Linguistic features of experiential meaning in “the call of wild” by jack london

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
QUY NHON UNIVERSITY

PHẠM THỊ THANH TRÀ

LINGUISTIC FEATURES OF EXPERIENTIAL
MEANING IN “THE CALL OF WILD” BY
JACK LONDON

MASTER THESIS IN ENGLISH

Binh Dinh – 2019


MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
QUY NHON UNIVERSITY

PHẠM THỊ THANH TRÀ

LINGUISTIC FEATURES OF EXPERIENTIAL
MEANING IN “THE CALL OF WILD” BY
JACK LONDON

Field:

English Linguistics

Code:

8220201

Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. PHAN VĂN HÒA


BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUY NHƠN

PHẠM THỊ THANH TRÀ

ĐẶC ĐIỂM NGÔN NGỮ HỌC CỦA NGHĨA
KINH NGHIỆM TRONG TÁC PHẨM “TIẾNG
GỌI NƠI HOANG DÔ CỦA TÁC GIẢ JACK
LONDON

Chuyên ngành
Mã số

: Ngôn ngữ Anh
:8220201

Người hướng dẫn: PGS. TS. PHAN VĂN HÒA


i

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I totally assure that the thesis “Linguistic Features of Experiential
Meaning in “The Call of Wild” by Jack London” is my own work for the
purpose of graduating the MA course of English Linguistics.
The content of this thesis has not been published or written by any

other authors except for some references which are used in this thesis.
The thesis has not been submitted for any degree or diploma in any
university.
Quy Nhon, July, 2019

PHAM THI THANH TRA


ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

During the period of doing the research, much considerable support and
great encouragement from my teachers, friends, and family were given to me
so that I could overcome difficulties and complete my master thesis
successfully.
First of all, I would like to show my deep gratitude to my respected
supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Van Hoa, who gave me his helpful guidance
and were together with me from the beginning to the end of my thesis.
Without his companion, encouragement, and helps, I do not think I could
finish this MA thesis which met nearly all of the requirements of a MA thesis.
Second, I owe an unpaid debt to all the qualified and experienced
teachers who helped me broaden my knowledge about English Linguistics
and my friendly classmates who gave me unforgettable memories during the
two-year master course.
Last but not least, I am extremely thankful to my parents, my relatives,
and my close friends who gave me not only material but also spirit supports in
the past two years of pursuing this MA course.

iii

ABSTRACT

The thesis offers an investigation of the linguistic features in the novel
“The Call of Wild” by Jack London from Halliday’s functional linguistic
view. The aim of this thesis is to find out the syntactic patterns of material and
mental processes, the most popular processes in this novel, together with the
activities of verbs as human’s experiential expressions. From that, how
processes, especially material and mental processes, make a contribution to
imparting the content successfully to readers can be revealed. The study is
carried out with a combination of different research methods – descriptive,
quantitative, and qualitative methods. The data of the study is the clauses
containing material and mental processes in the novel “The Call of Wild”. The
finding shows that material processes are used in both transitive and
intransitive with two kinds of verbs – creative and transformative verbs, in
which the second kind is present in the novel more frequently than the first
kind. Each kind of verbs is included in different syntactic patterns of
expressions of material processes. Participants attaching with material
processes of creative verbs are Actor, Goal, and Client while Actor, Goal,
Scope, Recipient, Attribute are participants with the other kind of verbs of
material processes. Mental processes are used with four kinds of verbs –
perceptive, cognitive, desiderative, and emotive verbs. Mental processes
together with participants Senser and Phenomenon are used in two structures
“Like” type and “Please” type in which the “Like” type is much more popular
than the other. The presence of processes in transitivity system, especially
material and mental processes play an important role in building the image of
characters, imparting the content of the novel naturally and deeply to readers.

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CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1.

