CLAUSE COMPLEXING : A CRITIQUE OF HALLIDAY'S FRAMEWORK

Abstract

Halliday's framework on clause complexing examines the interdependencies and logico-semantic relations which hold between clauses in a clause complex. Both the systems of taxis and logico-semantic relations are viewed as being grammatically independent of each other, in that the choices made in one system do not affect those made in the other. This dissertation is a focused critique of Halliday's framework. Its main argument is that the framework suffers from various descriptive inadequacies which have not been sufficiently addressed by Halliday. These inadequacies and the inherent limitations of the framework also restrict its use as an insightful tool for textual analysis. An overview of the general direction of the dissertation is outlined in Chapter One. Chapter Two presents a sketch of the early scale and category linguistics leading to the present form of systemic-functional linguistics. The basic features of clause complexing, comprising the tactic and logico-semantic systems, are outlined in this chapter. A critique of the framework is offered in Chapter Three. The discussion covers a number of diverse areas. These concern the concept of the clause complex itself and the delimitation of the unit of analysis; the choice of the notational convention for hypotaxis; the role of clausal modification in analyses; functional and formal arguments against hypotactic projection; and the usefulness of the framework in the analysis of extended texts. The final chapter provides a summary of the main points and conclusions of the dissertation. They suggest that the framework has not been consistently worded nor exemplified. Clause complexing also remains very much a clause-based analytical framework. Various recommendations to finetune the framework are proposed in this chapter. The major revision to the framework is the reformulation of projection as a strictly paratactic phenomenon. As a consequence, the interaction between the systems of taxis and logico-semantic relations is also revised since it is not possible for them to remain grammatically independent of each other. Rather, the tactic system is reinterpreted as the entry condition to the logico-semantic system in a systemic representation of clause complexing. An agenda for further research is also offered.