Genres in systemic-functional theory

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to present the theoretical perspective on genre and register of the so-called ‘Sydney School’; (Martin 1992, Martin and Eggins 2000, Martin and Rose 2008, Rose and Martin 2012), because it is a powerful theoretical and methodological tool for analysis of texts. This approach is based on Systemic-Functional Linguistics (LSF), whose origin dates back to the concepts of context and register defined by Halliday, Macintosh and Strevens (1964), who influenced Martin (1992) in conceiving another perspective for the study of context, interpreting register differently from the notion established by Halliday. I then present the different interpretations of the terms ‘context’, ‘register’ and ‘genre’ within the systemic-functional paradigm, based on the multifunctional language theory developed by Halliday (1978, 1985, 1991, 2002, 2005) and in the studies on context, text, register and genre developed by Hasan (1973, 1995, 2004, 2009), Matthiessen (1993, 2013) e Martin (1992). Genres and registers are terms used by systemicists to refer to the meaning and function of variation between texts in the contextual dimension, as well as how texts resemble each other and are distinguished by expressing linguistic and discursively traces of the social context in which they are used.摘要 本研究旨在阐述所谓悉尼学派（Sydney School）在语类（genre）与语域（register）上的理论视角，相关代表性成果包括Martin（1992）、Martin与Eggins（2000）、Martin与Rose（2008）以及Rose与Martin（2012）的研究，因其是开展文本分析的强有力的理论与方法论工具。该研究路径以系统功能语言学（Systemic-Functional Linguistics, LSF）为基础，其理论溯源可至Halliday、Macintosh与Strevens（1964）提出的语境与语域概念，上述三位学者的研究对Martin（1992）产生了重要影响，使其构建出另一种语境研究视角，并对语域做出了有别于Halliday原有定义的阐释。随后，本研究将基于Halliday（1978、1985、1991、2002、2005）提出的多功能语言理论，以及Hasan（1973、1995、2004、2009）、Matthiessen（1993、2013）与Martin（1992）在语境、文本、语域与语类领域的研究成果，阐述系统功能范式下"语境""语域"与"语类"三个术语的不同阐释。语类与语域是系统功能语言学家所使用的术语，用于指代文本在语境维度下的变异意义与功能，同时也用于描述文本间的相似性与差异性——这种相似性与差异性体现为文本所承载的、与其使用场景相关的社会语境的语言学与话语印记。