Rationale
Language plays an essential role in human life because it is considered

as a useful tool to help people express what they think and what they want to
convey to others in terms of spoken and written forms. It is due to language’s
tremendous importance that scientists carry out much investigation in the
aspects of language, one of which is grammar. At first, linguistics seems to
have paid much attention to traditional grammar which focuses on morpheme,
phonemes, words, and phrases. However, usage of traditional grammar to
analyze a clause, a sentence, or a text separates grammar from discourse. In
other words, the relationship between grammar and discourse is obviously left
out. This problem results in the birth of Functional Grammar which is
developed by many linguistics, especially Halliday (2014). The presence of
Functional Grammar facilitates analysis of discourse and understanding of its
meaning. According to Halliday (2014), grammatical function is classified
into three broad metafunctions, which are experiential, interpersonal, and
textual. Each of them addresses an aspect of the world, but the combination of
the three metafunctions makes a great contribution to the meaning of a
discourse. Experiential meaning seems to be taken into consideration when a
text is analyzed. Experiential meaning is shown through the system of
transitivity including six kinds of processes – material process, mental
process, behavioural process, relational process, verbal process, and
existential process. Here are some examples of material process and mental
process.

2

Mary

The gift

Senser

Phenomenon

I

The ball

Actor

Goal
(Hoang Van Van, 2006)
From the samples above, it can be seen that syntactic features of two

samples of mental process are completely different; the first one is “Senser –
Mental process – Phenomenon”, and the second one is “Phenomenon –
Mental process – Senser”. The differences in terms of syntax are also found in
two samples of material process: “Actor – Material process – Goal” and
“Goal – Material process – Actor”.

From things drawn from the samples

above, I have a desire of having a deeper look into syntactic features of
expressions

of

processes

to

get more

knowledge
about
the differences

mentioned above.
To do a research about what is mentioned above successfully, choosing
a suitable data is one of the most important things. After careful consideration,
the novel “The Call of Wild” by Jack London will be chosen as a source of
data for the research. This novel, one of the most popular work which brings
the fame and success to Jack London, is about not only the dog shedding the
veneer of civilization and leading the wild by its primordial instinct and
accumulated experience but also the great love between the dog and its
owners. To the best of my knowledge, the narrative novel hasn’t been
investigated in the aspect of syntactic features of expressions of material


3

processes and mental processes; therefore, my decision is choosing the novel

“The Call of Wild” by Jack London to be a source of data in this M.A. thesis.
From all the reasons above, I would like to carry out a research with the
title “Linguistic Features of Experiential Meaning in “The Call of Wild” by
Jack London” for my master thesis, basing on the framework of Functional
Grammar by Halliday (2014).
1.2. Aims and objectives of the study
1.2.1. Aims
This study aims to investigate the features (focusing on sentence
patterns) of expressions of material and mental processes in transitivity
system in the novel “The Call of Wild” by Jack London, especially from that,
the research will investigate the activities of verbs as human’s experiential
expressions, which contributes to the successful communication of the major
message of the novel the writer has an intention to convey to readers.
1.2.2. Objectives
With a view to achieving the stated aims, the following objectives will
be fulfilled amply. First, the researcher will find out the frequency of material
and mental processes in the novel “The Call of Wild” and analyze them. The
next one is giving some discussions from the findings in terms of transitivity
system.
1.3. Scope of the study
In view of the limited time, the research cannot deal with all kinds of
processes in transitivity system. Besides, after analyzing data, it is found that
material and mental processes are two processes which are used with the
highest frequencies (This is clearly demonstrated in Research Methodology).


4

Therefore, the research investigates syntactic features of the transitivity
expressions in material and mental processes. The data is collected from the

novel mentioned ranging from chapter I to chapter VII. Moreover, embedded
clauses are considered as a constituent of a unit of text analysis to facilitate
analysis of data.
1.4. Research questions
The study will collect and analyze data to find out answers for the
following questions:
1)

What are features of the transitivity expressions in material

processes in the novel “The Call of Wild” by Jack London in terms of
functional analysis?
2)

What are features of the transitivity expressions in mental processes

in the novel “The Call of Wild” by Jack London in terms of functional
analysis?
1.5. Significance of the study
The significance of the M.A. thesis “Linguistic Features of Experiential
Meaning in “The Call of Wild” by Jack London” is listed out below.
 It improves the understanding of using the transitivity
expressions in material and mental processes.
 It helps readers get a better understanding of the novel’s
message through syntactic features in transitivity of material and
mental processes.
1.5.

Organization of the study
Chapter 1: Introduction

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The rationale, the aims, research questions, the scope, and the design of
the study are included in this chapter. The reasons of choosing the topic of the
research are clearly demonstrated.
Chapter 2: Literature review
This chapter is divided to two subparts – previous studies and
theoretical background. The first part is a brief review of previous studies
which are relevant to this research while the second part provides the
knowledge of theoretical framework used to conduct the research.
Chapter 3: Methodology
This chapter presents research method, research procedures, the ways
to collect and analyze data.
Chapter 4: Findings and discussion
The results from the data analysis are presented in this chapter, and the
discussions about the results are made.
Chapter 5: Conclusion and implications
This chapter gives the summary of the content of the study, draw
conclusions and implication. Recommendations for further research are also
demonstrated.


