Revisiting mode: context in/dependency in Ancient History classroom discourse
J R Martin, University of Sydney
Over the past decade dialogue between Systemic Functional Linguistics (hereafter SFL) and Legitimation Code Theory (hereafter LCT) about the nature of knowledge (Christie & Martin 2007, Christie & Maton 2011) has rekindled interest among the linguists involved in the register variable field (e.g. Martin 2007, Martin et al. 2010). More recently, as part of an interdisciplinary project focusing on knowledge building in secondary school history and science lessons (Martin & Maton 2013), Maton’s work on semantic gravity (Maton in press) has rekindled interest in mode:
One can thus conceptualise knowledge practices in terms of the degree to which meaning relates to its context. This semantic gravity may be relatively stronger or weaker along a continuum of strengths. When semantic gravity is stronger, meaning is more closely related to its social or symbolic context of acquisition or use; when it is weaker,meaning is less dependent on its context. One can also describe processes of strengthening semantic gravity, such as when abstract ideas are made more concrete through exemplification, and weakening semantic gravity, such as when generalising principles are abstracted from the concrete particulars of a specific context or case. [Maton in press]
Maton’s notion of ‘contextual dependency’ naturally invites a response from functional linguists who have theorised comparable terminology for some decades. In this paper we’ll explore a range of possible interpretations of the term ‘contextual dependency’ in a functional model of language, including ideational, interpersonal and textual readings.
One can thus conceptualise knowledge practices in terms of the degree to which meaning relates to its context. This semantic gravity may be relatively stronger or weaker along a continuum of strengths. When semantic gravity is stronger, meaning is more closely related to its social or symbolic context of acquisition or use; when it is weaker,meaning is less dependent on its context. One can also describe processes of strengthening semantic gravity, such as when abstract ideas are made more concrete through exemplification, and weakening semantic gravity, such as when generalising principles are abstracted from the concrete particulars of a specific context or case. [Maton in press]
Maton’s notion of ‘contextual dependency’ naturally invites a response from functional linguists who have theorised comparable terminology for some decades. In this paper we’ll explore a range of possible interpretations of the term ‘contextual dependency’ in a functional model of language, including ideational, interpersonal and textual readings.