Stratification (linguistics)

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In linguistics, stratification is the idea that language is organized in terms of hierarchically ordered strata (such as phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics). This notion can be traced back to Saussure's dichotomy between signified and signifier and Hjelmslev's expression plane and content plane, [1] but has been explicictly explored as a theoretical concept in stratificational linguistics and systemic functional linguistics. [2] [3] [4]

In systemic functional linguistics

Contextual and linguistic strata as a series of contangential circles. In green: content plane; in warm colors: expression plane. Stratification in systemic functional linguistics.jpg
Contextual and linguistic strata as a series of contangential circles. In green: content plane; in warm colors: expression plane.

In systemic functional linguistics, stratification is one of the global semiotic dimensions that define the organization of language in context, alongside instantiation and metafunction. Stratification orders "language in context into subsystem according to the degree of symbolic abstraction"; [5] these subsystems are called strata, which are related by realization. Authors differ on how to characterize (and further stratify) each stratum, but the general scheme is always followed:

In the model proposed by Michael Halliday, the expression plane is stratified into phonology and phonetics, so that (⭨ means "is realized by"):

Each stratum can be defined as follows:


References

  1. Hasan, Ruqaiya (2013), O'Grady, Gerard; Fontaine, Lise; Bartlett, Tom (eds.), "Choice, system, realisation: describing language as meaning potential" , Systemic Functional Linguistics: Exploring Choice, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 269–299, doi:10.1017/cbo9781139583077.018, ISBN   978-1-107-03696-3 , retrieved 2022-08-03
  2. Bennett, David C. (1968). "English prepositions: A stratificational approach" . Journal of Linguistics. 4 (2): 153–172. doi:10.1017/S0022226700001869. ISSN   1469-7742. S2CID   145241416.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Halliday, M. A. K.; Matthiessen, Christian M. I. M. (2014). Halliday's Introduction to Functional Grammar (4th ed.). London: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780203431269. ISBN   9780203431269.
  4. Gleason, H. 1964. The organization of language: a stratificational view. In Stuart, C. (ed.), Report of the Fifteenth Annual (First International) Round Table Meeting on Linguistics and Language Studies (Monograph Series on Languages and Linguistics, 17). Washington: Georgetown University Press, 75–95.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Matthiessen, Christian; Teruya, Kazuhiro; Lam, Marvin (2010-04-29). Key Terms in Systemic Functional Linguistics. A&C Black. ISBN   978-1-84706-440-0.