6

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter includes two parts: The previous studies and theoretical
background. A review of previous studies in both English and Vietnamese

researches is presented at the beginning of this chapter. After that, Halliday
(2014)’s theoretical background is clearly demonstrated as a basic framework
of the research.
2.1. The previous studies
Functional Grammar has been one of the most important aspects that
draw much attention from linguistics up to now. In the book Halliday's
Introduction to Functional Grammar (Halliday, 2014), Functional Grammar,
or systematic functional linguistic, is considered as a tool to make meaning.
Halliday (2014, p. i) “explains the principles of systemic functional grammar,
enabling the reader to understand and apply them in any context”. This book
is considered as “the standard reference text for systemic functional
linguistics and an ideal introduction for students and scholars interested in the
relation between grammar, meaning and discourse” (Halliday, 2014, p. i).
Finch (2000, p. 191) acknowledges Halliday’s Functional Grammar as “the
most widely employed methodology for analyzing texts”. Thompson (1996, p.
vii) describes “the theoretical and practical aspects of the Functional
Grammar model in as accessible a way as possible” in order to “set out the
approach from the point of view of readers who are not familiar with this way
of looking at language and who may indeed, have little background in
linguistic analysis generally.” Lock (1996, p. 17) shares the same idea with
Finch (2000), Thompson (1996), and Halliday (2014) about the role of
Functional Grammar in linguistics “Functional analysis tends to view


7

language as a communicative resource and to be primarily interested in how
linguistic structures express meaning.”
The book “English Grammar: A University Course” written by
Downing and Locke (2006) provides detail knowledge about Functional

Grammar which “aims to match forms to function and meaning in context” (p.
3). Quirk and Greenbaum (1973) also make a great contribution to Grammar
with different aspects in the book “A University Grammar of English”.
Besides, Eggins (1994, p. 1) gives an overall view on “the principles and
techniques of systemic functional approach to language” so that readers can
“begin to analyze and explain how meanings are made in everyday linguistic
interactions”. He also emphasizes the important role of functional grammar
“The systemic approach is increasingly being recognized as providing a very
useful descriptive and interpretive framework for viewing language as a
strategic, meaning-making resource.” (Eggins, 1994, p. 1). Bloor and Bloor
(1995) also publish a book about systemic functional grammar which is
viewed as a guidebook of analysis of English texts from the perspective of
Functional Grammar. Zhiwen Feng (2013, p. 86) makes a research about
Functional Grammar to “help EFL teachers have an overall understanding of
the theory and key concepts of functional grammar as well as the positive role
functional grammar plays in school contexts.” In this research, Zhiwen Feng
(2013) mentions Martin, Matthiessen and Painter (1997)’s the point of view
about functional grammar.
Similarly, Martin, Matthiessen and Painter (1997) define functional grammar as
a way of looking at grammar in terms of how grammar is used. In the field of
linguistics, formal grammar, which is an alternative to functional grammar, is
concerned with the ways our genes constrain the shape of our grammar, and
thus constrain what a person can and cannot say. (Zhiwen Feng, 2013, p. 87)


8

Vietnamese researchers have carried out many studies in the field of
Functional Grammar. A thesis with the title “An Investigation into Linguistic
Features of Goal and Range in Material Processes in English and Vietnamese”

