Teacher Discussion Forums

Larry, I'm not interested in any pissing contests, and I would never feel the urge to deride your particular philosphical views of linguistics were they not to coincide with mine. However I feel very confident that I do know what I am talking about, and this not only because I have spent some time a...

Larry, Pardon my bluntness, but you are mistaken. The concepts of "fact" and "opinion" have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand. The use of Modal Finites is not concerned with the expression of "opinion" and Modality generally is primarily concerned with the adjustment of "Stand". Tense ...

Larry, Pardon my bluntness, but you are mistaken. The concepts of "fact" and "opinion" have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand. The use of Modal Finites is not concerned with the expression of "opinion" and Modality generally is primarily concerned with the adjustment of "Stand". Tense ...

At first glance I'd say that the modality conferred by "will" in clauses such as "they'll be there by now" or "he'll have done it yesterday" is one that expresses certainty . One might compare these clauses to "they should be there by now" and "he should have done it yesterday" to see the how the le...

Larry, seeing as you didn't abuse me and you seem interested, I've taken some time to try to elucidate the basic concepts of SFL for you. It does take a little getting used to, but in my experience it is well worth the effort for teachers and students alike. I hope that I will have succeeded also in...

For clarity and for the classroom, try an analysis by using Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). Analysis at the Experiential Phase gives us: Nowhere in the world// is there// a coastline like that one (sic) CIRCUMSTANCE//EXISTENTIAL PROCESS// EXISTENT This is but a marked version of the following...

With all due respect, certainly language has structure, but it has no rules - unenforceable or otherwise. Your analytical method is as follows: Take some written language. If you personally think the language is acceptable (or otherwise) , look very carefully at each and every word, then concoct som...

I'd be extremely interested to meet the being who has such authority over the universal chaos that he/she might engender concensus on the issue of what should or should not be linguistically "prohibited", and would be even more interested to learn how such prohibitions coud be enforced... It is my p...