The notion of Choice provides a constant underlying theme to work in Systemic Functional Linguistics, whether this is concerned with in-depth description of the system of lexicogrammatical options available within specific languages, or with the analysis of the semiotic and/or social implications of the choices taken within specific texts. Yet, to date, little has been published exploring the applicability of choice across various contexts. Choice in Language addresses this gap by presenting a selection of writings from internationally renowned authors that develop the analytical perspective of choice across wide-ranging contexts and, in some cases, in languages other than English. The book demonstrates the value of Systemic Functional Linguistics as an ‘applicable’ linguistics, which is a core tool in broader fields such as pedagogy, literary studies and critical discourse analysis.
1: Introduction
Gerard O’Grady
Interpersonal Choice and the Construction of Author Identity
2: 'Busty Babes and Passionate Pleasures': A Systemic Functional Linguistic Analysis of Sex Worker Discourse in a South African City
Ralph Adendorff, Rhodes University, South Africa, and Kiran Pienaar
3: Choice in a ‘Partly Free’ Press: Evaluative Key in Italian Journalistic Discourse
Elizabeth Swain, Trieste University
4: The Use of Appraisal Resources in the Construction of Second-language Teacher-researcher Identity
Gillian Moss, Norma Bartletta, Universidad del Norte, Columbia, and Jorge Mizuno, Universidad del Norte, Columbia
Choice in Political Speech: Tension between the Need to Inform and Project Solidarity
5: The Choice of Grammatical Metaphor in French Political Tracts
David Banks, Université de Bretagne Occidentale
6: Choices in Tony’s Talk: Phonological Paragraphing; Information Unit Nexuses and the Presentation of Tone Units
Gerard O’Grady
The Effects of Choice in Text-type
7: Choice and Domain: A Corpus-based Study with Special Reference to the BNC Baby
Inas Mahfouz, Ain Shams University, Egypt
8: Investigating Thematic Choices in Two Newspaper Genres: An SFL-based Analysis
Julia Lavid, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Jorge Arus and Lara Moraton
9: A Probabilistic Approach to Choice: The Impact of Contextual Factors on the Tactic System in Research Article Abstracts
Akila Sellami-Baklouti, University of Sfax, Tunisia
10: Contentful and Contentlight Subject Themes in Informal Spoken English and Formal Written English
Margaret Berry
11: The Differential Patterned Occurence of Ellipsis in Texts Varied for Contextual Mode: Some Support for the ‘Mode of Discourse – Textual Metafunction’ Hook-up?
Ben Clarke, Cardiff University
The Interplay of Choice across Different Modalities
12: Textual and Compositional Choices in Hotel Brochures
A. Jesús Moya Guijarro, Universidad de Castilla - La Mancha
13: A Multimodal Perspective on the Front Cover Choices of Halliday's Introduction to Functional Grammar
Ann Montemayor-Borsinger, Instituto Balseiro/Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Eija Ventola, Aalto University, Célia Magalhães