was conducted by Phan Duc Vy An (2011) . This thesis compares and contrasts
the functions of Goal and Range in material processes in both Vietnamese and
English. Le Thi Thuy Diem (2016) investigates the Experiential Meaning in
the Short Story “The Last Leaf” as her M.A. thesis in 2016 at Quy Nhon
University. Her thesis points out “how the TRANSITIVITY system helps us
understand the experiential meaning” in this work, which helps readers “know
exactly how the writer states his experience in the world” (Le Thi Thuy Diem,
2016, pp. 3,4). Dang Thi Cam Ngoc (2015) carries a research to find out the
differences and similarities in material processes in the work “Perfect Spy” by
Larry Berman in English and Vietnamese, drawing some useful implications
for teachers and students in the aspects of not only functional grammar but
also translation. Another significant contrastive study in Functional Grammar
is carried out by Nguyen Thi Tu Trinh, Phan Van Hoa, and Tran Huu Phuc
(2018). This study “makes a comparison of English ideational metaphor’s
patterns with those of Vietnamese ideational metaphor” to “help us understand
more ideational metaphors well as set a more standard form of behavioral
clauses analysis” with the data taken from 165 behavioral clauses in 9 short
stories and novels in English and Vietnamese from the 19th.
In spite of many studies conducted in the perspective of Functional
Grammar, the research “Linguistic Features of Experiential Meaning in “The
Call of Wild” by Jack London” has not been undertaken yet; therefore, I
would like to make a minor contribution to the great researching world of
Functional Grammar by doing this research as my M.A. thesis.


9

2.2. Theoretical background
2.2.1. Clause complex
2.2.1.1. Clause

Halliday defines a clause as “a composite entity, which is constituted
not of one dimension of structure but of three (subject, actor, and theme)”,
each of which construes a distinctive meaning: clause as message, clause as
exchange, and clause as representation’.
(i) The Theme functions in the structure of the clause as a message. A clause
has Meaning as a message, a quantum of information; the Theme is the point of
departure for the message. It is the element the speaker selects for ‘grounding’
what he is going on to say.
(ii) The Subject functions in the structure of the clause as an exchange. A
clause has Meaning as an exchange, a transaction between speaker and listener;
the Subject is the warranty of the exchange. It is the element the speaker makes
responsible for the validity of what he is saying.
(iii)The Actor functions in the structure of the clause as representation. A clause
has meaning as a representation of some process in ongoing human experience;
the Actor is the active participant in that process. It is the element the speaker
portrays as the one that does the deed. (Halliday, 2014, p. 83)

2.2.1.2. Clause complex
Halliday (2014) states that a sentence is built up from a head clause
modified by other clause – a clause complex. In other words, a clause
complex includes a clause working by itself or a combination of clauses in
which the Head clause is modified by the others by coordinations. According
to Halliday (2004), there are two ways to analyze the relationship between
clauses in a sentence: Taxis (degree of interdependency) and the logicosemantic relation.


10



Taxis (degree of interdependency)

According to Halliday (2014), all clauses joined in sentences are
“interdependent: that is the meaning of relational structure – one unit is
interdependent on another unit.” Therefore, degree of interdependency
includes some clauses with equal status and independence from each other.
Degree of interdependency is divided into two different degrees, which are
“parataxis (equal status) and hypotaxis (unequal status)”.
Hypotaxis is the relation between a dependent element and its dominant, the
element on which it is dependent. Contrasting with this is parataxis, which is
the relation between two like elements of equal status, one initiating and the
other continuing. (Halliday, 2014, p. 440)

From the definitions of hypotaxis and parataxis above, it is can be
drawn that parataxis comprises clauses of equal status while in hypotaxis, one
clause is dominant (a head) and other clauses are dependent on the head. A
double dash is used to separate one clause from another, as in following
examples.
Her voice is very beautiful || but her performance is not skillful at all.|||
(Parataxis)
She did not go to school yesterday || because she had a headache. |||
(Hypotaxis)
There

are some

clauses.

Sinnemaki

difference between

distinctions
(2003)
hypotaxis

between
states Halliday’s

and embedded clauses.

hypotaxis and
embedded
point of
view about the
He states that

hypotaxis shows the interdependency relationship between clauses which
are not a constituent of another while embedded clauses are in
nominalizing phrases which are considered as a part of another clause.
Therefore, embedded clauses do not create clause complexes. Embedded


clauses are marked with ([[ ]]) as the following examples.


11

I saw the car [[that Jeff wrecked.]]
It is obvious [[that Jeff wrecked the car.]]



Lexico-semantic relation.

