Saturday, 25 November 2023

Misrepresenting The Finiteness Of Imperative Clauses

Martin (2013: 42-3):


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Again, this misrepresents SFL methodology. Here Martin constructs a system on the basis of how it is realised structurally. This is giving priority to the view 'from below', instead of the view 'from above'.

A further theoretical inconsistency is the inclusion of the verbal group feature 'non-finite' in this clause system. As well as confusing ranks, imperative clauses are finite clauses and can include Finite and Subject elements. Halliday & Matthiessen (2014: 165):
In the analysis, the unmarked positive has no Mood element, it consists of Residue (Predicator): the verb form (e.g. look) is Predicator only, with no Finite in it. The other forms have a Mood element; this consists of Subject only (you), Finite only (do, don’t), or Finite followed by Subject (don’t you). Any of these can be followed by a Mood tag: won’t you?, will you? – showing that the clause is finite, even though the verb is non-finite (the imperative of be is be, as in Be quiet!, not the finite form are.

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