studied for a long time from different perspectives by various linguists. As early as 1929, Bakhtin (1984) pointed out that meaning neither lies in the word or the soul of the speaker nor the listener, but the effect of interaction between speaker and listener produc