Expansion and Projection are two kinds of relationship in lexicosemantic relation. Halliday (2014, p. 443) defines expansion as “the
secondary clause expands the primary clause, by (a) elaborating it, (b)
extending it or (c) enhancing it” whereas projection is “the secondary clause
is projected through the primary clause, which states it as (a) a locution or (b)
an idea.” For example:
The factory in the area is adding poisonous pollutants into the river, ||
which damages our environment seriously. |||
(Expansion)

She said to the little girl, || “You shouldn’t play with the matches.” |||
(Projection)
2.2.2. Classes and functions
In the aspects of constructing an abstract model of the system of
language, the form of the words or language used in the text or in the speech
is unlikely to completely show the meaning of these words in the certain
situation in reality. Halliday (2014) mentions a term of the form of the
language in traditional grammar – it is “Class” or “part of speech”.
A class is a set of items that are in some respect alike (cf. Halliday, 1963c). The
most familiar, in our traditional grammar, are classes of words: verb, noun,
adjective, adverb, pronoun, preposition, conjunction (and sometimes also
interjection), in the usual list. (Halliday, 2014, p. 74)

Halliday (2014, p. 75) states that a general definition of each class
“would involve both grammatical and semantic considerations” because “a
word will typically be like one word in one respect and like a different word

12

in another.” For example, “lower” is an adjective in comparative in the
sentence “This mountain is lower than that one.” But “lower” is a verb with
different meaning in the sentence “He lowers his voice.” Therefore, it is
obvious that the idea of Halliday about the class which contains both
grammatical and sematic meaning is reasonable and useful for using and
analyzing languages.
According to Halliday (2014, p. 76), each word can be present in the
dictionary together with its class or part of speech. But the dictionary is out of
context, so “the class label does not show what part the item is playing in any
actual structure.” It is for this reason that the term “function” is indicated by
Halliday. He states that “the functional categories provide an interpretation of
grammatical structure in terms of the overall meaning potential of the
language.”
Table 2.1. Function structure of clause with syntagm of classes
realizing functions (Halliday, 2014, p. 76)

our d

ordin

Afric
[function]

In terms of traditional grammar, the sentence above can be analyzed
into two nominal groups, and verbal group while in terms of function, “the
functional labels could be further elaborated to show what kind of Process,

what kind of Goal,…” (Halliday, 2014, p. 76). However, elements of a
sentence can have more than one function, leading to the term
“Metafunctions” presented later.


13

2.2.3. Actor, Subject, and Theme
According to Halliday (2014, p.79), “Subject” is “the label for a
grammatical function of some kind”, but it is difficult to define what it is and
“find in the grammatical tradition a definitive account of what the role of
Subject means”. However, together with the development of linguistics in
general and Functional grammar in particular, there are three significant
definitions of the term “Subject”.
(i)

that which is the concern of the message

(ii) that of which something is being predicated (i.e. on which rests the
truth of the argument)
(iii)

the doer of the action.

Hence there are three kinds of Subject corresponding with each
definition of the term “Subject”: (i) psychological Subject, (ii) grammatical
Subject, and (iii) logical Subject.
However, with the variation of language, the order of elements can be
changed such as in active or passive voice, psychological Subject,
grammatical Subject, and logical Subject are no longer three notions of one

term “Subject” any more. Instead, they become three separate terms as below.

In certain situations, Theme, Subject, and Actor can be conflated or
separated as in following examples.
(a)

My father
Theme = Subject = Actor


14

(b)

A book
Theme = Subject

(c)

A book
Theme

(d)

By my father
Theme = Actor
The functions of Theme, Subject, and Actor show three lines of

meaning in the clause: clause as a message, clause as an exchange, and clause
as representation. According to Halliday (2014, p. 84), “these three kinds of

meaning run throughout the whole of language, and in a fundamental respect
they determine the way that language has evolved.” Three kinds of meaning
are

demonstrated

in

systematic

accounts

of

grammar

known

as

“metafunctions” mentioned in the following part.
Table 2.2. Three lines of meaning in the clause (Halliday, 2014, p. 83)

2.2.4. The three metafunctions
Language is used to express what people want to convey to others in
daily life; therefore, language is regarded as a resource of making meaning in
which a clause is a basic unit used to describe the meaning. Thanks to
language, the happening events, the participants, and surrounding

15

circumstances in a talk can be unfolded to listeners. To understand deeply the
way language works as well as messages imparted through written or spoken
language, a tool of analyzing language in use is required. Halliday’s
Functional Grammar is considered as a useful and efficient tool to analyze
texts. The theory of Halliday is acknowledged as “the most widely employed
methodology for analyzing texts” (Finch, 2000, p. 191). Halliday uses the
term “Metafunctions” to explain the functions of language.
Halliday (2014) divides metafunctions of language into three categories
-

experiential function, interpersonal function, and textual function.
 The EXPERIENTIAL function is used to reflect human experience
about both the outer world and the inner world and to depict things and
phenomena contained in the world.
 The INTERPERSONAL function is used to enable people to get
involved in communicative acts, which establishes the relationship
between people and language, and helps them to use language to
express their own points of view on different things.
 The TEXTUAL function demonstrates the way language is used to
help people construct a meaningful spoken or written text.
Halliday (2014) claims that each situation includes three aspects (Field

