Structure and Function: A Guide to Three Major Structural-Functional Theories (review)

Recent years have seen several publications discussing the functional/formal divide in which functionalism has been identified primarily with its North American instantiation, especially as practiced on the West Coast. This book seeks to redress the balance by focusing on three other, equally influential, functional approaches that have been informing linguistic theorizing for the last two to three decades. The functional approaches in question are functional grammar (FG), as conceived of by Simon Dik and most recently presented in Dik 1997; role and reference grammar (RRG), as developed by Robert Van Valin, Jr. and explicated in Van Valin & LaPolla 1997; and systemic functional grammar (SFG), associated primarily with M. A. K. Halliday and outlined in, for example, Halliday 1994 and Halliday & Matthiessen 1999. No prior knowledge of any of the three theories is assumed. Each is presented first as conceived of by its founders, then assessed from the perspective of the actual analyses developed and positions taken by its various adherents, and finally critically evaluated as a model of grammar satisfying the tenets of functionalism.

It is difficult to imagine who else could have written this book. It is a formidable piece of scholarship carried out by not just an exceptionally well-informed functionalist but a virtual insider of all three theories. Only such a scholar could hope to succeed in providing a critical overview of three models of grammar which simultaneously documents the internal diversity within the theories and captures the essence of the intellectual debates conducted within them. And succeed he does. The book is exceptionally well researched. The author takes on board the contributions made to each of the three theories of a large body of scholars, not just of their chief exponents. This is especially significant in the case of SFG which occurs in distinctive Sydney and Cardiff varieties and includes a semiotic grammar offshoot. FG too has a cognitive instantiation in the form of functional procedural grammar, and a lexically oriented one in the guise of the functional lexemic model, as well as several discourse varieties such as functional discourse grammar and incremental functional grammar. To orient oneself in this maze, let alone come to grips with it, is no mean accomplishment and one which any reader interested in the functional enterprise will benefit from.

The work consists of two volumes, the first dealing with the analyses of the simple clause, and the second with complex sentences and the relationship between sentence grammar and discourse. The two opening chapters of Vol. 1 position FG, RRG, and SFG within the context of current linguistic theorizing. Ch. 1 juxtaposes functional and formal approaches to language, drawing heavily on previous discussion of the issue, particularly Croft 1995 and Newmeyer 1998. In Ch. 2, FG, RRG, and SFG are characterized in relation to other varieties of functionalism. Together with the approach developed by Givón (1984, 1990) they are seen to differ from radical functionalism in acknowledging the centrality and at least partial arbitrariness of formal structure. Unlike Givón’s approach, however, they are all concerned with elaborating a formal apparatus and a framework of explicit rules and principles that can be employed to generate and comprehend utterances. In other words, they aspire to be actual models of grammar (however imperfect). It is in this that Butler sees the uniqueness of the three approaches for which he coins the term structural-functional grammars. The underlying aims and assumptions of each of the three structural-functional grammars as well as the view of basic clause structure that each espouses are presented in the subsequent three chapters. Ch. 3 is devoted to FG, Ch. 4 to RRG, and Ch. 5 to SFG. Each overview of the grammar is followed by a presentation of the most relevant...