– What is to be talked or written about, Mode – The kind of text that is being
made, Tenor – The relationships between the interactants) and each aspect is
realized by each of the three metafunctions of language. Field tends to
determine experiential meaning through grammar elements in transitivity
system (processes, participants, circumstances). Mode is realized by textual
meaning through Theme – Rheme while Tenor is realized by interpersonal

meaning which is presented in Mood. Three metafunctions are showed in the
Figure 2.1 below.


16

Figure 2.1. The spectrums of Metafunctions (Yaqub, Azhar, & Kakepoto,
2017)

2.2.5. The grammar of experiential meaning: Transitivity
When researching Functional Grammar, Halliday builds transitivity
system which is served as an encoder of the experiential reality including
actions in the real world and inner world, relations, participants, and
circumstances which contribute to the content of a spoken or written text, so
transitivity system affects “not only the verb serving as process but also
participants and circumstances” (Halliday, 2014, p. 227).
Transitivity system belongs to experiential metafunction and is used to
analyze the field of the situation as mentioned in 2.2.2. According to
Halliday’s theory, thanks to applying the transitivity system to analyze a
discourse or a text, the way actions are performed and the way speakers/
writers use language to express their experience of the world surrounding
them and their consciousness are clearly described, showing what is being
talked about in the discourse or the text so that the experiential meaning can
be imparted to addressees.


17

The experiential meaning of a text is shown by the system of
transitivity including processes, participants, and circumstances.

(i)

a process unfolding through time

(ii) the participants involved in the process
(iii)

circumstances associated with the process.
(Halliday, 2014, p. 220)

Three constituents mentioned above in the transitivity system describe
what happens in reality in a clause using linguistic structures. In terms of
traditional grammar, the parts of speech or the word classes such as nouns,
verbs, prepositions, or adverbs are utilized to express the outer world.
However, in Functional grammar, Halliday introduces different types of
elements which are typically realised by the groups/ phrases.
Table 2.3. Typical experiential functions of group and phrase classes
Type of element
(i) process
(ii) participant
(iii) circumstance

According to Halliday, the term “process” is used to present what kind
of event or state (doing or happening, saying or sensing, being or having) is
being described in a clause in a text or discourse. From the Table 2.3 above, it
can be seen that process is realized by Verbal process; that is to say, verbs are
used to show processes in experiential meaning. Besides, in a language, there
are many different kinds of verbs; some verbs are used to describe doing or
happening in the real world while other verbs show saying, sensing, being,
existing, or behaving in the inner world of consciousness. Therefore, each

kind of verbs denotes a distinct kind of processes; consequently, processes in


18

the transitivity system are categorized into six kinds – material, mental,
behavior, verbal, relational, and existential processes. The combination of six
processes will assist readers/ listeners to get the better understanding of the
content of a text in written or spoken forms.
Participants are entities which are involved in the process, typically
realized by nominal groups. Each process has its own participants; each
participant belongs to different processes. Basing on types of processes,
participants can do the actions or be affected by the actions; participants can
also be the ones who perceive, know, like… or be sensed; participants can be
endowed with the consciousness of humans. Therefore, types of processes are
the factor that decides their own participants.
Circumstance is an element in the transitivity system that expand the
basic clauses including processes and participants by adding to the clauses
some details such as Extent, Location, Manner, Cause, Contingency,
Accompaniment, Role, Matter, and Angle. Circumstantial elements are
typically realized by adverbial groups or preposition phrases as shown in
Table 2.3.
Halliday (2014) reports that among three elements mentioned above
(process, participant, and circumstance), process plays the most important role
in the clause – the central of the clause. Meanwhile, participant has a close
relationship with the process which is involved in or affected by the process.
In contrast, circumstances “occur freely in all types of process” (p. 310); in
other words, they are not involved or affected by the process but give
temporal or spatial information to the process. In short, although each element
has its own function in a clause, the combination of these elements in

transitivity system makes a great contribution to describing the clause as
representation.